Brian Vickers 2014 Fantasy NASCAR Preview
2013 Stats: 1 Win, 2 Top Fives, 6 Top Tens, Average Running Position 17.5, Average Finish 18.9, Laps Led 19, Driver Rating 78.18
Strengths- Brian Vickers is at his best on tracks where there’s multiple grooves. Look for him to have his best days at Atlanta, Texas, Chicagoland, Michigan, and Bristol. Also in the 55 car he’s had success at New Hampshire and Martinsville.
Weaknesses- Brian Vickers has a high propensity for finding trouble on the track and getting poor finishes. In his last six races in the 55 car in 2013 he had one top ten, four finishes of 24th or worse and a 21.3 average finish. If you’re in a fantasy league where he’s on your team the full-season watch out because he will bite you from time to time. Also Vickers is a terrible clutch performer. When he made the Chase in 2009 he arguably had the worst playoff showing ever.
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Intermediate Track Grade- B, Brian Vickers is a good intermediate track driver. He’ll have his best performances on this track type at venues where the surface has aged and there’s a high-line. His strength at these venues is what propelled him into the 2009 Chase. In 2013 on this track type Vickers split time between the 55 car and the 11. In the 11 car he finished 8th at Texas and wrecked the following week at Kansas. In his five races in the 55 car on high-speed intermediate tracks he had one top ten and a 27.2 average finish. His average finish deserves an asterisk mark because at Kentucky he had top ten potential until he wrecked, at Kansas #2 he ran around the top ten for much of the race but was involved in a late accident and at Chicagoland he was having a good performance until his engine blew up. On skill intermediate tracks last season he only made one start and he had a 12th place finish at Dover.
Flat Track Grade- B-, It’s hard to estimate Brian Vickers fantasy value on flat tracks because over the last two season’s he’s only raced at New Hampshire. In the 55 car Vickers has had success at New Hampshire. His win is a little misleading last season but you can’t overlook the fact that his average finish there over the last five races is 7.4. From a historical perspective Pocono was a good track for Vickers early in his career but he’s finished 21st or worse four times in his last six races. I wouldn’t look for Vickers to make much noise at Phoenix. In a cup car he’s only raced on the new surface once and in that race he finished 23rd. Over his last 8 Phoenix races he’s finished 19th or worse. Richmond is the most similar track to Phoenix and he’s been far from good there. At Indy his average finish is 18.9.
Short Track Grade- B, Brian Vickers has dark horse fantasy potential at Martinsville and Bristol. At Thunder Valley he’s been very good recently. He has four consecutive top 8 finishes and in summer 2012 he came close to victory lane. In his last two races at Martinsville he’s qualified 2nd and 3rd and came home with results of 11th and 8th. Richmond has been a treacherous track for him. It’s perhaps his worst track on the schedule. His average finish is 25.4 and he’s finished outside the top twenty 69% percent of the time.
Restrictor Plate Track Grade- B, Brian Vickers isn’t a bad fantasy option on restrictor plate tracks especially if you’re in an allocation league. At Talladega he’s a driver who’s capable of winning with a third place car (video). At NASCAR’s biggest track he’s finished in the top ten 43% percent of the time. At Daytona he’s finished in the top fifteen 50% percent of the time.
Road Course Track Grade- B-, From a historical perspective road courses aren’t a strength of Brian Vickers. In the 55 car he’s had some respectable performances on this track type particularly at Infineon. At that serpentine road course his strength has been being good over long runs. In 2013 he finished 13th and in 2012 he finished 4th. Watkins Glen hasn’t been kind to him. In 2012 he blew his motor and didn’t complete one lap and last season he was involved in an accident.
How to use Brian Vickers from a fantasy NASCAR perspective in 2014? I would recommend you focus on using Vickers on high-speed intermediate tracks that have a high-line. He’ll also have random dark horse fantasy value from time to time but as I said earlier he has a high propensity for finding trouble on the track.
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