I am on a roll, folks. Last week’s Brilliant Pick, Ryan Blaney, got his first Grandfather clock by winning the race in Martinsville. He’s hot right now and that’s a great way to be as he enters the Final Four along with Kyle Larson, William Byron, and Christopher Bell.
It’s going to be chaos in the desert this week, or maybe it will be a bore fest. At least we have beautiful scenery to capture our attention when nothing else will. The best man to win will be the guy with clean pit stops—and I mean squeaky—clean runs, careful execution, and lots of luck. And it really could be any of these fine drivers. I can’t remember the last time the Final Four was so well-deserving. I’ll be happy for any of them to be the face that represents the best of 2023.
And now, for the last time in 2023, here are my brilliant, bold, and bonkers fantasy picks for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix 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
Ryan Blaney
Ryan Blaney. Wow. The streak is hot, and it is electric. This is his first time in the Final Four, and the way he’s been driving that car, I think he can take it all the way to Victory Lane. I guess the not-so-nice-guy attitude has paid off because this is Blaney like you’ve never seen him before. And that’s going to count when it comes down to being either the winner or runner-up. Good Luck, number 12.
Wins at Phoenix: 0
Top 5s: 6
Top 10s: 10
William Byron
One cannot say enough about the impressive season that Willaim Byron put together in 2023. Though he’s been a bit behind the eight ball in recent weeks, he had enough points to get into the Final Four with a 13th-place finish last week. So, yeah, I think he has a great opportunity here to get his well-deserved trophy in Phoenix. Good Luck, number 24.
Wins at Phoenix: 1
Top 5s: 1
Top 10s: 6
Kyle Larson
Kyle Larson already has one Championship under his belt. Do you think that might dampen the fire? Probably not; I’m sure he wants another one, but I think the fact that he’s up against three first-time Final Four drivers, one of them a veteran, dulls his odds a bit. He’s a true champ, though, so I will never count him out. Good Luck, number 5.
Wins at Phoenix: 1
Top 5s: 7
Top 10s: 11
Christopher Bell
Christopher Bell has the weakest numbers at Phoenix Raceway, but he still has a lot of drive and heart. He might just surprise us all and bring a Championship back to JGR. Actually, it wouldn’t surprise me because he worked hard to get here, and he deserves it just as much as anyone else. Good Luck, number 20.
Wins at Phoenix: 0
Top 5s: 0
Top 10s: 4
Bold – Here’s my NASCAR fantasy advice on this week’s sleeper pick
Kevin Harvick
His best track is Phoenix, and therefore, I decree that Kevin Harvick shall reign victorious on this, his last race in a NASCAR Cup Series car. I think it will be fitting when he passes the entire field to get an emotional win. He has not finished outside of the top NINE here since 2010. Well, twice, but still. Only twice in 13 years. How can you not pick him?
Wins at Phoenix: 9
Top 5s: 20
Top 10s: 30
That’s it because no one else will surpass one of this year’s best—or this veteran driver.
Bonkers – Chances are slim that these drivers will benefit your NASCAR fantasy points this week
The Rest of the Field
Because no one is going to intentionally stand in the way of one of the drivers listed above.