All of my brilliant and bold picks last week showed up and showed off in Kansas. And though I did not pick Denny Hamlin, it was simply because he has been lacking all season. I knew he was good in Kansas, but I didn’t expect him to get it all together yet. My brilliant pick Kyle Larson would have surely finished first if not for a last-minute maneuver by the number 11 that bumped the number 5 out of the way and into a second-place end.
That’s racing though, folks. Dale Earnhardt Senior was famous for making a mess out of other drivers on the track to get where he needed to be, and several of the old-school boys keep to that tradition. The only difference is that fans loved Senior—not so much appreciation for Hamlin and Kyle Busch.
Tempers were hot both on the track and off; not only did Kyle Busch proclaim that all of the guys on the track were driving “like assholes,” Noah Gragson sought out Ross Chastain after the race to voice his displeasure at Chastain’s on-track actions. It was just like the old days seeing these two drives in action. You can bet it won’t be the last time someone barges over to the driver of the number 1 car for a confrontation before the season ends. It’s only a matter of who.
This week Darlington welcomes throwback paint schemes and a group of guys who will come away with more than one Darlington Stripe by the end of the day. As NASCAR heads back to the Track too Tough to Tame, I give you the Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers NASCAR fantasy picks for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway.
5th Down Fantasy is a proud sponsor of the new NASCAR podcast: Holly’s Racing Fantasy. Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for the latest happenings in the NASCAR Cup Series, highlights from the previous week’s race, and fantasy picks for the upcoming event.
Follow and Subscribe: Spotify | Apple | YouTube | Amazon | Stitcher | iHeart Radio
Brilliant – These expert fantasy picks for NASCAR have the best shot at a win this weekend
Kyle Larson
So, so close, yet a win has slipped through Kyle Larson’s fingers here for many seasons. I think that after last week’s second-place finish, the number 5 comes out swinging non-stop until the checkered flag. It’s safe to assume that he’ll give you some NASCAR fantasy points when all is said and done.
Darlington Wins: 0
Darlington Top 5s: 5
Darlington Top 10s: 7
Martin Truex Jr.
Martin Truex Jr. has led the most laps in Darlington over the past three years, and he’s fourth overall. I like what I’ve seen out of the number 19 car these past few weeks, though I don’t like some of the choices his pit crew has made that seem to have kept him just below where he should be finishing. Let’s hope that James Small and Truex Jr. can figure this out before Sunday because if they do, he has a great shot at another win.
Darlington Wins: 2
Darlington Top 5s: 4
Darlington Top 10s: 10
Kevin Harvick
This is a no-brainer. Last September, Kevin Harvick’s exhaust system went out and it gave him a 33rd-place finish. Before that, get this, Kevin Harvick did not finish outside of the top 10 since 2012. I guarantee that he finishes very well if he doesn’t sneak into the winning spot.
Darlington Wins: 3
Darlington Top 5s: 13
Darlington Top 10s: 18
Bold – Here’s my NASCAR fantasy advice on this week’s sleeper picks
Denny Hamlin
He’s only my bold NASCAR fantasy pick as opposed to brilliant because, though he won last week, I’m not ready to declare Denny Hamlin back in action. But, I’m not ready to rule him out, either. He is the best current Cup Series driver at Darlington though, just look at those stats, and that has to count for something.
Darlington Wins: 4
Darlington Top 5s: 12
Darlington Top 10s: 16
Erik Jones
Prediction: Legacy Motor Club gets its first win of the season with Erik Jones in Darlington. It’s bold, but it’s possible. He has two wins here and a whole bunch of single-digit finishes. In fact, the only two times he finished poorly were due to an accident and an engine failure. Otherwise, he’s as hot as they come at this track.
Darlington Wins: 2
Darlington Top 5s: 5
Darlington Top 10s: 7
Tyler Reddick
Time for Tyler Reddick to get back on the horse and power his way to the top this week. He’s had a so-so-go lately, but his last two trips to Darlington netted him a second and third-place finish. He may be a sleeper pick but don’t sleep on the 45 when you set your NASCAR fantasy lineup.
Darlington Wins: 0
Darlington Top 5s: 2
Darlington Top 10s: 3
Bonkers – Chances are slim that these drivers will benefit your NASCAR fantasy points this week
Ryan Blaney
Not the track where Ryan Blaney does his best. In fact, he’s only cracked the top ten in Darlington once. Take a pass on the number 12 when you set your NASCAR fantasy lineup this weekend.
Darlington Wins: 0
Darlington Top 5s: 0
Darlington Top 10s: 1
Aric Almirola
Aric Almirola has only seen the top ten twice on this track, and though he finished 11th both times last season, I don’t see him getting much better than that on Sunday. Hold off on the number 10 until we get him on a better track.
Darlington Wins: 0
Darlington Top 5s: 0
Darlington Top 10s: 2
Chris Beuscher
I like what I’ve seen out of Chris Beuscher this season, and I think he has a lot more to show us. But, despite his top-ten finishes the last two times at this track, I’m not convinced that he’ll do better this time around.
Darlington Wins: 0
Darlington Top 5s: 0
Darlington Top 10s: 2
