Martinsville Goody’s Fast Reilef 500 Fantasy Preview and Picks

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A= Really, Really Good Pick

Jimmie Johnson – Johnson is the last driver not named Denny Hamlin to visit victory lane at Martinsville. He has five career wins at NASCAR’s oldest track and the only time he finished outside the top ten was his first career start. Look for Jimmie Johnson to be the top pick of many fantasy NASCAR experts. (Yahoo A Driver)

Denny Hamlin –  How can you go wrong by picking a driver who’s won the last three Martinsville races? I guess you could go wrong if he blows up again. In three out of the last four Martinsville races he’s led +170 laps a race. Between Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin no other driver has won a COT race at Martinsville. (Yahoo A Driver)

A- = Really Good Pick

Jeff Gordon – Gordon’s Martinsville glory days are over but he’s still a top five driver at this paper clip track. Last fall he finished 20th but he can thank Kurt Busch for that. All of his other races since 2002 have been top ten finishes even with the track working against him. (Yahoo A Driver)

Kevin Harvick – Harvick has been top five material every race this season and this week will be no exception. Last year he finished third in the fall and was extremely strong in the spring race (started on pole and led 57 laps before mechanical problems brought a swift end). (Yahoo A Driver)

Kyle Busch – Kyle Busch hasn’t had the most success at Martinsville in Gibbs equipment but he’s been very good in the last three races. He’s finished fourth twice and in one race he crashed in the closing laps but he was good regardless. (Yahoo A Driver)

B+ = Good Pick

Juan Pablo Montoya – Montoya’s average finish at Martinsville is 15.13 but I expect him to easily be top ten material. In the fall 2009 race he had the best car in my opinion and so far this year he’s looked very impressive on the track week in and week out. (Yahoo B Driver)

Carl Edwards – If you need to pick a Ford pick this one. Edwards has been the best Ford driver this year and last year he finished 8th in both races. In 2008 he finished 3rd and 9th. (Yahoo A Driver)

Ryan Newman – Ryan Newman’s been a hit or miss driver at Martinsville. He’s finished in the top seven in three out of the last four races. Ryan Newman is also a good qualifier at this venue. (Yahoo B Driver)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. – This is certainly one of his better tracks. Last fall he was very strong and led 90 laps. Since 2002 he has ten top tens at Martinsville. He’s finished on the lead lap in all but one race since 2005. (Yahoo B Driver)

Tony Stewart – You can tell he’s Ryan Newman’s teammate because his hit or miss at Martinsville also. What I don’t like about Stewart is that he’s finished outside the top twenty in three out of the last five races here. Stewart has thirteen top tens at Martinsville in 24 races. (Yahoo B Driver)

Jeff Burton – Burton had this race won last year. He passed Hamlin late in the race under green, but “bad luck Burton” had a tire go flat on him. Last year he led 274 laps. (Yahoo B Driver)

Clint Bowyer – In the last eight Martinsville races Bowyer has only finished lower than 11th twice. Last year in the spring race he finished 7th. He really needs another good finish this week. If you need a semi-sleeper consider him. (Yahoo B Driver)

Mark Martin – Last fall Mark Martin finished second and had the fastest car in the closing laps He’s finished in the top eight in three out of the last four Martinsville races. (Yahoo B Driver)

B = Just A Tier Below The Good Picks

Joey Logano – Last year Logano had great success at Martinsville. He finished sixth and second. I would say he’s piggy backing off Hamlin’s setup. Kyle Busch admitted to doing that last year. Logano also had success at other short flat tracks last season. (Yahoo B Driver)

Jamie McMurray – McMurray’s always been good at Martinsville. What’s really impressive about him is that he’s even had success here in a Roush car. McMurray has nine top tens in sixteen starts. I consider him to be an excellent sleeper pick. (Yahoo B Driver)

Brian Vickers – Last year in Vickers only appearance at Martinsville he finished 6th. In the last two fall Martinsville races he’s participated in he finished 11th. This race is usually his highest finishing Chase race (when he’s in it and when he’s not). (Yahoo B Driver)

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

Paul Menard – Menard might just be the perfect Yahoo C pick this week. He’s in RCR equipment that’s been very successful here and last year he finished 13th and 14th. I see some promise here. (Yahoo C Driver)

Kurt Busch – It’s hard to believe Kurt Busch won here before (2002) because his success is pretty close to zero otherwise. Since he’s been in a Penske car he’s never cracked the top ten and has only led 38 laps. (Yahoo A Driver)

Brad Keselowski – This is remarkably one of his best tracks. Last year he finished 10th and 12th. I wouldn’t count on him replicating that feat but if you’re a Brad Keselowski fan go for it because at least you’ll be justified. (Yahoo B Driver)

Marcos Ambrose – Ambrose has had mixed success here and has finished inside the top fifteen in half his races. In his other races he’s finished 25th or worse. I think his equipment will hurt him this race though. (Yahoo B Driver)

C+ = Proceed With Caution

Kasey Kahne – Kahne’s average finish is 19.1 and I believe this number accurately represents what you should expect out of him. Kahne has two top tens at NASCAR’s oldest track. (Yahoo B Driver)

Matt Kenseth – Here’s what I predict for Kenseth this week, look for him to start around 30th and finish in 20th. Beyond Infineon and Watkins Glen this is the one track I would  go out of my way to avoid Kenseth. (Yahoo A Driver)

AJ Allmendinger – In his four Martinsville races with RPM he’s finished in the top fifteen twice. There’s potential here but the risk is way to high in my opinion. (Yahoo B Driver)

C = I’m Not Picking Them

Greg Biffle – If you see an fantasy NASCAR expert who’s high on Greg Biffle this week demand they cut up their fantasy NASCAR license. He’s terrible here. Last spring he finished tenth, but even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every once in a while. (Yahoo A Driver)

Martin Truex Jr. – Guess how many laps he’s led here? Fooled you, it’s not zero, he’s led a grand total of one. In ten races at Martinsville he’s only finished on the lead lap three times. You just can’t win in fantasy racing with numbers like that. (Yahoo B Driver)

David Reutimann – Reutimann has raced at Martinsville eight times which is plenty but yet he’s never finished in the top fifteen. No need to even flirt with the idea of using him. Last fall he had his highest ever Martinsville driver rating (98.0). (Yahoo B Driver)

David Ragan – Remember where Tony Stewart once famously called David Ragan “A dart without feathers”, yep this is that track. He’s completed 99.9% of the laps  so his 19.1 average finish is spot on and not skewed in any manner. In the last four races he’s failed to finish inside the top fifteen at Martinsville. (Yahoo C Driver)