Indianapolis Brickyard 400 Fantasy NASCAR Preview and Picks
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A= Really, Really Good Pick
Jeff Gordon – Jeff Gordon is going to win soon and this would be the picture perfect moment for him to snap the longest winless streak of his career. Jeff Gordon won the inaugural Indianapolis race (miss his cool mustache) and has the most wins at this historic track (4 wins). (Yahoo A Driver)
Jimmie Johnson – Johnson has won three out of the last four races held at the Brickyard. He’s a clutch performer and if he’s in position again this year I would put my money on him. (Yahoo A Driver)
Tony Stewart – Check out what I said about Tony Stewart in my Contender or Pretender post. (Yahoo A Driver)
A- = Really Good Pick
Juan Pablo Montoya – Juan Pablo was dominant in this race last year. In 2009 he led 72.5 percent of the laps and had an average running position of 3.5. The only thing that stopped him from victory lane was the speeding ticket he got on pit road. (Yahoo A Driver)
Kevin Harvick – Harvick has kissed the bricks at this track before and this race is traditionally decided by drivers who are having special seasons. Harvick has three top seven finishes in the last five years at Indy. (Yahoo B Driver)
Matt Kenseth – Matt Kenseth has been a pretty sneaky guy at Indy and in four out of the last five Brickyard races he’s finished in the top ten. His only non top ten over this time period was the 2008 Russian roulette tire debacle. (Yahoo B Driver)
Kyle Busch – Last year Kyle Busch finished 38th at Indy. Do you think he was a 38th place driver? His Yahoo race chart suggests he was a top seven car before problems struck this team. Kyle Busch has finished in the top ten at Indy 60 percent of the time over the course of his career. (Yahoo A Driver)
Jeff Burton – Burton finished 7th earlier this year at Pocono and he’s a weekly contender. Last year he finished 25th but the two years prior to that he finished in the top ten twice. (Yahoo B Driver)
B+ = Good Pick
Kasey Kahne – In four out of the six races Kahne’s been in at Indy he’s finished in the top seven. Kahne has finished 7th in the last two Indy races. (Yahoo B Driver)
Denny Hamlin – Denny Hamlin is great at Indy’s most similar track Pocono but for whatever reason those results have never been translated over to Indy. In 2008 Denny Hamlin finished 3rd here (best career finish), but all 2008 Indy results should be taken lightly. (Yahoo A Driver)
Kurt Busch – Engine power is key at Indy because of the long straightaways and Kurt Busch with his Dodge has plenty of it. Kurt’s Indianapolis record isn’t stellar but I wouldn’t overlook him this weekend. (Yahoo A Driver)
Mark Martin – Last year Mark Martin finished second at Indy and he has the best five year average finish (6.2). What Martin doesn’t have is momentum. Indianapolis is the one track on the circuit that most accurately reflects a teams true strength for the year and I don’t think the 5 team has it. Martin hasn’t finished inside the top ten for nearly two months. (Yahoo A Driver)
Greg Biffle -Biffle has been pretty proficient at this track the last two years. Last year he finished 4th and ran with the leaders the entire race. (Yahoo A Driver)
Carl Edwards – Edwards has finished in the top ten every other year at Indy. If you like patterns then he should be due for another top ten Sunday. Edwards has an 11.2 career average finish at Indy. (Yahoo A Driver)
B = Just A Tier Below The Good Picks
Clint Bowyer – Bowyer had an extremely competitive car earlier this year at Pocono so he very easily could be underrated here. He’s finished in the teens at Indy the last three years. (Yahoo B Driver)
Joey Logano – Just like Clint Bowyer the 20 car was also competitive at Pocono until he had an “incident” with Kevin Harvick. Last year Logano was strong and he brought the 20 Home Depot car home to a 12th place finish. (Yahoo B Driver)
David Reutimann – The most recent winner on the circuit finished 8th last season in the Brickyard 400. I think he’ll have lots of playability this weekend. (Yahoo B Driver)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. – In ten races at Indy Earnhardt Jr. has earned his 21.7 average finish. Last year he finished 36th but his Yahoo chart tells a very different story of how well he performed in 2009. (Yahoo B Driver)
Jamie McMurray – McMurray’s had some good runs at this track in the past and with how his teammate performed last year don’t overlook McMurray this weekend. (Yahoo B Driver)
B- = You Can Pencil Them In For Around 20th
Ryan Newman – Ryan Newman is an Indiana local but he’s never had the home field advantage. In nine races at Indy Ryan Newman has only finished inside the top ten once. For more on my Ryan Newman Indy perspective check out my Indy Contender or Pretender post. My Contender or Pretender posts are completed weekly so make sure you visit ifantasyrace.com throughout the week. (Yahoo B Driver)
AJ Allmendinger – Allmendinger has finished 10th and 20th in his two career starts at this historic track. His 10th place finish was in 2008 so you can’t weigh that all to heavily. (Yahoo C Driver)
Marcos Ambrose – Ambrose has finished 22nd here twice. It can’t be a fluke. I think he should run better than expected. (Yahoo B Driver)
Martin Treux Jr. – Treux’s history is horrible at Indy. Only once in his career has he finished inside the top fifteen (12th). His average finish in the Brickyard 400 is 22.8. (Yahoo B Driver)
C+ = Got Some Question Marks Here
Sam Hornish Jr – If you need a sleeper this week Hornish Jr. might just be your guy. This former Indy 500 winner has had zero success in stock cars here but his strong run at Pocono is a positive fantasy sign heading into the race. (Yahoo C Driver)
Paul Menard – In three Indy races Menard has accumulated a 30th place average finish. (Yahoo C Driver)
Reed Sorenson – Last year Brian Vickers finished 5th at Indy, so there might be potential here. Reed Sorenson finished 5th here in 2007, and last year he finished 13th. (Yahoo C Driver)
C =I’m Not Picking Them
David Ragan – Ragan’s career average finish at Indy is 18th. It’s an accurate non-skewed reflection of what you can expect if you pick him this week. (Yahoo B Driver)
Elliott Sadler – Sadler has two top fives at Indy, but unfortunately one of them was in the lost 2008 race. All of his other Indy finishes (nine others) are 21st or worse. (Yahoo B Driver)
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Indianapolis Fantasy NASCAR Picks
My Pick : Jeff Gordon
Top Onpitrow.com Expert Pick : Jeff Gordon
Top Onpitrow.com Darkhorse Pick : Juan Pablo Montoya
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