This week’s NASCAR fantasy picks for the First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
There are only two NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series races left before the final showdown at Homestead on November, 17th. The field has been narrowed to the following eight drivers after the race at Kansas:
- Denny Hamlin
- Kyle Busch
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Kevin Harvick
- Kyle Larson
- Ryan Blaney
- Chase Elliott
- Joey Logano
The four drivers who were eliminated at Kansas include Alex Bowman, William Byron, Clint Bowyer, and Brad Keselowski.
Next week’s race at Texas Motor Speedway will be the final elimination race before the remaining four drivers have the opportunity to take a shot at the Championship. JGR drivers are early favorites, but Chase Elliot and Kyle Larson have really turned on the heat. Last year’s champ, Joey Logano, could pull off another upset, while Kevin Harvick is never out of contention. As for Ryan Blaney? Somehow, he’s raced well enough to keep going, despite being the only driver in the round of eight without a win this season.
But before Homestead, the checkered flag will fly twice to crown two more winners in the 2019 season.
Last Week’s NASCAR Fantasy Picks: Recap from the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway
Brilliant picks:
- Martin Truex Jr. – 6th
- Kevin Harvick – 9th
- Chase Elliott – 2nd
Bold picks:
- Alex Bowman – 11th
- Clint Bowyer – 8th
- Brad Keselowski – 19th
Bonkers picks:
- William Byron – 5th
- Aric Almirola – 23rd
- Daniel Suarez – 32nd (DNF)
And now, here are this week’s Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers NASCAR Fantasy picks for the First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway
Brilliant NASCAR fantasy picks
Denny Hamlin
- Wins: 5
- Top 5 finishes: 14
- Top 10 finishes: 20
Does Hamlin love Martinsville? He does. Can he win two weeks in a row? He can. A win this week would punch Hamlin’s ticket into the final round, which could lead him to a long-awaited championship. Denny has finished top five or better in 12 of the last 17 races. Look for him to make it lucky number 13 on Sunday.
Kyle Busch
- Wins: 2
- Top 5 finishes: 16
- Top 10 finishes: 17
It’s been a long time since Busch has won a race, but that’s likely to change on Sunday. He’s ready to get into the championship round of four, and you can bet he’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen at Martinsville Speedway—even if it means pushing a teammate aside.
Joey Logano
- Wins: 1
- Top 5 finishes: 6
- Top 10 finishes: 9
Logano punched his ticket to the final four last year at this race. Will he do it again this year? Hard to say, but I wouldn’t put it past him. If the 22 can have a clean race with no involvement with another driver, he might just surprise everyone.
Bold NASCAR fantasy picks
Clint Bowyer
- Wins: 1
- Top 5 finishes: 6
- Top 10 finishes: 16
He may be out of the race for the championship, but he’s still looking for his first win. Martinsville is the best place for him to get it, as long as he can hold off the JGR boys. Expect Bowyer to get aggressive at the paperclip this weekend.
Jimmie Johnson
- Wins: 9
- Top 5 finishes: 20
- Top 10 finishes: 25
I’ve seen a spark in the No. 48 team since Cliff Daniels became Jimmie’s new crew chief. He’s determined to grab a win this season, and the next two tracks are prime for the picking. After all, how can the 7-time champ go two seasons without winning a race? Look for Johnson to race old-school at Martinsville this weekend.
Brad Keselowski
- Wins: 2
- Top 5 finishes: 8
- Top 10 finishes: 13
No one is more disappointed in last week’s race than Keselowski. His 19th place finish knocked him out of the next round of the playoffs, allowing Chase Elliot to advance. He won here last spring, and he’s likely to be racing his heart out to repeat that this week. Don’t be surprised to see him push through to a winning end on Sunday.
Bonkers NASCAR fantasy picks
Kyle Larson
- Wins: 0
- Top 5 finishes: 1
- Top 10 finishes: 1
He’s hot, but I don’t think he’s hot enough to make it rain at Martinsville Speedway. Of course, scattered thunderstorms are in the forecast. If Larson can stay off the wall, he might have a good finish, but a lap in victory lane is unlikely.
Erik Jones
- Wins: 0
- Top 5 finishes: 0
- Top 10 finishes: 0
Those are poor numbers at Martinsville Speedway for Erik Jones. Chalk it up to tricky racing at the paperclip and call it a day. Even if Jones does his best to stay out of trouble this weekend, he’s still not ready to master this short track for the win.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Wins: 0
- Top 5 finishes: 0
- Top 10 finishes: 2
It’s not the week for drivers who have a bit of a hot-head on the track. Stenhouse likes to push his way through the crowd, and on a short track like Martinsville, that will only get you to one place: the garage.
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