Here is my selection of Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers picks for this weekend’s YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Brilliant – These NASCAR drivers have the best shot to win at Talladega
Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin and his crew have come alive since the playoffs started, and there’s no looking back. His streak is super-hot and he has plenty of great finishes at this tricky track. Expect good things from No. 11 on Sunday.
Talladega Wins: 2
Top-5 finishes: 9
Top-10 finishes: 13
Ryan Blaney
The time has come for the driver of the No. 12 to secure his position into the round of 8. Ryan Blaney has been steady this season with some great runs even at difficult tracks. If he can stand his ground and avoid a mishap, he has a good shot at Victory Lane in Talladega.
Talladega Wins: 2
Top-5 finishes: 3
Top-10 finishes: 5
Brad Keselowski
Somehow, someway, Brad Keselowski knows how to get around Talladega. He’s the winningest driver in the pack, and he holds the last spot on the bottom rung of the playoff ladder above the cut line. A win this week would give him a break and secure his trip to the next round.
Talladega Wins: 6
Top-5 finishes: 8
Top-10 finishes: 12
Bold – These are my NASCAR sleeper picks for the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway
William Byron
He barely made it to the round of 12, then it all went downhill last weekend. William Byron sits below the cutoff line right now and if he doesn’t have an excellent run here filled with stage points and maybe even a win, he’s not going to be in a good spot at the elimination Roval race next week. And he knows that. And so does his crew. Expect them all to work hard to get this No. 24 into Victory Lane.
Talladega Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 2
Top-10 finishes: 2
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
You can’t have Talladega without a Ricky, and this one has a win and several top-10 finishes to prove he’s the real deal at this track. It’s tough to say how well he’ll do in the middle of a playoff race that he has no part in, but if there’s a will, there’s a way for the No. 47.
Talladega Wins: 1
Top-5 finishes: 6
Top-10 finishes: 9
Chase Elliott
Second-place last week was tough on Chase Elliott, and I think he’s going to really extend his reach for number-one this week. Though he’s pretty good at The Roval, it would be better for the No. 9 to get a win now so he can exhale until the next round.
Talladega Wins: 1
Top-5 finishes: 4
Top-10 finishes: 5
Bonkers – Stay away from these NASCAR drivers in your fantasy lineup at Talladega
Kurt Busch
A whole bunch of top-10 finishes might make you tempted to select Kurt Busch for this week’s Talladega race. But—he has zero wins and 10 DNFs in his career at this track, too. He may know how to navigate it, but he doesn’t really seal the deal. Give the No. 1 a pass this weekend.
Talladega Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 8
Top-10 finishes: 21
Martin Truex Jr.
Much like Kurt Busch, Martin Truex Jr. has been here many times with very little to show for it. With an unlucky number 13 DNFs at Talladega, it’s best to leave the No. 19 in the pits until he gets to a track that’s more conducive to his skills.
Talladega Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 2
Top-10 finishes: 8
Kyle Busch
It’s tough to put Kyle Busch on a Bonkers list, but I feel like he needs to be here. His season has been simply sour and though he has one win here, the rest ain’t pretty. You know he’s gonna end up in a tangle with someone at some point in this race.
Talladega Wins: 1
Top-5 finishes: 6
Top-10 finishes: 8
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