Richmond Federated Auto Parts 400 Fantasy NASCAR Top Tier Elite Picks

Brad Keselowski – Brad Keselowski will be a good fantasy NASCAR pick at Richmond. Over the last couple of races at this venue he’s been one of the strongest competitors. Over the last four Richmond races he has the best driver rating, best average starting position (3.3), best average running position (3.3), led the most laps (648) and has a 9.8 average finish. This spring he had a great car but walked away with a misleading 17th place result. It should be noted his race wasn’t incident free. On lap 257 while he was running in 3rd he reported that he lost a cylinder. Performance wise if he didn’t have that issue I think he was easily top five good. Last fall at Richmond he dominated the race. He started first, finished first, had a first place average running position and led 383 laps. Nobody had anything for Keselowski and could keep up with him for the duration of a run. In spring 2014 Keselowski had a very strong car that was capable of winning. If Matt Kenseth didn’t hold him up late and slow him down he likely would’ve won. In that event he started in 2nd, earned the 2nd best driver rating, had a 3rd place average running position, finished 4th and led 114 laps. His primary strength in that race was being good over short runs. Over long runs his speed dropped off a little in comparison to the competition. In fall 2013 he had a good car and his 17th place result isn’t reflective of how well he performed. In that event he started 3rd, had a 4th place average running position and led 142 laps. The turning point for him in the race was when a caution came out during green flag pit stops with 58 laps to go. That dropped him to the mid-teens and prior to it he was running in the top five. In the other two races at shorter flat tracks this season Keselowski has a 4.0 average finish, 3.5 average running position and has led 152 laps. (Yahoo A Driver – DraftKings Price $11,200)

[themify_box ]

Want to be a better fantasy racer? Get the ifantasyrace advantage and read all of our content.

The 2015 Chase Challenge is coming soon. This year there’s $400 worth of prizes up for grabs!

[/themify_box]

Kevin Harvick – Kevin Harvick will be tough to beat at Richmond. He’s won here three times, has a 10.7 average finish and has had a result in the top ten 62% percent of the time. The main attribute I like about Harvick is how strong he’s been at shorter flat track this year. In 2015 on this sub-track type he’s scored the most points, has a 2.0 average finish, a 3.7 average running position, has led 285 laps and has run 218 fastest laps. One attribute you have to like about Harvick is the safety that picking him provides. Only twice since 2004 has he finished outside the top 12. This spring at Richmond Kevin Harvick had a great car but he didn’t have anything for teammate Kurt Busch. In the race Harvick finished 2nd, earned the 2nd best driver rating and had a 4th place average running position. At the end of the race he appeared to be at his best. Last fall at Richmond Brad Keselowski dominated the race but Harvick was likely his biggest competition. He’s the only driver not named Keselowski who led. Harvick’s strength in the race was running the high-line and being good over long runs. Unfortunately in the closing segments he lost his handling a little bit and his car dropped off. Also his dedication to running the high-line was a weakness at times because when he had to run the low-line to get around cars the #4 looked average. In spring 2014 his team used the race as a test session. In that race he finished 11th, had a 5th place average running position, earned the 5th best driver rating and led 23 laps. In fall 2013 he had one of the strongest cars and walked away with an asterisk mark 11th place finish. With 58 laps to go there was a caution during the pit cycle and at that time he was running in 2nd. That caution burned him because it came out at an unfavorable time and it dropped him back to the teens. In spring 2013 at Richmond Kevin Harvick drove the 29 car to victory lane following a late restart. (Yahoo A Driver – DraftKings Price $11,400)

Further Recommended Reading – Richmond Front Runner Rankings, Richmond Mid Pack Predictions, Who will win at Richmond, Richmond Scouting Report

Joey Logano – Joey Logano will be one of the drivers to beat at Richmond. In the last three Richmond races he has the 4th best driver rating, a 4th place average finish and has led 140 laps. This spring at Richmond Logano had a great car. He started on the pole, earned the 3rd best driver rating and finished 5th. In the race Logano led the first 94 laps but after that he never paced the field again. One aspect of his car that should be noted is that he was at his best over short runs and over long runs he wasn’t that good. Last September he ran very well but was never a threat to win. In the race he started in 5th, finished 6th, had a 6th place average running position and earned the 6th best driver rating. In spring 2014 he had one of the best cars and reached victory lane. In the event he started in 17th and raced his way up through the pack quickly. Around lap 100 he reached the top 5 and from that point to the conclusion of the event he essentially ran in the top 5. In the race he had a 4th place average running position, earned the 3rd best driver rating and led 46 laps. Where his car really shined was over short runs. That strength proved invaluable to him at the end based on how the race played out. It should be noted however that if the front runners weren’t all log jammed battling for the lead slowing each other down at the end its unlikely Joey Logano would’ve won. In fall 2013 Logano looked lost and buckled under the Chase pressure. He was so bad his team asked David Gilliland to tank it to help him out. In spring 2013 Joey Logano performed well. He started 2nd, had a 3rd place average running position, finished 4th and earned the 4th best driver rating. This season at shorter flat tracks Logano has scored the 3rd most points, has a 5.7 average finish and a 1.7 average starting position. (Yahoo A Driver – DraftKings Price $10,400)

Make sure you read the full spectrum of our Richmond Federated Auto Parts 400 Fantasy NASCAR Rankings

Top Tier Elite Picks > Front Runners Rankings > Mid Pack Predictions > Yahoo C List Preview