Brian Vickers 2015 Fantasy NASCAR Preview
Brian Vickers 2014 Stats: Points Finish 22nd, 1 Pole, 0 Wins, 3 Top Fives, 9 Top Tens, Average Running Position 16.7, Average Finish 18.6, Laps Led 53, Driver Rating 78.8
Strengths – In 2015 look for Brian Vickers to have his best days at Bristol, New Hampshire, road courses and at select high-speed intermediate tracks. At plate tracks he’s also capable of sneaking in a good result.
Weaknesses – Brian Vickers is a driver who it’s hard to pick confidently because he’s inconsistent. He closed out the 2014 season poorly. From the July New Hampshire race to the end of the season he only had three top ten results and in those races he finished 10th.
Track Type Fantasy Value Key = Elite > High > Moderate > Low
Intermediate Track Fantasy Value – Moderate
Brian Vickers is a good intermediate track driver. Last year through the first half of the season I would’ve ranked his fantasy value as high. In the second half of the year he didn’t perform nearly as well. For the year on this track type he had a 20.0 average finish and scored the 21st most points.
Look for his best days on this track type to come at venues where the high-line comes into play.
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Flat Track Fantasy Value – Moderate
Brian Vickers didn’t have a great season at flat tracks in 2014. At these venues for the year he had a 21.4 average result and only finished well once. His one good finish came in the fall race at New Hampshire (10th). In the other six races on this track type he finished 19th or worse.
New Hampshire has been his best flat track. Last fall he finished 10th and led 15 laps. In summer 2013 at that venue he raced his way to victory lane. Since fall 2011 at Loudon he has a 9.4 average finish. Phoenix is the other shorter flat track on the schedule and he hasn’t finished better than 19th there since 2007.
The bigger flat tracks haven’t been the kindest too him. At Indy since 2006 he has a best result of 5th and his next best finish is 15th. A typical result for him at that venue is in the mid to upper teens. At Pocono he experienced success there early in his career to the midpoint, but not so much recently. Since 2008 at the Tricky Triangle he has one top ten result and his next best finish is 19th.
Read his teammates fantasy NASCAR previews: Clint Bowyer
Short Track Fantasy Value – Moderate
Brian Vickers is a quality performer at short tracks and enters these events with dark horse / sleeper potential. Last season at these venues minus the second Martinsville race where he played bumper cars with Kasey Kahne he had a 14.2 average finish.
Between the short tracks Vickers is at his best at Bristol. Last summer he finished 21st but prior to that event he had 5 straight top ten finishes. At Martinsville Vickers has performed decent and minus last fall’s race and a fall 2011 accident he has a 12.4 average result since October 2009. Richmond has historically been his least successful of the short tracks. Last season he finished 12th and 13th, but that’s not how he typically performs. His average result there is 24.0 and he’s only finished in the top twenty 39% percent of the time.
Although his fantasy value is listed as moderate I would say it’s a high-moderate.
Check out our Brian Vickers Fantasy NASCAR Portal page
Restrictor Plate Track Fantasy Value – Moderate
Brian Vickers is a capable restrictor plate racer but I have a hard time trusting him on this track type. Last season on this track type he had one top 4 finish at each venue but his other result was less than satisfactory. For the season on this track type he had a 14.0 average finish and scored the 6th most points.
At Daytona last summer Vickers finished 2nd. Since 2008 minus the three races he’s had problems he has a 9.8 average finish. At Daytona it should be noted that in his career he’s only finished in the top twenty 56% percent of the time.
Last fall at Talladega Vickers started on the pole and parlayed that into a 20th place finish. In the two Talladega races prior to that event he had back to back top five finishes. In the two events prior to his top fives he had results of 38th and 29th.
Road Course Track Fantasy Value – High
MWR cars run well at road courses and Brian Vickers is capable at those serpentine tracks. Last season at these venues he scored the 9th most points and had a 12.0 average finish.
Between the two road courses he’s traditionally been better at Sonoma. At that venue since 2006 he’s only finished lower than 16th once and that was due to him getting parked by NASCAR after he sent Tony Stewart into the tire barrier (2011). Since 2006 minus 2011 he has a 12.5 average finish. The strength of MWR Toyota’s at Sonoma is their ability to maintain speed over long runs. Last season at Sonoma he finished 14th.
In 2014 at Watkins Glen he finished 10th. In 2013 he was competing for a top ten but got caught up in a late wreck. In 2012 at Watkins Glen he didn’t even complete 1 lap because of engine problems. A typical day for him at Watkins Glen minus the races he’s had problems is a result from 10th to 18th.