Pocono 400 Fantasy NASCAR Top Tier Elite Picks

Jimmie Johnson – Making Jimmie Johnson your fantasy NASCAR pick to win the Pocono 400 is a smart thing to do. He’s been an extremely strong performer at the “Tricky Triangle” and his fantasy potential is sky high. Last August he arguably had the best car and if he didn’t have problems he likely would’ve won. In the race Johnson started on the pole, led 43 laps, earned the 9th best driver rating and finished 13th. It’s amazing he earned that good of a result. On lap 76 while he was leading he had a tire go down on exit of a turn and he slapped the wall pretty hard. With 10 laps to go he was in the low twenties but he made a late rally up to his eventual finish position. In June last season Johnson had a dominant performance and was unchallenged. He started on the pole, finished 1st, had a 1st place average running position, earned the best driver rating and led 80% percent of the laps. In August 2012 Johnson once again likely had the best car but was denied the win. What happened was during a late restart while he was leading he had contact with Kenseth and spun. In the race he never had time to recover because during that caution the rain started to fall and it cemented him to a 14th place finish. In that race he started in 10th, had a 5th place average running position and led 45% percent of the race. In June 2012 the 48 car was crazy fast. In that race he started in 24th and by lap 40 he was up into the top five. Then during the first round of green flag pit stops he was a driver who got busted speeding on pit road. When the checkered flag waved he finished 4th. In 2011 he finished in 4th twice. In 24 races at Pocono Johnson has 3 wins, 10 top fives, 16 top tens, 23 top fifteens and an 8.8 average finish. (Yahoo A Driver)

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Jeff Gordon – If rain’s in the forecast look for Jeff Gordon to win the Pocono 400. He’s won the last two rain shortened races at the “Tricky Triangle”. Pocono has been a great track for Jeff Gordon. He’s a 6 time winner and holds the record for the most career wins. Last August he could’ve potentially got his 7th win but late in the race he lost the lead during the Green-White-Checker. Also in the race last August Gordon started in 22nd, had a 7th place average running position, led 7 laps and earned the 2nd best driver rating. It’s important to note in the race last August that if it wasn’t for a caution with 12 laps to go which erased a Kahne’s 7.6 second lead he would’ve never been in contention to win. In June last season Gordon had a mediocre performance by his standards. He started in 11th, had a 14th place average running position and finished 12th. When the green flag waved he fell back to about 19th in the first 30 laps. In the middle 100 laps of the race I would say his average running position was around 15th. Then during a late caution he used a little pit strategy and climbed into the top ten for the first time of the day but from there he lost a few spots back to his eventual 12th place finish. In August 2012 Jeff Gordon got his most recent Pocono win. He didn’t have the best car but when Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth got together during a restart he shot right into the lead. Before the chaos started he was running in 5th. In June 2012 he was very good. He started in 12th and in just 40 laps he drove up to second. Shortly after that he was a driver who got caught speeding on pit road. That put him in a box but he was able to drive up into the top ten again later in the race. Then late in the event he was one of a few drivers who elected to pit for more gas which was the nail in the coffin for him because he suddenly struggled in traffic. In that race when the checkered flag waved he finished 19th. (Yahoo A Driver)

Recommended Reading : Pocono Front Runner Rankings, Pocono Mid Pack Predictions, Yahoo C List Preview, Pocono Scouting Report August 2013, Pocono Scouting Report June 2013, Who will win the Pocono 400

Dale Earnhardt Jr. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. has consistently been one of the strongest drivers at Pocono. In five of the last six races he’s finished in the top ten and in the one race he didn’t he had one of the best cars. Last August at Pocono Dale Earnhardt Jr. started back in 25th. That mid pack starting position didn’t prove to be a problem for him because by lap 40 he was up to 7th and that’s essentially where he raced for the rest of the event. When the checkered flag waved he finished 5th and earned the 5th best driver rating. In June 2013 he had a great car. In that race he finished 3rd, had a 3rd place average running position and earned the 2nd best driver rating. In August 2012 he had a top three car but on lap #50 he had transmission problems and went to the garage. Before he had that issue I would say his average running position was around 2.5. In June 2012 he had one of the best cars but his fuel mileage strategy cost him the race. With about 35 laps to go he pitted from the lead. In that race he led 36 laps, had a 4th place average running position and finished 8th. In 2011 Earnhardt Jr. had finishes of 6th and 9th. (Yahoo A Driver)

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