This week’s NASCAR fantasy picks for the Auto Club 400 at the Auto Club Speedway in Southern California.
When was the last time you saw a NASCAR fight post-qualifying? At ISM Raceway last week, Daniel Suarez of Steward-Haas Racing and Michael McDowell of Front Row Motor Sports treated spectators to a good old fashioned pit road fight. A fight that ended up with Suarez being pinned to the hood of the 34 by McDowell’s crew.
The confrontation was sparked when the 34 got in the way of the 41 during qualifying, Suarez stormed over a concrete barrier to get to McDowell, throwing him to the ground in frustration. Both divers missed the second round cut off and started deep in the field at 27th and 28th.
NASCAR was swift to bring both men together before Saturday’s practice to ensure that this behavior would not continue on the track. Suarez was quick to point out, “That’s not my style. I wouldn’t use my race car as a weapon.” And he was true to his word. This race was uneventful, with Suarez and McDowell finishing 23rd and 36th, respectively.
Some have wondered if Smoke’s hot temper is rubbing off on his new driver. In an interview on The Glass Case Of Emotions, Suarez explained that he has always been a fighter, getting into multiple scraps with schoolmates in his youth. If anything, it seems his appointment to SHR puts him in the right place to bring the heat. Let’s hope this passion leads him to victory lane at some point this season.
Last Week’s NASCAR Fantasy Picks: Recap From ISM Raceway in Phoenix
Brilliant NASCAR fantasy picks:
Kevin Harvick – finished 9th
Denny Hamlin – finished 5th
Chase Elliot – finished 14th
Bold NASCAR fantasy picks:
Aric Almirola – finished 4th
Erik Jones – finished 29th
Ryan Newman – finished 12th
Bonkers NASCAR fantasy picks:
Clint Bowyer – finished 11th
Kyle Larson – finished 6th
Austin Dillon – finished 21st
And now, here are this week’s Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers NASCAR Fantasy picks for the Auto Club 400 at the Auto Club Speedway in Southern California:
Brilliant NASCAR fantasy picks
Kyle Larson
Wins: 1
Top 5 finishes: 3
Top 10 finishes: 3
There’s no denying this kid’s desire and determination. I think this week will see something special come out of the 42, as long as he can avoid hitting the wall, or someone else. If he can stay focused, he just might get win number one at Auto Club.
Kyle Busch
Wins: 3
Top 5 finishes: 9
Top 10 finishes: 14
I was banking on the 18 to bring home the win this week long before he got his first win at ISM. If anyone can do it two weeks in a row, it’s this guy. Expect him to go big on Sunday, flying up the track and passing people with precision in the way that only Kyle Busch can.
Jimmie Johnson
Wins: 6
Top 5 finishes: 13
Top 10 finishes: 17
This pick is probably going to come back and bite me in the ass, but it’s nearly impossible to leave this California boy out of contention this week. However, he’s been so sketchy over the last couple of years that I’m taking a risk just putting him here. With an 8th place finish last week, and a decent starting position this week, I’m hoping he’s on the way to a good showing on Sunday.
Bold NASCAR fantasy picks
Chase Elliott
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 2
Top 10 finishes: 3
When you consider that Chase has only run 3 races at Auto Club, those stats are impressive. He’s had a disappointing season so far, but this might just be the week that things turn around for him. An 8th place starting position can give him the leverage he needs to drive it in for the win.
Brad Keselowski
Wins: 1
Top 5 finishes: 3
Top 10 finishes: 4
Team Penske seems to have things figured out this season. Brad’s best finishes this season happened when he started in the 19th position, so I think that a 13 spot will make it easier for him to get up front early on and stay there.
Martin Truex Jr.
Wins: 1
Top 5 finishes: 2
Top 10 finishes: 6
After last week’s second-place finish, Truex is ready to pounce. He has a lousy starting position, but he said in his post-qualifying interview that he’s determined to pass everyone and work his way to the front. He has one win here, and he’s led a couple hundred laps, so there’s no reason to think that he can’t do just that.
Bonkers NASCAR fantasy picks
Aric Almirola
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 0
Top 10 finishes: 0
Double-A looked great last week, but Auto Club is a far distance from ISM for his stats. He has a good starting position, but that didn’t mean much in Atlanta. There will be plenty of tracks for him to show his stuff, possibly next week at Martinsville, but I don’t expect much on the West coast.
Daniel Suarez
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 0
Top 10 finishes: 1
After last week’s fired-up confrontation, it’s evident that Suarez is anxious for his first win of the season. Or at least a finish inside the top 10. That’s not likely to happen this week at Auto Club, so he’ll just have to hang on to that fire for a little bit longer.
Kurt Busch
Wins: 1
Top 5 finishes: 7
Top 10 finishes: 12
Not the best stats here, and not the best starting position. Kurt has been fantastic in the number 1 car this season; far better than anyone expected. He hasn’t had a finish outside of the top 10 yet, but I can’t see him rolling into victory lane this week.
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