People either hate NASCAR or they love it. For those who love it, or want to start dabbling, we have you covered with this week’s NASCAR fantasy picks for the Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Another Daytona 500 is in the books, with a second win for Denny Hamlin of the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team. Hamlin’s win was made more poignant due to the recent passing of owner Joe Gibb’s son, JD, this past January.
Remembering JD Gibbs
JD Gibbs was a well-loved, well respected member of JGR for year. He was instrumental in getting Hamlin his first ride in 2004.
The number 11 was JD’s favorite number. Not only did he race with a number 11 car, he also wore number 11 on his jersey when he played football in his youth. At this year’s Daytona 500, Hamlin raced with JD’s name and number on the door post of his car. The fact that his JGR teammates, Kyle Busch and Eric Jones, finished 2 and 3 behind him made this win even more supernatural for owner Joe Gibbs. After the race, Gibbs told reporters, “It’s the most emotional and biggest win I’ve ever had in my life in anything.”
JD passed away at home on January 19, 2019, after a four-year battle with a degenerative neurological disease. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Gibbs family for the loss of such a remarkable man.
Atlanta Motor Speedway
The Atlanta Motor Speedway is a mile-and-a-half oval that sits in the middle of Hampton, Georgia, 20 miles south of Atlanta. The Atlanta Motor Speedway has hosted NASCAR cup racing since it opened in 1960, and is a popular track on the circuit. The weather for Sunday looks to be partly sunny and in the low 60’s, which makes it a fine day for racing.
Last Week’s NASCAR Fantasy Picks Results: Recap From Daytona
Brilliant picks:
Kurt Busch – finished 25th
Joey Logano – finished 4th
Kevin Harvick – finished 26th
Bold picks:
Denny Hamlin – WINNER
Jimmie Johnson – finished 9th
Austin Dillon – finished 16th
Bonkers picks:
Martin Truex Jr. – finished 35th
Kyle Larson – finished 7th
Chase Elliot – finished 17th
NASCAR Fantasy Picks: Atlanta Motor Speedway
Brilliant
Jimmie Johnson
Wins: 5
Top 5 finishes: 14
Top 10 finishes: 16
Johnson has come out in 2019 with an aggression we haven’t seen in the last few years. He’s not racing with a hope to win; he’s racing with an expectation to win. He’s hands-down the best driver on this track, and I expect he’s going to fight to bring home the trophy this weekend.
Kurt Busch
Wins: 3
Top 5 finishes: 6
Top 10 finishes: 13
Of the two Busch brothers, Kurt has the better stats at Atlanta. He thrives when under pressure, and moving a new team has given him a renewed purpose. I like how he’s handling the Camaro, and how cool and collected he’s been in the last two seasons. Look to Kurt to bolster his stats this weekend.
Kyle Busch
Wins: 2
Top 5 finishes: 5
Top 10 finishes: 7
Just because Kurt has better stats doesn’t mean that Kyle can’t be brilliant this week. I expect that he can change those numbers into something better after his defeat at Daytona. He’s got three things going for him at Atlanta: He’s hungry, he’s got a great starting position, and he’s a hell of a driver. Expect him to have a good finish.
Bold
Aric Almirola
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 0
Top 10 finishes: 1
Double A had a career season last year. The move to Stewart-Haas gave him the car and team support he needed to finish 5th place in points. His record at this track has been sketchy, but with a hot spot on the pole this week, it’s a bold move to think he could make it to victory lane in Atlanta.
Kevin Harvick
Wins: 2
Top 5 finishes: 7
Top 10 finishes: 13
Last week didn’t pan out like the Hapster hoped it would, but Atlanta is a different monster. He’s led over 1100 laps here over the years with some solid finishes. True, he starts in the 18 position this week, but he’s Kevin Harvick. He’ll get up near the front fast–and likely stay there.
Chase Elliot
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 1
Top 10 finishes: 3
Chase is ready to keep his momentum from last season rolling this week in Atlanta. He had a good shot at a decent finish last week, until Stenhouse Jr. got loose with five laps to go and wrecked him. Chase hasn’t won here before, he’s never led a lap, and he’s starting 22nd. But his average finish is 7th, so I’m going out on a limb for a bold finish this week.
Bonkers
Ryan Blaney
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 0
Top 10 finishes: 0
Blaney held his own in the Daytona 500, but bad luck and bad positioning put him in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s sure to get a number one this season, but it’s not coming to him this week. The highest he finished here was 12th, with an average finish of 18th. His 26th place start seals the deal.
Joey Logano
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 2
Top 10 finishes: 4
How does one go from a brilliant pick one week to a bonkers pick the next? It’s all about the stats at the track. Atlanta hasn’t been the kindest place for Logano. It’s not that he hasn’t had a few good laps here, it’s just that his average finish is 16th place. With a starting position of 27th, there’s plenty of drivers who are sure to beat him down the stretch.
Eric Jones
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 0
Top 10 finishes: 0
Eric Jones finished in 3rd place last week at Daytona. He’s getting better with each passing race, and it’s only a matter of time before he gets his first win in 2019. The numbers at this track, however, don’t make him bold or brilliant this week. And with a starting position of 15, there’s better picks out there than Jones.
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