Pocono Good Sam RV Insurance 500 Fantasy NASCAR Preview and Picks

A= Really, Really Good Pick

Jeff Gordon – Gordon won at Pocono just a little bit ago so he’ll definitely be strong in the Good Sam RV Insurance 500. In June he started third and had an average running position of third throughout the race. His driver rating was second to only Kurt Busch (131.3). Indy has similar characteristics to Pocono and Gordon was the car to beat. (Yahoo A Driver)

Kurt Busch – Busch didn’t win at Pocono earlier this year but he did have the best driver rating (131.5). In June Busch started on the pole and finished second. He’s the only driver who ran the entire race inside the top fifteen. Busch has two wins and eleven top tens at Pocono. (Yahoo A Driver)

Denny Hamlin – In the Pocono race earlier this year Denny Hamlin led a race high 76 laps but a late flat tire killed his chances of visiting victory lane. Although he finished 19th his average running position was 6th. Hamlin’s average finish at Pocono is 9.2 and his average starting position is 5.9. Hamlin has four wins at Pocono. (Yahoo A Driver)

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A- = Really Good Pick

Jimmie Johnson – Johnson was strong at Pocono earlier this year and finished 4th. He was a top five driver all day and once again will be a serious competitor at the “Tricky Triangle”. Out of current active drivers Johnson has the second best average finish (9.26). (Yahoo A Driver)

Kevin Harvick – Havick has three straight top fives at Pocono. If you pick him don’t expect any lap leading bonus points. In 21 races at Pocono he’s only led once (2010) and that was for a grand total of five laps. In June Harvick started 32nd and finished 5th. (Yahoo A Driver)

B+ = Good Pick

Matt Kenseth – Kenseth finished 8th at Pocono earlier this season. In the last 11 races here Kenseth has finished 18th or better every race. Kenseth is a mediocre qualifier at best but don’t let that scare you away. At Indy Kenseth had perhaps the second best car. (Yahoo A Driver)

Carl Edwards – In June a broken valve relegated Edwards to a 37th place finish. Last August Cousin Carl finished 3rd. Edwards has two wins at Pocono and a 14th place average finish. Here’s his Yahoo! race chart which shows how good Carl was before valve issues ruined his day. (Yahoo A Driver)

Juan Pablo Montoya – Montoya finished 7th in the prior race at Pocono this year. He led 38 laps and had a 4th place average running position. Montoya ran in the top 15 for 99% of the race. Montoya has finished in the top ten in four out of the last five Pocono races. (Yahoo B Driver)

Ryan Newman – Newman is a previous Pocono winner who finished 9th earlier this year. Newman was about a tenth place driver for the entirety of the race. He started 8th, had a mid race running position of 10th, and had an overall average running position of 9th. (Yahoo B Driver)

Kyle Busch – Busch finished third in June. Personally I would avoid picking him this week. He’s always a risky pick at Pocono. All of his top ten finishes at Pocono Raceway have come in the June race. In the August race he hasn’t finished in the top fifteen since 2007. (Yahoo A Driver)

Tony Stewart – Stewart finished 21st at Pocono but how good was he really? When it comes to that question I always turn to Yahoo! race charts. Here’s Stewart’s chart from June. Stewart was competitive but the new gear rule at Pocono damaged his engine and doomed his day. (Yahoo A Driver)

B = Just A Tier Below The Good Picks

Joey Logano – The fantasy trend for Logano is basically where his teammates are good, he’s good.His teammates are pretty good here so watch out for Logano this week. In June he finished 11th and last year he also showed lots of promise at this triangular track. (Yahoo B Driver)

Greg Biffle – Biffle is the defending champion of the August Pocono race. Earlier this year he finished 27th but he really was about a 15th place driver (Yahoo! race chart). Beyond his win Biffle only has two other top ten finishes in 17 races at Pocono. (Yahoo A Driver)

Kasey Kahne – Kahne finished 12th at Pocono in June. Throughout his career Kahne has either been a hit or miss driver at “The Tricky Triangle”. Kahne has five top tens at Pocono and he won in dominate fashion in 2008.  Kahne has two poles at Pocono. (Yahoo B Driver)

Brian Vickers – Pocono might actually be Brian Vickers best track. He hasn’t won but he has finished second twice and 4th twice. He finished 22nd earlier this year but pit problems is where I’ll lump the blame.Vickers average finish at Pocono is 15th and his average starting position is 11th. (Yahoo B Driver)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. – In the prior Pocono race earlier this season Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished sixth. He was extremely impressive but I’m going to side on caution and avoid him this week. In the four previous Pocono races leading up to his sixth place finish this year his best finish was 19th and his average finish in that time span is 25.25. (Yahoo B Driver)

Paul Menard – Let’s not get to excited about his Indy win and be a prisoner of the moment. Don’t forget it was a fuel mileage win. At Pocono Menard finished 14th earlier this year. In the late summer race last year he finished 13th. RCR cars make very good horsepower and get good gas mileage so expect a teens place showing. If your league rewards qualifying points don’t forget he qualified second earlier this year. (Yahoo C Driver)

David Reutimann – Reutimann’s career got off to a rocky start at Pocono but 2009 was a turning point. In the early summer race that year he finished 3rd and in the late summer race he was very impressive but Denny Hamlin the eventual winner wrecked him. In June Reutimann finished 13th. I would expect him to finish right around that range again. (Yahoo B Driver)

Martin Treux Jr. – Truex is a quality sleeper driver at Pocono. If you’re in an allocation league this might be a good time to roll him out. In his last two races here he’s finished 10th and 9th. In eleven races at Pocono Truex has never finished worse than 25th. (Yahoo B Driver)

Clint Bowyer – Bowyer has a pretty good record at Pocono but lately his season has been going down the toilet. That recent trend troubles me. In the last six Pocono races he’s finished in the top sixteen every race. In June he finished 16th and his average running position was 17th.

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

David Ragan – Ragan was a 17th place driver earlier this year. He finished 17th and his average running position was 17th. In 2008 he finished 5th but that’s his only top ten in nine races here. (Yahoo C Driver)

Mark Martin – Martin’s finished outside the top ten the last three early summer races. In the last three late summer races he’s finished 8th or better. Martin’s never won at Pocono but he’s been extremely close to visiting victory lane multiple times in his long career. (Yahoo B Driver)

AJ Allmendinger – The Dinger really hasn’t been anything special at Pocono. Both his average start and finish are 22nd. In eight races he’s only finished in the top fifteen twice. His average finish is not skewed because AJ has ran all but 4 laps since he first took the green flag in 2007. (Yahoo B Driver)

Click HERE to vote for who will win at Pocono

C+ = Got Some Question Marks Here

Brad Keselowski – Brad’s very consistent at Pocono. All of his finishes range from 20th to 23rd. His average running position in three starts is 23rd and he’s not a familiar sight in the top fifteen (only in top fifteen 13.5% of the time). (Yahoo B Driver)

Marcos Ambrose – Ambrose finished 6th in his first race at Pocono. All four of his other finishes are 30th or worse. To be fair his sixth place finish was the only time he finished on the lead lap. Since his sixth place finish he’s sat in the garage for 209 laps. (Yahoo B Driver)

C =I’m Not Picking Them

Jamie McMurray – McMurray only has three top tens in seventeen races at Pocono. To him this is truly a Tricky Triangle. Driver ratings wise he hasn’t been above 85 since 2005. A 150 driver rating is perfect so I would be fearful to pick McMurray this week. (Yahoo B Driver)

Jeff Burton – Burton has six top tens at Pocono since 2006. Last season he swept the top ten finishing 8th and 7th. Earlier this season he finished 20th and had an average running position of 20th. This team has really struggled this season and with the way he ran earlier this year why would you want to pick him? (Yahoo B Driver)