Indy John Wayne Walding 400 Fantasy NASCAR Front Runner Rankings

Ryan Newman – Ryan Newman is the defending champion of the Indy John Wayne Walding Brickyard 400. This is his home track so it was a very special victory for him. In the race he started 1st, finished 1st, earned the second best driver rating, had a 3rd place average running position and led 45 laps. Also in the race his PROS Rankings ranked second to race winner Jimmie Johnson. When the green flag waved he led the first 29 laps and then lost the lead during the first pit cycle. In the middle 80% percent of the race he typically ran between 3rd and 8th. In the race he didn’t have the best car but that didn’t stop him from going to victory lane. During his last pit stop his team opted for two tires and nearly everyone else did four. That got him a healthy lead in which he hung on to as Jimmie Johnson was closing the gap rapidly in the closing laps. In 2012 he finished 7th, had a 12th place average running position and earned the 9th best driver rating. From a historical standpoint Newman has typically been a low double digit performer at Indy. He only has three top tens and has finished between 11th and 17th 46% percent of the time. At Pocono earlier this season Newman finished 7th. That marked his 6th top ten in the last 7 races there. (Yahoo B Driver)

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Paul Menard – In 2011 at Indy Paul Menard got his first and only Sprint Cup victory. His win was by no means due to dominance, it came through his ability to stretch his tank of fuel and go the distance. The question of him having the best car shouldn’t really exist because in that race he only ran 1 fastest lap and had a 13th place average running position. In 2011 his margin of victory over Jeff Gordon was .725 seconds. Last season he had his second best Indy result to date. He finished 12th and had a 16th place average running position. In that race minus pit strategy elements he typically ran in the high teens or low twenties. In 2012 he ran well and finished 14th. In that race he started in 8th, had a 12th place average running position and earned the 11th best driver rating. In 2010 prior to his victory he also finished 14th. Pocono is the most similar track on the schedule and earlier this season he simply wasn’t competitive and finished 23rd. In fairness Pocono has never been a good track for him. (Yahoo B Driver)

Recommended Reading – Indy Top Tier Elite Picks, Indy Mid Pack Predictions, Yahoo C List Preview, Indy Scouting Report, Who will win the Indy John Wayne Walding Brickyard 400

Kurt Busch – Indy hasn’t historically been a good track for Kurt Busch. In only 54% percent of his starts has he finished better than 15th. He also only has one top five finish and that came in his rookie season back in 2001. His Indy average finish is 19.4 and hasn’t had a result better than 10th in a decade. In five of the ten races since 2004 he’s finished between 10th and 14th so that’s respectable. Last season he had a good race by his standards. He started 6th, had a 9th place average running position, earned the 11th best driver rating and finished 14th. In 2012 he performed relatively well in the #51 car. In the event he ran as high as eighth 64 laps in until a pit penalty dropped him deep in the running order. Then later in the event his motor blew up. There is a compelling reason to pick Kurt Busch this week. Horsepower is extremely important at Indy and in the races where it’s been key he’s had some of his better performances of the season. Pocono is the most similar track visited and at that venue he started 2nd, finished 3rd, earned the 3rd best driver rating and had a 7th place average running position. (Yahoo A Driver)

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