Darlington Showtime Southern 500 Fantasy NASCAR Preview and Picks

A= Really, Really Good Pick

Carl Edwards – No wins but he’s good enough to have one. In 2008 he finished second to Kyle Busch. Carl Edwards has four top tens in seven races at NASCAR’s original intermediate track. He loves this place and wishes they never repaved it. (Yahoo A Driver)

Jeff Gordon – This is the ultimate Jeff Gordon track. Since the fall 2004 race he hasn’t finished lower than fifth. Last year this race was a duel between Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin for the win. Gordon led a race high 110 laps. (Yahoo A Driver)

Jimmie Johnson – Jimmie Johnson is a two-time winner who will be tough to beat. Since 2002 Johnson has only finished lower than 13th twice. Last year AJ Allmendinger took him out. His average finish is 9.33 and normally after he gets his first win the next one isn’t to far off. (Yahoo A Driver)

Kyle Busch – With the old car Kyle Busch could never win here. With the durability of the COT he can, and has. Last year Kyle Busch started 39th and drove all the way up to second by the midpoint. Kyle Busch has top tens in every other Darlington race so cross your fingers this week because it’s the other. (Yahoo A Driver)

Denny Hamlin -The defending champion has had his struggles this year but he has four top tens in five races here. His lowest finish at “The Lady Black” is 13th. Last year Hamlin led 104 laps and had a 134.5 driver rating. (Yahoo A Driver)

Click HERE for tons of great Darlington Fantasy NASCAR links

A- = Really Good Pick

Matt Kenseth – No wins but Kenseth is the type of driver I like at Darlington. He’s smooth and he knows how to handle his Ford Fusion for the entirety of the race. His five year Darlington average finish is 7.8. (Yahoo A Driver)

Greg Biffle – Biffle a wheelman and he loves Darlington. He’s a two-time winner and in four out of the last six years he’s led +95 laps a race.  The downside is that in three out of the last four years he’s finished 15th or worse. (Yahoo A Driver)

Ryan Newman – Newman is a “skills driver” and this is a skills track. In twelve races at Darlington Newman has eight top ten finishes. Newman had this race won in August 2003 but undetected kill switch problems kept him out of victory lane. (Yahoo B Driver)

—>CLICK HERE TO VOTE for who you think will win at Darlington

B+ = Good Pick

Kevin Harvick – Darlington hasn’t traditionally been a Kevin Harvick track but he’s proven he can get the job done here. Unfortunately many of his best runs were early in his career. Last year he finished sixth but to find his next top ten you need to go all the way back to 2004. (Yahoo A Driver)

Tony Stewart – Stewart’s finished in the top ten every other year at Darlington since 2004 so he’s due this year. Throughout his career he’s been a hit or miss driver here. The most surprising stat about Tony Stewart is that he’s only led 14 laps. (Yahoo A Driver)

Jeff Burton – Burton’s nearly as solid as they come at Darlington. He’s a former winner who’s finished in the top twelve the past five races. The only downside is that his best finish in this time span is eighth. Jeff Burton was very strong last year and his eighth place finish is a little misleading because he was more competitive than that. (Yahoo B Driver)

Mark Martin – He’s been under-performing this year but at skills track you can throw that out the window to a degree. Martin won in 2009 and led 46 laps. One point of concern however is besides his win he’s finished 14th, 16th and 16th in recent Darlington races. (Yahoo B Driver)

Clint Bowyer – I think Bowyer’s top ten streak is in danger this week. His best finish at Darlington is 9th, and all of his other finishes are 15th or worse. (Yahoo B Driver)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. – Junior’s had a very good season thus far and before 2010 and 2009 (his slump) he had four straight top eight finishes at Darlington. (Yahoo B Driver)

Jamie McMurray – If you need a sleeper here’s a viable pick. Last year he finished second and led 71 laps. Half of his career finishes at Darlington have resulted in finishes of 11th or better. (Yahoo B Driver)

B = Just A Tier Below The Good Picks

Kasey Kahne – Kahne’s good finishes are front loaded early in his career at Darlington. Since his last top ten in 2005 he’s finished in the low twenties every year. No one says you can pencil them in for around 20th better than Kasey Kahne. (Yahoo B Driver)

Kurt Busch – Get his second place finish to Ricky Craven out of your mind because he’s a semi risky pick in my eyes. In recent races he’s finished in the low to mid teens in four out of the last five seasons. (Yahoo A Driver)

Juan Pablo Montoya – Montoya finished 5th last year but it’s tough to get beyond his other finishes. His other finishes are 20th, 23rd and 23rd. He has the skill but the history doesn’t lineup this week. (Yahoo B Driver)

Martin Truex Jr. – His 12.8 average finish is spot on. He has a best finish of sixth and a low of 19th. Last year was his worst. Truex has completed every lap except one so far in his career. (Yahoo B Driver)

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

David Ragan – If you need a good C pick in Yahoo consider Ragan this week. His 21st place average finish is a little offsetting but he did finish 5th in 2008. Last year he finished 14th. (Yahoo C Driver)

Brad Keselowski – Even though Brad Keselowski’s had success at Darlington it’s really hard to give him anything higher than a B-, I just can’t.  In his two starts he’s finished 12th and 7th. (Yahoo B Driver)

Content blast from the past = Brad Keselowski on ifantasyrace.com

C+ = Proceed With Caution

AJ Allmendinger – Remember AJ in this race last year? Yep that’s right, he’s the guy who took out Jimmie Johnson. Last year AJ recorded his highest Darlington driver rating in four races at this egg-shaped oval. His rating was a whopping 56.7. Last fall at Dover (similar track) AJ was very good and led 143 laps. (Yahoo B Driver)

Brian Vickers – Last year in his season finale Brian Vickers finished 10th. Did you know that’s his only top 15 finish. He’s been around for a while so that’s not good. 26.25 is his average finish, not a score counter for how old he is. (Yahoo B Driver)

David Reutimann – No top tens but he did finish 11th last year. His other finishes are 19th, 29th & 33rd so I say proceed with caution. (Yahoo B Driver)

C = I’m Not Picking Them

Joey Logano – One of Logano’s most impressive runs in his career happened here in 2009 when he finished 9th and led 19 laps. That was a million times more impressive than his New Hampshire win. With how his year is going I say avoid. (Yahoo B Driver)

Marcos Ambrose – Ambrose has raced twice at Darlington and I can’t think of a single reason why you should pick him. He’s a good qualifier (8.5 avg start) but his best finish is 25th and he finished three laps down. (Yahoo B Driver)

Paul Menard – With three finishes of 30th or worse in four starts now doesn’t sound like a good week to pick Menard. His lone non-thirty something finish is 15th. When I said Paul Menard would becoming down to earth last week I meant it. (Yahoo C Driver)