Nashville Fantasy NASCAR Top Tier Elite Picks

Kyle Larson
Nashville Fantasy Spin – At Nashville, put Kyle Larson right at the top of your fantasy NASCAR radar. The #5 has standout speed most weekends, and I don’t think he’ll disappoint in “Music City” where he won the inaugural race in dominant fashion and has a series best 2.5 average finish. I view Dover as arguably the most similar track, and the #5 might’ve just been the best car there until he was caught up in a Chastain caused wreck. Over the Dover + High-Speed 1.5-mile track grouping which has correlation, the #5 team has fielded cars that were capable of potentially winning 3 of the 4 races. If Kyle Larson can avoid bad luck which is never far, then I think he’s likely poised to be the driver to beat.
Nashville Track History – At Nashville, Kyle Larson has been stout. Larson clobbered the competition in 2021 en route to victory lane in dominant fashion and between the combined events, Larson has the best average finish (2.5), the best average running position (5.6) and the best driver rating. Last year, Larson was solid and finished 4th. That said, Larson wasn’t as good as his result. In the race, Larson had a 9.8 average running position and the 10th best Total Speed Ranking. With 10 laps to go before a late caution came out in which he stayed out and got track position, Larson was running in 11th, and staying out leap frogged him up to 4th with only 4 laps to go. In 2021, Larson had the field covered and put on a display of domination. In the race, Larson easily raced his way to victory lane, had a 1.4 average running position, earned a near perfect driver rating, led 264 laps and ran 133 fastest laps. In terms of speed stats, Larson ranked #1 for Total Speed Rankings, Green Flag Speed and Speed Late In A Run.

Martin Truex Jr.
Nashville Fantasy Spin – At Nashville, Martin Truex Jr. will be tough to beat. Truex was one of the best last year, and in 2023, the #19 team is performing at a much higher-level, week in and week out. This year between the Dover + High-Speed 1.5-Mile Track grouping, Truex has the best Total Speed Ranking, a 4.8 average finish, a series best 6.4 average running position and he’s one of just two drivers who are 4 for 4 at finishing in the top ten. Dover is arguably the single most similar track, and at that venue, Truex led 68 laps and raced his way to victory lane. Last year’s Nashville winner, also won at Dover, so that’s encouraging. One attribute I also love about Truex is his momentum. Since Dover minus Darlington his average finish is 3.6.
Nashville Track History – At Nashville, Martin Truex Jr. has a pair of 22nd’s on his resume, but you can quickly disregard both results. Last year, Truex was primed for a top five but a late caution cost him a good finish and in 2021, Truex had a laundry list of problems. Last year in “Music City”, the #19 was a hot rod and Truex was a standout performer. In the race, Truex won Stage #1, won Stage #2, had the 2nd best average running position (4.4), the 3rd best driver rating, led 82 laps but finished an asterisk mark 22nd. On lap 290 before the final caution came out in which he pitted which was a face palming decision, Truex was running in 4th. Pitting dropped Truex back to 15th, and then there was only 4 laps to go when the race restarted, which obviously didn’t go well for him since he finished 22nd. In terms of speed stats, Truex had the best Total Speed Ranking, ranked #1 for speed late in a run and 2nd for Green Flag Speed. In 2021 en route to his 22nd, Truex had a ton of problems. In the race, Truex started deep in the field, got two pit road penalties and then to top off his afternoon, he had to come in for a “splash and go” pit stop with 9 laps to go under green. In the race, Truex started way back in 35th, climbed up to 19th at the end of Stage #1, but then in Stage #2 the problems started. During the Stage #1 caution, Truex got a pit road entry violation which sent him to the back. Then later in Stage #2 around lap 135 during the Bubba Wallace caution, he was caught speeding on pit road again and that dropped him back to the mid-twenties. Truex then climbed up the running order and got as high as 12th on lap 258, and on lap 280 he was in 13th, but then on lap 291 he had to come to pit road for a splash and go which doomed him to a 22nd. If Truex didn’t have any problems, he probably would’ve had a good afternoon.

William Byron
Nashville Fantasy Spin – William Byron is hot and at Nashville, look for the #24 to be fast and be a factor. The #24 team shows up with speed every week and in 2023 at “Conventional Ovals”, Byron ranks #1 for the season. Over the Dover + High-Speed 1.5-mile track grouping, Byron ranks 3rd for Total Speed Rankings and over those combined events his average finish is 2.5, with him having a result in the top 4 every race! At Nashville, Byron has shown potential in both races and on Sunday, look for him to be a top five contender who’ll potentially be a factor to win.
Nashville Track History – At Nashville, William Byron has results on both ends of the spectrum. Last year, Byron showed potential, but he also had a short afternoon and finished 35th. In the race, Byron started 13th, was up to 6th on lap 48, but then that lap he had contact with Elliott which looked minor, slid up the track and didn’t hit anything and then his race was over. Byron said his car was broke after that. Shortly before that during the first lightening delay, Byron reported that his car felt funny down the straightaway, so that was likely part of that issue. In 2021, Byron started in the back, but was it a huge setback? It certainly wasn’t a plus, but when the checkered flag waved he finished 3rd. In the race, Byron finished around 17th in Stage #1, finished 4th in Stage #2 and at lap 240 at the start of the long green flag run to the finish, he was running in 2nd. In terms of speed analytics, Byron was the 7th Fastest Driver Late In A Run, had the 8th best Green Flag Speed and had the 12th best Total Speed Ranking.

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