Atlanta Emory Healthcare 500 Fantasy NASCAR Preview and Picks

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A= Really, Really Good Pick

Carl Edwards – If you can pick any driver for Atlanta look no further than Carl Edwards. This team is ready to win and Atlanta is arguably his best track. In the two most recent intermediate track races Edwards has finished 2nd and third. (Yahoo A Driver)

Kurt Busch – Kurt Busch has won the last two Atlanta spring races and in the COT era he’s been phenomenal. In the five Atlanta COT races he has the second best driver rating (109.6), and he’s led an average of 75 laps per race. I wrote more about him in my Contender or Pretender post so check it out. (Yahoo A Driver)

Jeff Gordon – Gordon has finished in the top ten in every COT race at Atlanta except the one earlier this year. His Atlanta COT average start is the best in the series (6.6) and his COT average finish is the third best (8.4). (Yahoo A Driver)

Kevin Harvick – Harvick won the most recent intermediate race and last year he had this race won until a late caution came out. He was very good on the long runs last year. Earlier this year he finished ninth. (Yahoo B Driver)

Don’t forget to check out ifantasyrace.com on your cellphone. It’s mobile phone  friendly

A- = Really Good Pick

Kasey Kahne – Kahne is the defending champion of this race and he’s definitely the sleeper driver you’re looking for. He’s finished in the top four the last two Atlanta races. (Yahoo B Driver)

Juan Pablo Montoya – Montoya’s finished second in the last two Atlanta races. Running the high line around Atlanta is important and Juan’s one of best in the business at doing that. (Yahoo A Driver)

Greg Biffle – Biffle’s finished in the top ten in all but one Atlanta COT race. His overall COT average finish is 13.2. (Yahoo A Driver)

Denny Hamlin – Hamlin has been very good in recent Atlanta races but his numbers don’t show it. In the most recent intermediate race he finished second to Kevin Harvick (Yahoo A Driver)

Matt Kenseth –  Matt Kenseth has the best five-year average finish at Atlanta and in the earlier visit this year he finished second. (Yahoo B Driver)

B+ = Good Pick

Jimmie Johnson – Check out what I said about Johnson in my Atlanta Contender or Pretender post. (Yahoo A Driver)

Tony Stewart – The majority of Tony Stewart’s Atlanta success is “old”. In the last five Atlanta races he’s only finished in the top ten twice. (Yahoo A Driver)

Clint Bowyer – Now that Clint Bowyer is getting out of the “Chase Bubble Drama” its time to consider him again. His Atlanta magic number is sixth because he’s finished there four times in the last seven races. (Yahoo B Driver)

Kyle Busch – Kyle Busch won the first COT race at Atlanta but the cars have changed drastically since then. His average finish in the last three Atlanta races is 18.6. (Yahoo A Driver)

David Reutimann – Reutimann won at Chicagoland and finished 4th in the Atlanta night race last year. Expect a strong showing out of him again. (Yahoo B Driver)

B = Just A Tier Below The Good Picks

Mark Martin – His average finish since 2006 is a dreadful 22.7. When you combine that with the way this team performs each week you can pencil Martin in for a 15th place finish. (Yahoo A Driver)

Joey Logano – Logano’s been strong on intermediate tracks this year. He’s never finished in the top ten at Atlanta but don’t let that scare you away. I predict he’ll finish somewhere between 8th through 15th. (Yahoo B Driver)

Ryan Newman – If you like qualifying you’ll like Ryan Newman. At one point in his career he won six straight poles at Atlanta. Last year Ryan Newman finished 9th, but to find his next Atlanta top ten you have to look all the way back to 2004. (Yahoo B Driver)

Martin Treux Jr. – Truex should be better at Atlanta but he’s not. He’s had some tough luck here and as a result his numbers are bad. He ran strong earlier this year. Check out his Yahoo race chart (Yahoo B Driver)

Did you know that ifantasyrace.com has a direct link to every Yahoo Race Chart race ever held in the COT era

Jamie McMurray – McMurray had some mild success with Ganassi in his early years but he’s been a hit or miss driver at intermediate tracks this year. He ran strong at Chicago but faltered at Michigan. (Yahoo B Driver)

B- = You Can Pencil Them In For Around 20th

Paul Menard – Menard’s a true deep sleeper who has potential at Atlanta. Earlier this year he finished 5th. He also ran strong at Chicagoland and finished tenth. (Yahoo C Driver)

AJ Allmendinger – Allmendinger has had some good runs on low grip tracks this year. In the Atlanta race earlier this year he finished sixth. (Yahoo C Driver)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. – Earnhardt Jr. has a very good track history at Atlanta but not much recent success. The last time he finished in the top ten was the spring race of 2008 (First COT Race). (Yahoo B Driver)

Brad Keselowski – Brad was able to mooch of Kurt’s setup in the spring race but Busch has never won the fall race so his notes can’t be the best. Hopefully he gives Edwards room to pass when he gets lapped so he won’t make another highlight reel. (Yahoo B Driver)

David Ragan – Ragan looked strong at Michigan but he’s been woeful at Atlanta. In 2008 (his good year) he finished 8th but all of his other finishes are 19th or worse. (Yahoo B Driver)

C+ = Proceed With Caution

Marcos Ambrose – Ambrose is at his worst on intermediate tracks. On his good days this season on intermediate tracks he’s finished in the teens. Earlier this year he finished 11th. (Yahoo B Driver)

C =I’m Not Picking Them

Sam Hornish Jr. – Hornish had a pretty good run going for him earlier this year at Atlanta (Yahoo Race Chart), but picking him is just to risky. (Yahoo C Driver)

Elliott Sadler – I don’t mean to pick on Elliott Sadler but there really isn’t any value in picking him. He’s only finished in the top fifteen once in the last five years at Atlanta. His statistics aren’t skewed at all about him here. He’s simply a 20th place driver on his good days. Sadler did get his first top ten of the season at Michigan so there is some hope here but I’m not picking him. (Yahoo B Driver)

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Atlanta  Fantasy NASCAR Picks

My Pick : Carl Edwards

Top Onpitrow.com Expert Pick : Kurt Busch

Top Onpitrow.com Darkhorse Pick : Kasey Kahne