Bristol IRWIN Tools Night Race Top Tier Elite Deadline Fantasy Analysis
Brad Keselowski
What to expect / Areas of concern:
Brad Keselowski is still viewed as my favorite to win the Bristol IRWIN Tools Night Race. His car is good and he’s happy with his setup. Starting up front will be important in this race and he has this key advantage. Brad is a smart driver and during practice he had a unique race line where he would run low in one set of turns than run high in the next set. I’m sure he found something with this maneuver. Also during practice he said that his car feels “pretty dang good”.
Starting Position:
2nd
Average Practice Speed Rankings
20th (Average Speed Chart)
Chassis Selection:
Brad Keseloski is using the chassis he finished 12th with at Dover.
Pit Stall Location:
Keselowski is pitting in pit stall #22. This is the first pit stall located on the front straightaway. He has a clear entrance into his pit box and Travis Kvapil is pitting in front of him.
What I said about him earlier this week:
Keselowski has back to back wins at Bristol but you can put an asterisks next to those now because they don’t mean anything fantasy wise for this race. Earlier this year Brad Keselowski won the race by being fast on the high line. That’s out of play for the Irwin Tools Night Race. Keselowski’s first race at Bristol was in 2010 so he’s never experienced the old track. I don’t think this will be a problem for him though. He’s a smart driver and has the right amount of calculated “hate” that it takes to be good here. No driver has been better than him this summer and I predict he’ll win the Bristol Irwin Tools Night Race.
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Matt Kenseth
What to expect / Areas of concern:
Kenseth started the week as my #3 driver and now he’s bumped up to #2. Kenseth has a fast car and ranked #1 on the average speed chart. When Kenseth has a fast car at Bristol the competition better step up their game because he knows how to use it.
Starting Position:
17th
Average Practice Speed Rankings
1st (Average Speed Chart)
Chassis Selection:
Matt Kenseth will be racing the chassis he finished 13th with at New Hampshire.
Pit Stall Location:
Matt Kenseth will be pitting in pit stall #16. This pit stall is located on the front straightaway about half way from the entrance to the start finish line. Likely start and parker Jason Leffler is pitting behind him and likely start and parker Josh Wise is pitting in front of him. I really like this pit stall selection for him.
What I said about him earlier this week:
Matt Kenseth was good on both the progressively banked Bristol and the old single grooved Bristol. On the multi-grooved surface he had six straight top tens. On the old surface (single groove) his last four finishes were 1st, 3rd, 1st and 11th. It should be noted that both of his wins were in the Bristol Night Race. In the last 11 races on the old one groove surface Kenseth had nine top tens and an average finish of 5.7. As long as he can avoid bad luck he should be very good in the Irwin Tools Night Race.
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Kasey Kahne
What to expect / Areas of concern:
Kasey Kahne was very happy with his car in practice. It was reported that it kept getting better and better. Kahne also feels like the track didn’t change for him any with the grinding down of the banking. I think Kahne will challenge for a top five finish.
Starting Position:
12th
Average Practice Speed Rankings
2nd (Average Speed Chart)
Chassis Selection:
Kahne will pilot a chassis that finished 8th at Darlington.
Pit Stall Location:
Kahne will be pitting in pit stall #39. Starter and parker Joe Nemechek is pitting in front of him and start and parker Stephen Leicht is pitting behind him.
What I said about him earlier this week:
I think Kasey Kahne is a driver who benefited from the progressive banking at Bristol. On the old single groove Bristol surface Kahne has seven races under his belt and a best finish of 10th and an average finish of 22.6. Immediately when the progressive banking was added he started having success. The added banking fits his driving style but now that it’s gone I don’t like Kahne as much. I think a likely projected finish range for him is 10th through 15th.
