Auto Club Fantasy NASCAR Front Runner Rankings
Jamie McMurray – Jamie McMurray should have a solid afternoon at Auto Club Speedway. We already know he’s good with the “Lowest Down Force Package” at two-mile ovals. Last year at Michigan he swept the top ten with results of 8th and 9th. This year at intermediate tracks using the new rules package he has results of 8th and 10th. It should be noted he’s 1 of just 2 drivers who are a perfect 5 for 5 in terms of finishing in the top ten with the new rules package on this track type. At Auto Club Speedway McMurray hasn’t been a bad performer in recent years. In 2 of the last 3 races he’s finished in the top ten. Last year at Auto Club Speedway he started 10th, finished 10th and had a 16th place average running position. In 2015 he didn’t have a good race. He started 26th, earned the 26th best driver rating, had a 24th place average running position and finished 21st. Also it should be noted that he ran zero percent of the laps inside the top fifteen. In 2014 he crossed the finish line in 6th. That marked his first Auto Club top ten since 2006. Additionally in that race he had a 12th place average running position and earned the 8th best driver rating. Through the entire second half of the event he was a driver who typically ran within a few deviations of 10th. (Yahoo B Driver)
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Denny Hamlin – Denny Hamlin is a very strong performer at Auto Club Speedway. He’s had a lot of recent misleading results so make sure you don’t overlook him. Last year at Auto Club he finally had an incident free race and ran well. He started 3rd, finished 3rd and earned the 6th best driver rating. In 2015 he was very strong but finished a misleading 28th. That finish is very misleading and is the product of him getting a pit penalty with 15 laps to go. Strength wise Hamlin was easily top five good. A few laps before he got penalized he was running in 7th. Also in the race it should be noted Hamlin led the second most laps (56), had a 7th place average running position and earned the 6th best driver rating. In 2014 he missed the race because he had a piece of metal in his eye. In 2013 at Auto Club Speedway Hamlin was impressive and if he didn’t have contact with Joey Logano on the final lap he would’ve finished in either 1st or 2nd. I personally think he was likely going to win. Because of the wreck that led to his back injury he finished 25th. In 2012 he finished 11th. In 2011 he was top five good but his engine blew up. In 2010 he finished 8th. This year at intermediate tracks Hamlin has been top ten good both races. He finished 6th at Las Vegas and was around 10th place good at Atlanta until he had problems. (Yahoo A Driver)
Further Recommended Reading – Auto Club Top Tier Elite Picks, Auto Club Scouting Report, DraftKings Auto Club 2016 Driver Points
Kurt Busch – Auto Club Speedway has been a good track for Kurt Busch. In 4 of the last 5 races there he’s finished in the top ten. Over this stretch minus last year’s event he has a 5.0 average finish and a 12.5 average running position. Last year he had a tough race. He started in the rear of the field and early in the race while he was passing Dale Earnhardt Jr. for position (around lap 23) he had contact with the wall and damaged his car. Shortly after that he came to pit road and after that you could stick a fork in him. In 2015 Kurt Busch was the class of the field and if the race went the advertised distance he would’ve won. He also would’ve won if it didn’t go to a second Green-White-Checker. In the race he started on the pole, earned the best driver rating, led the most laps (65), had a 2nd place average running position and finished 3rd. In 2014 he also ran very well and once again finished 3rd. Additionally in the race he earned the 6th best driver rating and had a 9th place average running position. In 2013 he ran a solid race. He finished 5th and earned the 9th best driver rating. In his career at Auto Club Busch has 1 win and has finished in the top ten 52% percent of the time, and in the top fifteen 70% percent of the time. Atlanta is a similar track and a few weeks ago at that venue Kurt Busch finished 7th. (Yahoo B Driver)
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Top Tier Elite Picks > Front Runners Rankings > Mid Pack Predictions > The Low Tier
