I was almost amazing last week. If only Brad Keselowski had won, then I could have bragged about another smart pick. But, second place may have given you a few points on your fantasy team if you picked him.
And I’m sure that he was thrilled to have such a great finish after the long 2022 season that not only shut him out of the playoffs but kept him winless. I see the old Brad coming back, and I will not rule him out for 2023 because I think he’s finally figured out how to master the dual role of driver and owner.
This week we head to a relatively new course, Circuit of The Americas (COTA) located in Texas. It’s a road course, which should be fun to watch. You’ll get a mix of different drivers for this type of track, and it’s always cool to see who will step up and take the chance for a place in the Championship 16. With Chase Elliott on the sidelines, it opens the door to a bunch of others. Most of these guys have been here only once before, so I had to rely on overall road course experience to get a grip on possible outcomes.
Once more thing: Jimmie Johnson will pilot the 84 this week. I have no idea how that will go, so I shall say no more.
And now, my well-researched list of Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers NASCAR fantasy picks for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas.
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Brilliant – These expert fantasy picks for NASCAR have the best shot at a win this weekend
Tyler Reddick
Tyler Reddick made a return to excellence last weekend, and I think he’s going to stay there for a while. You might not realize it, but he has become a really good road course racer in his short Cup Series career. He’s young yet, but give him time and he’ll be right up there with the best of them before too long.
COTA high finish: 5
Road Course wins: 2
Road Course top 5s: 4
Road Course top 10s: 9
Ryan Blaney
I think that Ryan Blaney has the fewest DNFs of all the current Cup Series drivers. I don’t say that as a fact, it’s only an assumption since I do his stats just about every week, but he doesn’t have any DNFs on any of the road courses. If he can avoid pit road penalties this week, I think there’s a good chance he’ll get a win.
COTA high finish: 6
Road Course wins: 1
Road Course top 5s: 5
Road Course top 10s: 12
Christopher Bell
Christopher Bell may not have a win yet in 2023, but he’s had some fantastic finishes so far in 2023, with only one in the double digits. His road course record is impressive, too, and after a third-place finish last time here, I think he’s ready to take that up by two spots.
COTA high finish: 3
Road Course wins: 2
Road Course top 5s: 4
Road Course top 10s: 7
Bold – Here’s my NASCAR fantasy advice on this week’s sleeper picks
Austin Cindric
Austin Cindric ran right up near the top for the majority of the race in Atlanta, even winning stage two. Could this be the key he needed to open the door to a hot streak? Maybe. And that’s why he’s my sleeper fantasy pick for COTA. Keep an eye on the number 2 when you set up your team.
COTA high finish: 8
Road Course wins: 0
Road Course top 5s: 2
Road Course top 10s: 5
A.J. Allmendinger
Last week he was a bonkers pick, this week he’s bold. There’s no denying the road course talent in A.J. Allmendinger, which is why he’s a smart NASCAR fantasy pick for Circuit of The Americas on Sunday.
COTA high finish: 5
Road Course wins: 2
Road Course top 5s: 7
Road Course top 10s: 16
Alex Bowman
On a role and loving it, Alex Bowman is a decent road runner. Whether he’ll win or not is up in the air yet, but he’s going to have a great finish, as always. Oh, and there isn’t one DNF in this guy’s road course history, so take that one to the bank.
COTA high finish: 2
Road Course wins: 0
Road Course top 5s: 3
Road Course top 10s: 9
Bonkers – Chances are slim that these drivers will benefit your NASCAR fantasy points this week
William Byron
The luck may have run out for the number 24 in Atlanta and I don’t see it coming back this week at COTA. William Byron has never been great on road tracks and I think he’ll stick to the middle or rear this week because there are plenty of drivers with a better record who need a first win more than he needs a third.
COTA high finish: 11
Road Course wins: 0
Road Course top 5s: 0
Road Course top 10s: 6
Aric Almirola
In all of his days in NASCAR, Aric Almirola has never quite mastered the road. This is it. Take a pass on the number 10 this week.
COTA high finish: 19
Road Course wins: 0
Road Course top 5s: 0
Road Course top 10s: 2
Bubba Wallace
Six DNFs on the road make me think that Bubba Wallace still has a way to go before I put him on my NASCAR fantasy list for this type of track. Talladega isn’t far away, and that’s when he’ll shine. But for now, wait.
COTA high finish: 38
Road Course wins: 0
Road Course top 5s: 1
Road Course top 10s: 2
