Landon Cassill Could Be the Bargain of the Year

Now to be clear, I’m not prognosticating that he’ll compete for a Championship, make the Chase, or even win a race.

However, given the tier of drivers he is in for most fantasy NASCAR games, that people can play today now a days, the stars may align so that the Cedar Rapids, Iowa native could be one of the best bargains of the season.

Why worry about these drivers, you ask? Because Cassill has the pieces around him to outshine all those names, in my hunble opinion. And in games where a salary cap or driver tiers are involved, who you pick as that last driver (or two) could make a bigger difference than you would think over the course of an entire season. Cassill kicked off his 2016 campaign by finishing 23rd in Sunday’s Daytona 500, running consistently around that position for much of the race.

Earlier this month, Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins signed the 26-year-old to drive the No. 38 Ford Fusion most recently occupied by David Gilliland. For what it’s worth, Cassill and Gilliland posted nearly identical statistical numbers in 2015, averaging roughly a 30th-place finish with a few top-20 finishes scattered here and there. But Cassill’s eleven top-25 finishes tops Gilliland’s eight. And Cassill drove for Hillman Motorsports the last two seasons, one of the series’ majorly underfunded teams, leaving him at a major disadvantage when comparing his numbers to Gilliland’s. Cassill didn’t even have a sponsor in at least six races last year.

And despite what the numbers tell you, Landon has been historically good at taking care of his equipment, which is key for any driver, but specifically for teams that are not among the elite in the sport. When you’re driving for an underfunded team, there will always be unpreventable issues that could end your day early at no fault of the driver.

Front Row also announced a new technical alliance with Roush Fenway Racing for at least the 2016 season. Say what you want about the decline of that organization, but they’re still one of the big dogs, which can only help lift a team a little farther.

As a regular triathlon and marathon competitor, Cassill’s work ethic has never come into question. I always felt that given a legitimate opportunity, he could take that next step in his progress towards getting a ride with one of the major organizations in NASCAR.

So when you’re looking to complete your rosters each week, keep an eye on the 38. I think he has a real shot to average about a 25th-place finish or better in 2016.