The restrictor plates are back on as the Sprint Cup series heads to Talladega Superspeedway for the first time in 2010. With an ever-present chance of the ‘Big One’ happening and taking out a handful of contenders in one fell swoop, Talladega can be a frustrating place, for drivers as well as NASCAR fantasy team owners.
Because of its unpredictability, it is almost impossible to pick a ‘sure thing’ when it comes to your fantasy NASCAR roster, but based on their past performance, here are a few drivers to consider for your Talladega lineup:
Favorites at Talladega Superspeedway
1. Jeff Gordon – There is no question Gordon has struggled at Talladega of late; the No.24 team has finished 19th or worse in the past four races at NASCAR’s largest track. He does, however, lead all active drivers with 6 wins there, including a season sweep in 2007, just prior to his recent struggles. On top of that, Jeff is probably the hottest driver in the garage right now – only a late-race wreck at Texas prevented Gordon from collecting his third-straight top-3 finish. Jeff is desperate for a win, and he has as good a chance of getting one at ‘Dega as anywhere else.
2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – The good news is that Junior has five career wins at Talladega. The bad news is that the last time he won there was all the way back in 2004. Still, Dale is one of the best restrictor plate racers in NASCAR, and despite the fact that he has not won there in awhile, Junior is always a threat at the 2.66 mile track – sporting a career 14.0 finish, and coming in 11th or better in three of his last four races. Junior finished second in the Daytona 500 and is coming off a strong run at Texas; that could mean a big weekend is in store.
3. Tony Stewart – Stewart is a prime example of how frustrating Talladega can be; Smoke consistently runs at or near the front of the pack there, but accidents have limited him to top-10 finishes in only two of the last five races. He did get his first Talladega win in 2008, though, and despite his bad luck is always a threat to win. Tony has had an up and down season so far, and Talladega provides the perfect opportunity to get things back on track for another run at the championship.
Safe Picks for a Solid Talladega Finish
1. Jimmie Johnson – Jimmie is quick to point out that he is not the strongest restrictor plate racer in NASCAR, but his opinion has to be taken with a grain of salt; after all, performances that Johnson typically considers ‘bad’ would be welcomed by most of the other drivers in the garage. In addition to one win at the Alabama track, Johnson has top-10 finishes in four of his last six ‘Dega races, including two second-place showings – hardly anything to scoff at. Everyone knows that Johnson is off to a spectacular start in 2010, and barring a wreck, that trend should continue at Talladega.
2. Jeff Burton – Burton has never won at NASCAR’s biggest track, but he has developed a pretty good knack for avoiding trouble there. Burton is the only driver to score top-10 finishes in the last three races in Alabama, and has 13 top-10 finishes there over the course of his career. Jeff has struggled at times in 2010, but is coming off a strong run at Texas, and that could lead to another good result at Talladega.
3. Kurt Busch – It is amazing that the elder Busch brother has never won at Talladega, because he results at the Alabama track have been amazingly consistent. Kurt has top-10 finishes in seven of the last ten races at the high-banked oval, and has a career average finish of 13.1, which means he has been able to avoid the ‘Big One’ on a regular basis. Kurt has been a bit inconsistent in 2010, but Talladega provides a great opportunity for him to get a hot streak going.
Talladega Underdogs
1. Brad Keselowski – Most NASCAR fans are familiar with Keselowski’s one and only win at Talladega in 2009, with a finish that sent Carl Edwards on a spectacular ride into the catch fence coming to the checkered flag. But what many do not realize is that Brad backed that win up with another great performance in the fall race – finishing eighth in only his second trip to NASCAR’s biggest track. Brad is still adjusting to his new ride at Penske Racing, but has performed well recently, and could crack the top-10 again at ‘Dega.
2. Joey Logano – Logano has quietly established himself as a Chase contender early on in 2010. Despite getting caught up in a wreck at Texas, Logano is still in the top-12 in the standings and, like Keselowski, enjoyed an impressive debut at Talladega last year, with top-10 finishes in both races. Joey already has four top-10 finishes in the 2010 season, and it would not be a surprise at all to see him have another solid run.
3. Paul Menard – Menard is fading fast after hanging around for a few weeks at the beginning of the season in the top-12, but he would make a nice C-list or low-dollar add to a NASCAR fantasy roster at Talladega. Paul has finished 14th or better in three of his last four ‘Dega races, including a second place finish in 2008. The No.98 car looked great at Texas and was running in the top-10 before he got taken out in a late race wreck. There are always a few surprise finishers every Talladega race, and Menard could be one of them.
It is next to impossible to pick a winner at a place like Talladega, but finding drivers that stand the best chance of running near the front and, more importantly, staying out of trouble will give you an edge in your NASCAR fantasy league.
Todd Butts - Coming from the world of newspaper and radio, I have been covering NASCAR and other motorsports for over 8 years. I started as the host ...
