They say that everything is bigger in Texas, but when it comes to NASCAR, they could just as easily say everything is faster. With 200 MPH straights and 24 degrees of banking on the mile and a half oval, expect plenty of speed and plenty of excitement
For fantasy NASCAR owners, the only problem with Texas is that no single driver has really been able to dominate there over the years, but if you want to score the maximum number of points in your fantasy NASCAR league, keep these drivers in your Texas lineup:
Favorites at Texas Motor Speedway
1. Matt Kenseth – Last year, Kenseth got off to a hot start, and then faded fast, missing the Chase. This season, however, Matt looks to be back in championship form, sitting second in the point standings, and Texas provides the opportunity for him to keep that momentum going. In addition to one win in the Lone Star State, Kenseth has top-10 finishes in his last six Texas races, and an average career finish of 9.3. Matt has only finished outside the top-10 once in 2010 – expect that trend to continue this weekend.
2. Tony Stewart – Smoke has had an up and down season so far in 2010, but if there is any place where the two-time champ can turn things around, it is Texas. Stewart went through a rough patch in Fort Worth after his win there back in 2006, but has looked great the past season and a half, with finishes of seventh of better in his last three Texas races. Tony’s driver rating of 106.1 in Texas over the past four years is the highest of any active driver, and he has an average finish of 11.0 over that time frame. Smoke is usually a slow starter, but this could be the week that things start to heat up for the No. 14 team.
3. Jeff Gordon – Gordon is the defending race winner, and if the past few weeks are any indication, he is primed for a repeat performance; Jeff finished third at Martinsville and second at Phoenix, and had a real shot at winning both races. In addition to his win one year ago, Gordon has also finished in the top-10 five of the last seven Texas races. It is only a matter of time before Jeff makes it back to victory lane, and this could be the weekend.
Safe Picks for a Solid Texas Finish
1. Carl Edwards – Cousin Carl is an interesting driver at Texas – he leads the Cup series with three wins at the mile and a half oval, but he has also been a bit inconsistent, with three finishes outside the top-25 in the past eight races there. Still, he has to be considered a threat to win, and Edwards has looked a lot stronger the past few weeks after getting 2010 off to a slow start. With top-10 finishes in three of his last four at Texas – including two of his three career wins – Edwards definitely makes a solid pick for your fantasy NASCAR roster.
2. Greg Biffle – The Biff struggled last weekend at Phoenix, finishing outside the top-10 for the first time all season, but expect him to bounce back in Texas. Biffle’s career average finish in the Lone Star State is an unimpressive 20.9, but he has been much stronger there of late, finishing seventh or better the past three races. Roush Racing is off to a strong start in 2010, and Texas is their kind of track. Expect to see Biffle wind up somewhere near the front of the field.
3. Jimmie Johnson – Like Edwards, Johnson has had a lot of success at Texas, but has shown a little inconsistency, as well (in terms of what we typically expect, that is). Over the last ten races in Fort Worth, Johnson has finished in the top-5 six times – but he has also finished outside the top-35 twice. But while there may have been a few rocky outings for the 48 team in Texas, there is no question Johnson will be in the mix if he can avoid any problems, and is always a safe pick for a good fantasy NASCAR finish.
Texas Underdogs
1. Marcos Ambrose – Marcos got off to a slow start this season, but has quietly made himself a fixture just outside the top-10 the past few weeks, finishing 11th in three out of the last four races. He has shown a similar improvement at Texas – after finishing 21st in his Lone Star debut, Ambrose improved to 15th last November, his progression only hampered by and engine problem in the April race one year ago. After finishing well at similar tracks in Atlanta and Las Vegas, Ambrose seems like a good candidate for a surprise top-10 finish.
2. A.J. Allmendinger – With all of the controversy at Petty Motorsports over Kasey Kahne’s decision to leave at season’s end, Allmendinger is in the perfect position to step up and make himself an integral part of the organization at RPM. After sitting on the pole last week at Phoenix, A.J. is riding plenty of confidence into Texas, a place where he finished tenth last fall. Allemndinger will not contend for a win, but he could turn in another solid top-15 performance.
3. David Reutimann – After a strong start, Reutimann has struggled of late, falling out of the top-12 in the standings. He did, though, bounce back a bit a Phoenix, finishing 20th, and his record at Texas suggests we could see further improvement this weekend; Reutimann has finished 11th or better in two of his last three in the Lone Star State. He is a bit of a long shot, but it would be no surprise to see Reutimann work his way into the top-10.
Texas is a tough track to pick a winner for, but finding drivers that will get consistent results out of your entire roster 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 ...
