Fantasy NASCAR Scouting Report – Texas

NOTE: This post is a recap of what happened in spring 2018 at Texas

Texas Top Ten Starters

1. Kurt Busch
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Clint Bowyer
4. Ryan Blaney
5. Denny Hamlin
6. Martin Truex Jr.
7. Joey Logano
8. Kyle Busch
9. Jimmie Johnson
10. Kyle Larson

Texas Full Starting Lineup

Texas Pre-race Notes

Kyle Larson started in the rear of the field after failing pre-race inspection three times.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. started in the rear of the field in a backup car.

William Byron started in the rear because of a engine change.

Matt DiBenedetto started in the rear of the field because of a transmission change.

Stage #1 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 85): 4,18,41,22,42,14,1,2,9,20

Stage #2 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 170): 18,41,22,20,14,9,2,17,11,10

Texas Race Notes

Kevin Harvick who started in 2nd in the inside lane led the opening 43 laps.

Kurt Busch, the pole winner got high off turn 4 on the first lap and slid back to 6th.

Big Moment: On lap 2, Alex Bowman spun. Other drivers who got damage in this were Paul Menard, Daniel Suarez and Austin Dillon. Paul Menard got a lot of rear end damage. Daniel Suarez got a lot of damage and this dropped him 3 laps down. Austin Dillon got some nose damage. Most of Alex Bowman’s damage was to his nose. This dropped Bowman one lap down.

Running order on lap 10: 4,12,11,22,14,41,78,2,10,18 … 48,37,6,43,20,31,1,13,95,9 … 34,42,47,17,24,38,32,23,72,3 … 51,55,21,00,15,88,19

Running order on lap 29: 4,12,11,22,41,14,78,18,2,10 … 48,20,1,9,37,42,31,17,43,6 … 24,95,34,47,38,13,32,72,15,23 … 55,51,00,21,88,3,19

On lap 41, Martin Truex Jr. came to pit road. It started the first pit cycle.

Notable Moment: On lap 47, Ryan Blaney had an uncontrolled tire and got penalized. Prior to getting penalized he was running in the top five.

Running order on lap 53: 11(didn’t pit yet), 34 (didn’t pit yet), 38 (didn’t pit yet),4,78,18,41,14,22,2 … 48,42,1,20,72,9,10,31,17,37 …

Notable Moment: On lap 54, Jimmie Johnson made an unscheduled pit stop. He had a vibration. It dropped him from 10th to 27th, one lap down.

Notable Moment: On lap 56, Alex Bowman went to the garage for a mechanical problem. He later returned to the track.

Notable Moment: Around lap 60 when Denny Hamlin finally pitted he was caught speeding on pit road. This dropped him off the lead lap.

Running order on lap 64: 4,78,41,18,22,14,42,2,1,9 … 20,10,31,17,24,12 (Last driver on the lead lap),6,11,37,47 … 43,38,95,13,34,3,48,32,15,72 .. 55,23,00,51,21,88,19

Running order on lap 80: 4,78,18,41,22,42,14,1,2,9 … 20,10,31,17,12 (last driver on the lead lap),11,24,6,37,47 … 43,38,13,34,95,48,3,32,15,72 … 55,23,00,51,21,88,19

Big Moment: While running in 2nd on lap 80, Martin Truex Jr. got into the wall hard. It marked the end of his race.

Martin Truex Jr.’s wreck marked the end of Stage #1.

In a post DNF wreck interview, Martin Truex Jr. said he had a good car and he felt like he would be up front all race long.

Stage #1 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 85): 4,18,41,22,42,14,1,2,9,20

Kyle Busch won the race off pit road during the Stage caution. This allowed him to lead the next 30 laps.

Running order on lap 100: 18,4,41,22,42,20,2,14,9,10 … 1,12,31,17,6,47,38,11,37,34

Running order on lap 111: 18,4,41,22,42,20,14,2,9,10 … 12,1,31,17,11,6,38,37,13,43

Running order on lap 123: 4,18,41,42,22,14,20,2,12,9 … 1,10,31,17,11,48,24,6,38,13 …

Notable Moment: On lap 124, Jimmie Johnson came to pit road under green. During the Stage caution he didn’t pit to get a lap back.

Big Moment: On lap 127, Kyle Larson got into the wall hard. This marked the end of his race. He was running in 4th when he got into the wall.

During the Kyle Larson caution, Kevin Harvick had a slow pit stop that cost him 8 positions.

Notable Moment: On lap 137, shortly after a pit stop, Kevin Harvick had a loose wheel and made an unexpected pit stop. This dropped him a lap down back to 21st.

Notable Moment: On lap 140, Ryan Blaney made an unexpected pit stop because of a loose wheel. This dropped him a lap down into the low-twenties.

Running order on lap 142: 41,18,22,20,14,9,2,31,17,11 … 10,1,24,6,13,43,34,37,38,3 … 4,12,95,48,32,15,55,72,47,23 … 51,00,21,42,88,19,78

Running order on lap 155: 41,18,22,20,14,9,2,31,17,11 … 10,1,24 (Last driver on the lead lap),6,13,43,34,37,38,4 … 12,3,95,48,32,15,55,72,47,51 … 00,23,21,42,88,19,78

Running order on lap 165: 41,18,22,20,14,9,2,17,11,10 … 1,31,24,6,4,12,43,13,34,37 … 38,48,95,32,3,15,55,72,47,51 … 00,23,21,88,42,19,78

Stage #2 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 170): 18,41,22,20,14,9,2,17,11,10

Kyle Busch started Stage #2 in first. By the end of the first lap of that Stage he slide back several positions.