Infineon Save Mart 350 Fantasy NASCAR Preview and Picks
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A = Really, Really Good Pick
Tony Stewart – No driver has scored more points than Tony Stewart at Infineon over the last 5 years. His two wins and runner-up finish last year don’t hurt his value either. Tony Stewart’s a momentum driver and its starting to build. (Yahoo A Driver)
Jeff Gordon – Gordon has 5 career wins here and has finished in the top ten in the last 4 Infineon races. His last win at Infineon was back in 2006. His average finish over the last 5 years is 10.6. (Yahoo A Driver)
Juan Pablo Montoya – Check out what I said about Juan Pablo Montoya in my Infineon Contender or Pretender post. (Yahoo A Driver)
A- = Really Good Pick
Kyle Busch – Kyle Busch dominated this race in 2008 when he went on to victory and no driver has led more laps than him over the last five years (88). His driver rating over the last five years is the third best in the series (101.9). (Yahoo A Driver)
Marcos Ambrose – If you like messing with fire then consider Marcos Ambrose this week. I can guarantee you he’ll lay it all on the line Sunday. Last year he finished 3rd. (Yahoo B Driver)
Kurt Busch – Kurt Busch is the best driver to never win on a road course. He’s come close on multiple occasions but things get in the way. Last year he was a top 5 car but Jimmie Johnson gave him the boot. (Yahoo A Driver)
Denny Hamlin – Hamlin is a very competitive road course driver. Last year he led 33 laps and finished 5th. At Infineon he has finished 12th or better three times in four races. At Watkins Glen Hamlin has never finished outside the top ten. (Yahoo A Driver)
B+ = Good Pick
Carl Edwards – Carl Edwards has six top tens in ten career road course races. Here’s his Yahoo race charts from 2009, 2008, and 2007 (ran out of gas on the last lap). To find these Yahoo charts for every COT check out my Track Fantasy Prep page. (Yahoo A Driver)
Clint Bowyer – Clint Bowyer’s 8.0 average finish is the second best in the series over the last 5 years but when you look at his loop data things start to change. His average running position is 18.4, he only races in the top fifteen 37.75% of the time and his driver rating is only the 17th best in the series.(Yahoo B Driver)
Mark Martin – Martin wasn’t good on either road course last year but don’t overlook his thirteen top tens in nineteen starts. (Yahoo A Driver)
Ryan Newman – Newman is a very underrated road course driver. In eight starts at Infineon Newman has five top tens. His worst finish here is 20th. Last year he finished seventeenth but he’s never had consecutive seasons without a top ten finish. (Yahoo B Driver)
Jimmie Johnson – Johnson is a good road course driver. People thought he couldn’t win at Bristol and he did. People don’t think he will win a road course race but he will. Last year he finished 4th. (Yahoo A Driver)
B = Just A Tier Below The Good Picks
Kevin Harvick – Harvick finished second here in 2007. Since then Harvick has finishes of 29th and 30th at Infineon. (Yahoo B Driver)
Jeff Burton – Burton has finished in the top ten in half of the last six races at Infineon. His average mid race running position over the last five years is 9.0. (Yahoo B Driver)
Elliott Sadler – If you need a sleeper this week consider Elliott Sadler. If it wasn’t for a cut tire in 2008 he would have six straight top fifteens at Infineon. He has finished in the top ten five times since 2002. (Yahoo B Driver)
Jamie McMurray – Check out what I said about McMurray in my Contender or Pretender post. (Yahoo B Driver)
Joey Logano – Logano was very impressive in his Infineon debut and ran much of the race inside the top ten. (Yahoo B Driver)
B- = You Can Pencil Them In For Around 20th
Kasey Kahne – Last year’s Kasey Kahne win at Infineon was a complete surprise, probably even for Kahne. When you take away Kahne’s win last year he only has one finish that is better than 30th. Even with his win last year his average finish (26.7) is nearly the worst in the series. His average finish excluding his win is 31.8. Beyond a shadow of doubt I wouldn’t even consider Kasey Kahne this weekend. (Yahoo B Driver)
Martin Treux Jr. – Truex has never finished better than fifteenth at Infineon. He’s a better road course driver at Watkins Glen. (Yahoo B Driver)
Greg Biffle – In four out of the last five years Greg Biffle has finished in the top fifteen at Infineon. (Yahoo A Driver)
Scott Speed – Last year the former Formula 1 driver finished 37th in his Infineon debut. I think if he can’t succeed this year on the road courses then he probably won’t succeed period. (Yahoo C Driver)
C+ = Got Some Question Marks Here
Dale Earnhardt Jr. – Earnhardt Jr has never finished in the top ten here but on multiple occasions he’s been on the brink of accomplishing that feat. (Yahoo B Driver)
Matt Kenseth – Matt Kenseth openly says that he doesn’t like road courses so that should be your the first red flag not to use him. His average finish over the last five years is 17.6. (Yahoo B Driver)
David Reutimann – Reuitimann is so bad on road courses that Michael Waltrip has even taken him out of the car before. He has finishes of 31st and 40th here. His confidence is close to zero on road courses and your confidence in him should be about the same this weekend. (Yahoo B Driver)
Brad Keselowski – In fantasy racing you should fear the unknown. Picking Brad Keselowski here is a big unknown. (Yahoo B Driver)
C = I’m Not Picking Them
Robby Gordon – NASCAR doesn’t like Robby Gordon and I don’t particularly like him either this weekend. Road course racing is his specialty but he hasn’t cracked the top 15 since he won in 2003. His average Infineon finish since 2004 is 29.6. (Yahoo C Driver)
Paul Menard – There’s really no reason to look at Menard this week. He’s a proven mid twenties guy at Infineon. (Yahoo C Driver)
Sam Hornish Jr. – Just because he has an open wheel background doesn’t mean he’s a practical pick on road courses. He has finishes of 31st and 38th on this serpentine track. (Yahoo C Driver)
David Ragan – Road Courses aren’t his thing but what is these days? He’s never started better than 37th and he’s never finished better than 24th. (Yahoo B Driver)
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Infineon Fantasy NASCAR Picks
My Pick : Kyle Busch
Top Onpitrow.com Expert Pick : Tony Stewart
Top Onpitrow.com Darkhorse Pick : Juan Pablo Montoya
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