Danica Patrick 2016 Fantasy NASCAR Preview
Danica Patrick 2015 Stats: Points Finish 24th, 0 Wins, 0 Poles, 0 Top Fives, 2 Top Tens, Average Finish 23.5, Average Running Position 23.2, Laps Led 7, Driver Rating 63.12
Strengths – Intermediate tracks will likely prove to be her best track type in 2016. This upcoming season she might also find success at plate tracks and Martinsville.
Weaknesses – Danica Patrick lacks speed on most weekends. A typical good day for her is a high-teens / low-twenties result, against the competition that’s not up to par.
Track Type Fantasy Value Key = Elite > High > Moderate > Low
Intermediate Track Fantasy Value – Medium
Danica Patrick is capable of coming home with solid results at intermediate tracks. Typically at these venues in an incident free race you can count on her finishing between the mid-teens and mid-twenties. Last year she ran well at 1.5 mile D-shaped ovals with worn out surfaces. In the Texas and Atlanta events she finished a respectable 16th every race.
In 2015 on this track type Danica Patrick had a 22.8 average result and only twice finished lower than 27th. In terms of points accumulated she ranked as the 22nd best. In 2014 she scored the 23rd most points. In 2013 she accumulated the 25th most points.
2016 Printable PDF NASCAR Schedule
Flat Track Fantasy Value – Low
I’m not expecting Danica Patrick to experience much success at flat tracks in 2016. She really hasn’t run well at any of those venues. Last year at flat tracks she scored the 25th most points and had a 26.6 average finish. In 2014 on this track type she scored the 32nd most points. In 2013 she scored the 36th most points.
Pocono might be her worst flat track. She finished 16th last August when fuel entered the equation late but in her other five starts she finished 29th or worse. Indy is the other big flat track on the schedule. Last year she finished 27th which marks her best finish at that venue.
At small flat tracks she’s high-teens to mid-twenties good when she has incident free races.
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Short Track Fantasy Value – Low
Last year at short tracks Danica Patrick had two top tens and a 21.2 average finish.
If I were to pick her at a short track I would select her at Martinsville. Her track record isn’t great but she’s had a decent performance half the time. Last spring she finished 7th and last fall she finished 40th after wrecking. In her rookie year at Martinsville she finished 12th and 17th.
At Bristol last spring she finished 9th. That was a super high attrition event so I wouldn’t read into that result very much. In her other 6 Bristol races she finished between 18th and 29th.
At Richmond her overall average finish is 25.5. In the last three Richmond races she has a 20.0 average finish and a 23.0 average running position.
Danica Patrick Fantasy NASCAR Portal
Restrictor Plate Track Fantasy Value – Medium
Danica Patrick has had some good runs at plate tracks in the past. She almost always comes to the track with a fast car. That said more often than not she doesn’t finish well.
Talladega hasn’t been a good track for her. Her best finish is 19th and her average finish is 25.8. Last year at that venue she finished 21st and 27th.
At Daytona Danica Patrick has a pair of 8th place finishes. In her other five starts at that venue she has a 29.6 average finish. Last year she recorded finishes of 21st and 35th.
Road Course Track Fantasy Value – Low
At road courses look for Danica Patrick to finish between the high-teens and low-twenties. In five of her six races on this track type she finished between 17th and 24th.
At Watkins Glen she’s been consistent and has a 19.3 average finish. In all three of her races there she’s finished between 17th and 21st.
Sonoma has been a little more difficult and her average finish is 23.7. In the last two Sonoma races she finished 18th and 24th.
