Denny Hamlin was a Bold Pick at Kansas, and it paid off as we watched him celebrate a winning performance. After a late Thursday night race, NASCAR returns to Sunday racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It seems as though there’s no stopping Hamlin and Harvick, but will hometown boy Joey Logano slip in and hoist that lobster high in the air at the end of the race?
Here’s my NASCAR fantasy advice guiding you to the Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers drivers for the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon:
Brilliant – These NASCAR drivers have the best shot at winning in in Loudon
Denny Hamlin
Wins at Loudon: 3
Top 5 finishes: 10
Top 10 finishes: 15
And yes, the excitement is likely to continue on Sunday with the hottest driver of the moment tearing up the track from the get-go. Denny Hamlin is having a career season, and there are no signs that it will ever let up. He’s starting on the front row and he’s a no-brainer for Brilliant Pick on Sunday.
Kevin Harvick
Wins at Loudon: 4
Top 5 finishes: 12
Top 10 finishes: 20
Another no-brainer for a run to victory lane, as Harvick has won at this track four times already—and he’s likely to make it five. If no one hits the wall or blows an engine, expect a battle between the 4 and the 11 in the final moments of the race in New Hampshire.
Martin Truex Jr.
Wins at Loudon: 0
Top 5 finishes: 6
Top 10 finishes: 12
Truex has never won here—but he’d sure like to. It would be interesting to see the No. 19 overcome adversity and blow past the top two contenders this Sunday. If anyone can do it, I’m banking on this guy. I’m thinking that his third-place finish at Kansas might give him the jump-start he needs to finish the season well.
Bold – These are my NASCAR sleeper picks
Joey Logano
Wins at Loudon: 2
Top 5 finishes: 6
Top 10 finishes: 11
It’s been a while since Logano hoisted that lobster above his head after a victory lap in Loudon, but there’s a good chance he’ll find a way to do it again this week. He’s hit-or-miss here—sometimes he’s third, sometimes he’s 37th. This certainly isn’t the season that anyone expected, but the No. 22 has a good shot at nabbing his third win on Sunday.
Matt DiBenedetto
Wins at Loudon:
Top 5 finishes:
Top 10 finishes:
I know, I know. But Bold Picks are nothing unless they’re really bold! For the drivers on the cutoff line, like the No. 21, things are getting tight. Matt finished here in fifth place last time around, and he’s shown some real promise this season. Despite the odds, look for DiBenedetto to try his darndest to get that elusive win at Loudon on Sunday.
Ryan Blaney
Wins at Loudon: 0
Top 5 finishes: 1
Top 10 finishes: 3
Ryan Blaney has been a pleasant surprise this season. With one win and several amazing finishes, there’s no doubt in my mind of what he’s capable of. He’s finished in the top 10 three years running in New Hampshire, and it’s a distinct possibility that he’ll finish in the number-one position if everything goes his way this time around.
Bonkers – Stay away from these NASCAR drivers in your fantasy lineup this week
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Wins at Loudon: 0
Top 5 finishes: 0
Top 10 finishes: 2
It’s not a great track for Stenhouse, and I don’t expect to see much of him when I look at the first few rows throughout the race on Sunday. Stenhouse has had a terrible season thus far, and it’s going to take a lot to turn it around. But that’s not gonna happen this weekend.
Chase Elliott
Wins at Loudon: 0
Top 5 finishes: 1
Top 10 finishes: 1
Chase finished in fifth place here two years ago, but the rest of his runs have been outside the top ten. I can’t see him doing much better than the other drivers in this race who are hungry for a win to make it into the playoffs. Don’t expect much from the No. 9 when it comes down to the final laps in Loudon.
Ryan Newman
Wins at Loudon: 3
Top 5 finishes: 7
Top 10 finishes: 20
Yes, he’s won here before, but it has been a long while since Newman has taken the top spot in New Hampshire. I expect he’ll have a good run, but I don’t think he’ll make it to victory lane with all of the competition he’ll have in front of him.
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