Fantasy NASCAR Contender Or Pretender: Chicagoland
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Jimmie Johnson (Contender) – Now that Bristol and Infineon are crossed off Jimmie Johnson’s check list next up is Chicagoland. Only once in eight races at Chicagoland has Jimmie Johnson finished outside the top eight and that was because of an accident caused by a cut tire. Johnson’s average finish when you omit his one bad finish is 4.0.
What makes Jimmie Johnson so good at Chicagoland is that he’s always near the front. In the last five Chicagoland races Jimime Johnson has an average start of 4.4, average mid race running position of 5.6, and an average running position of 7.3 (best in the series).
Mark Martin (Pretender) – I think its unrealistic to expect the defending champion at Chicagoland to be a Contender Saturday night. The 5 team has been very uncompetitive this year, and only once in the last nine races have they finished inside the top ten.
If you’re looking for a glimmer of hope and considering Martin then you’ll be happy to know that his one top ten over this nine race stretch was at Charlotte. I would however highly recommend you look in a different direction this week.
Kevin Harvick (Contender) – Kevin Harvick won the first two races held at Chicagoland and has been close to victory on other occasions. In nine Chicagoland races Kevin Harvick boasts the second best average finish (8.7). Kevin Harvick has been strong all season long and when you combine that with a good track for him you can be certain he’ll be a contender.
Ryan Newman (Pretender) – Ryan Newman has three straight top tens at Chicagoland and is a previous winner but I think you’ll regret it if you pick him. On other high speed intermediate tracks (intermediates excluding Dover and Darlington) this year Newman only has one top ten and that was at Charlotte which many times doesn’t run as a regular intermediate race and rather becomes a survival race. Newman’s average finish on the six previous high speed intermediate races this year is 20.5.
Jeff Gordon (Contender) – Jeff Gordon has been highly competitive all season long on intermediate tracks. This week you should expect nothing different. Gordon won here in 2006 and was the runner-up last year. In the ever so brief COT era at Chicago Gordon has the third best average finish (6.5).
Juan Pablo Montoya (Pretender) – Juan Pablo Montoya will undoubtedly be fast at Chicagoland, but can he finish? Montoya’s had so much bad luck this year and until he gets some solid finishes stringed together I would highly recommend that you avoid him. He’ll qualify good and practice good but Montoya’s had significant problems in nearly half the races this year.
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