I was not one bit surprised that last week’s expert NASCAR fantasy Brilliant Pick Joey Logano won the race in Las Vegas. After a long season of ups and downs, the Penske number 22 has sealed his fate and will sail into the Championship Chase Round of 4, as I predicted he would. Will the rest of my Championship predictions come true? Heading to Homestead gives at least one of them an opportunity to get it done, or at least get as close as possible.
The race in Sin City was filled with drama — anyone else remember those days when tempers flared on and off the track? Bubba Wallace can now add his name to the list of drivers, from Tony Stewart to Kyle Busch, who have exploded on their peers and put themselves in a rather unsavory light.
After a deliberate on-track shove of the number 5 car after, and an off-track shove of driver Kyle Larson, NASCAR has suspended the driver of 23XIs current number 45 for one race. 23XI has released an apologetic statement, declined to appeal, and announced that John Hunter Nemechek will pilot the 45 in Homestead on Sunday. Bubba Wallace released his own statement apologizing to everyone who was negatively affected by his actions, including playoff contender Christopher Bell who was knocked out of the race as a result of this mess and therefore now sits at the bottom of the points standings.
Will Homestead bring as much excitement as Vegas? You’ll have to watch as this week’s Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers NASCAR fantasy picks lay it on the line for the Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Brilliant – These expert fantasy picks for NASCAR have the best shot at a win this weekend
Denny Hamlin
He has another chance to lock it in next week in the Martinsville finale, but why wouldn’t he want to settle things now? Denny Hamlin has a lot of practice in Homestead; back when it was the final track of the season, he learned how to run it well for the potential Championship win (which still eludes him). Count on good points from the number 11 either way.
Wins at Homestead: 3
Top five finishes: 5
Top ten finishes: 11
Kyle Larson
Kyle Larson is gonna bounce back after last weekend’s track antics. He’s only finished outside of the teens when he had a flat tire or an accident. As long as the race is clean, the number 5 has a good chance at another good finish and maybe his first win here.
Wins at Homestead: 0
Top five finishes: 4
Top ten finishes: 4
Kevin Harvick
By no means do I expect Kevin Harvik to win this race, though he may, but I fully predict that he will finish well. Good Lord, if you looked at a chart of his numbers like I did, you’d be amazed to see only FIVE double-digit finishes since his first Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami in 2001. And only three of them are higher than tenth. It’s an impressive sight.
Wins at Homestead: 1
Top five finishes: 12
Top ten finishes: 18
Bold – Here’s my NASCAR fantasy advice on this week’s sleeper picks
Tyler Reddick
He’s not in the playoffs, but Tyler Reddick is going to bring his A game each and every week just for spite. Not that he’s full of angst; but the number 8 is living his best NASCAR life right now, and with his Childress time winding down, it would be nice to leave the team with a parting gift.
Wins at Homestead: 0
Top five finishes: 2
Top ten finishes: 2
William Byron
Keeping this guy right here for another week. It’s the end of the playoffs and some drivers will pull out the stops to advance, William Byron included. Consider this driver of the number 24 when you set your NASCAR fantasy lineup.
Wins at Homestead: 1
Top five finishes: 1
Top ten finishes: 2
Ross Chastain
It’s serious for the driver of the one car; he wants this playoff entry more than just about anyone out there. He made a few enemies on the track this season, and though he still drives tough, he’s avoided the major conflicts in recent weeks. Despite his rotten record at Homestead, he’s on a tear and at this time of year, records mean zilch.
Wins at Homestead: 0
Top five finishes: 0
Top ten finishes: 0
Bonkers – Stay away from these drivers in your NASCAR fantasy racing lineup this week
Ryan Blaney
This playoff hopeful might have one last shot for a win in Martinsville, depending on who wins this week, but Homestead is rough on the driver of the 12. I don’t have a good feeling about Ryan Blaney this week. Keep him out of your NASCAR lineup until next time around.
Wins at Homestead: 0
Top five finishes: 1
Top ten finishes: 1
Brad Keselowski
He has a good record here, but I don’t think that he has much to offer. You have seven other drivers who are competing for a spot in the final four, and none of them will hesitate to knock him out of the way if the opportunity arises. .
Wins at Homestead: 0
Top five finishes: 3
Top ten finishes: 6
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Forget about it. You see the numbers, and this is out of ten Cup Series outings. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s best finish here was 13th, and there are two DNFs in the mix with it. Hold up and pick the number 47 some other time.
Wins at Homestead: 0
Top five finishes: 0
Top ten finishes: 0
