Welcome to the second running of the NASCAR Cup Series at Circuit of the Americas, affectionately known as COTA. This 3.41-mile track is the first of six road courses coming at ya throughout the 2022 NASCAR season. And to think that once upon a time there were only two road tracks to worry about: Watkins Glen and Sonoma. Things have changed, and so have the drivers who dominate on these courses.
Though there has only been one running at COTA to draw upon for our NASCAR fantasy picks this week, we’ll take into consideration both the drivers who excel on this type of track and those who just can’t quite master the twists and turns of racing on the road. And of course, we consider the hot streak.
Drivers like Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick have put up impressive road numbers in the past, but since neither driver has shown us much lately, they’re not at the top of my list of expert picks for NASCAR this weekend. On the flip side of that coin, you’ll see some drivers on this list who might not have as much experience, but they’ve torn up the track recently, and that always counts for something. Enjoy the race from COTA—next weekend we start the southern swing complete with short tracks, dirt, and superspeedway action.
Brilliant – These expert fantasy picks for NASCAR have the best shot at a win this weekend
Chase Elliott
Chase Elliott won the race at COTA last season, and I expect him to do it again this week. He’s smokin’ hot at all of the road courses, as you can see from his record, and he’s been this close to a win all season. The No. 9 is my top prospect, especially since he’s the only Hendrick driver yet to grab a win in 2022.
Road Course Wins: 7
Top-5 finishes: 11
Top-10 finishes: 13
Kyle Larson
Kyle Larson finished in second place at COTA last season. Racing is his life, and he drives on tracks all over the circuit—including dirt and road courses. The No. 5 has the potential to win at just about every track that NASCAR hits in a season, but it’s been a minute since his last good finish. Larson might just take this opportunity to get back on top, as long as he can hold off his teammate.
Road Course Wins: 3
Top-5 finishes: 6
Top-10 finishes: 9
Joey Logano
Joey Logano usually has one win under his belt by this part of the season, but it’s been a crazy time for everyone so I kinda understand it. He has a boat-load of top-five and -10 finishes at road course tracks, and he came in third last year at COTA. This leads me to believe there might be a bit of renewal juice in the tank for this No. 22 team.
Road Course Wins: 1
Top-5 finishes: 9
Top-10 finishes: 17
Bold – Here’s my NASCAR fantasy advice on this week’s sleeper picks
Ryan Blaney
Ryan Blaney’s numbers do not quite match up with his performances this season. This driver has led many laps, traveled in the top-five, gotten a couple of playoff points, but has run into bad luck more often than not. But with an impressive record on road courses, I’m trusting that his luck will turn around this weekend, and No. 12 will have a fantastic outing at COTA.
Road Course Wins: 1
Top-5 finishes: 5
Top-10 finishes: 10
Chase Briscoe
Chase Briscoe has one win under his belt already, and while his record on road courses is’t the absolute best, it’s pretty good for a guy who has only run seven of them in the Cup Series. He finished sixth at COTA last year and I fully expect him to do better than that on Sunday.
Road Course Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 0
Top-10 finishes: 3
Ross Chastain
What a season this guy is having. And it’s just beginning. Last year he led four laps and finished fourth at COTA; as long as he has good track position, Ross Chastain is going to push hard and finish right up near the front where he’s been for the past three races.
Road Course Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 1
Top-10 finishes: 3
Bonkers – Stay away from these drivers in your NASCAR fantasy racing lineup this week
Darrell Wallace Jr.
While Bubba Wallace is having a better season overall than previous years, I don’t expect he’ll suddenly become a road course pro. Last year DNF’d and finished 39th at COTA, and the vast majority of his road course finishes are in the 20s. Take a pass on the No. 23 this week when you set your NASCAR fantasy team.
Road Course Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 0
Top-10 finishes: 0
Daniel Suaréz
Kicking butt and taking names: that’s what Daniel Suaréz is doing this season. But after 17 trips to road courses throughout the years, he still has only two good finishes to show for it—and those were over four years ago. Considering his current hot streak, he may run well this weekend, but I don’t see a trip to victory lane.
Road Course Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 2
Top-10 finishes: 2
Austin Dillon
Austin Dillon finished 12th at COTA last year, but that’s a far cry from first place. With numbers like this on road courses, it’s best to leave the No. 3 in the pits for NASCAR fantasy on Sunday.
Road Course Wins: 0
Top-5 finishes: 0
Top-10 finishes: 0
