Pure Michigan 400 Fantasy NASCAR Front Runner Rankings

Paul Menard – Paul Menard has been very strong at Michigan and he’s a driver who should be on your radar if you’re looking for a sleeper pick. Currently at Michigan he has four straight top tens. Also over this four race stretch he has a 5.0 average finish, 12.8 average running position and the 7th best driver rating. Earlier this year at MIS he started in 17th and used pit strategy throughout the race. During the first rain caution he as one of just a few drivers who pitted and as a result he was running back in the 30’s for much of the early portion of the race. From lap 50 to the conclusion he essentially drove from about 23rd up to his eventual 8th place finish. In the race he said he had a consistent car throughout a run but thought he was lacking speed. In the three MIS races prior to this June’s race he had three consecutive 4th place finishes. Last August he had a great performance. He started in 7th, earned the 6th best driver rating and finished 4th. In June 2014 he ran a very solid race. He started 5th, finished 4th and earned the 7th best driver rating. In August 2013 Menard finished 4th, earned the 8th best driver rating and had a 12th place average running position. Menard had a good car in June 2013. He qualified in 4th and ran in the top ten until an early pit stop where he took four tires and nearly everyone else took two. That decision dropped him back to about 20th. From that point on he consistently ran between tenth and the mid-teens. When the checkered flag waved he finished 14th. Also in that race he had a 14th place average running position and earned the 13th best driver rating. In August 2012 he had a solid performance. He started in 10th, had a 10th place average running position and finished 9th. This season at high-speed intermediate tracks Menard has been strong. Minus Texas and Kansas where he had top five potential but had problems he’s finished in the top fifteen every race and has an 11.0 average finish. (Yahoo B Driver / DraftKings $7,800)

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Ryan Newman – At Michigan on the new surface Newman has finished between 8th and 18th every race. Also in the combined races on the new surface he has a 14.0 average finish, 15.3 average running position and the 17th best driver rating. Earlier this year at Michigan he was probably about 12th place good but pit strategy and how the race ended led to an 18th place finish. Last August he had a solid afternoon and utilized pit strategy throughout the race. In the event he started 12th, finished 11th and led 14 laps. Because of his pit strategy he had an up and down day in the running order all race long. At Michigan in June 2014 he had a quiet race. He started in 24th, had a 15th place average running position and finished 15th. In August 2013 Newman had a solid race. He started in 21st and climbed up towards the top ten in just the first 20 laps. When the checkered flag waved he finished 13th. In the race I thought he performed slightly better than he finished. He was a driver who had to save fuel over the final run, when you can’t drive hard you get passed. Over the last 37 laps he went from 7th to 13th. Ryan Newman was a “Mid Pack” driver in June 2013. He started in 35th, had a 21st place average running position and finished 18th. Also in the event he only ran 6.5% percent of the laps in the top fifteen and earned the 24th best driver rating. In 2012 at Michigan he had results of 8th and 15th. At Michigan Newman has two wins but it’s important to point out his most recent was in 2004. This year at high-speed intermediate tracks Newman has scored the 7th most points and has a 10.5 average finish. (Yahoo A Driver / DraftKings $7,100)

Further Recommended Reading – Michigan Top Tier Elite Picks, Who will win at Michigan?, Fantasy NASCAR Scouting Report – Michigan, Michigan June 2015 Loop Data Box Score

Clint Bowyer – In June at Michigan Clint Bowyer extended his MIS top ten streak to a series best 9 consecutive top tens. On the repaved Michigan surface he’s finished between 5th and 10th every race. In the combined races since the repave he has a 7.4 average finish, 14.0 average running position and the 11th best driver rating. Earlier this year at Michigan he had a solid race. He started in 32nd and slowly worked his way up to a tenth place finish. Performance wise he was probably about mid-teens good and his result was slightly inflated through pit strategy and how the end played out. Last August he had a good afternoon. He started in 19th, ran around 13th for a large percentage of the afternoon and then in the final 20 laps he started making his move to the front. When the checkered flag waved he finished 6th and earned the 13th best driver rating. In June 2014 he had a good race and ran within a few deviations of 10th all afternoon. He started 11th, had an 11th place average running position, earned the 11th best driver rating and finished 10th. In August 2013 his race got off to a rough beginning. He started in 11th but on lap #2 he spun and brought out the first caution. He didn’t get any damage but he did lose all of his track position. It didn’t take him long to climb back towards the front. By lap 20 he was already up to 18th. When the checkered flag waved he walked away with his best Michigan finish on new surface (5th). In his first three races on the new surface he finished 7th every race. This year at high-speed intermediate tracks minus Michigan he’s finished 19th or worse every race. (Yahoo B Driver / DraftKings $7,400)

Make sure you read the full spectrum of our Pure Michigan 400 Fantasy NASCAR Rankings

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