Last week I said that Ross Chastain needed to stay out of trouble to make magic on the track. Well, he did not stay out of trouble and it made madness on the track instead. After a row with Denny Hamlin, Chastain followed up with Chase Elliott. And then, both drivers retaliated at various points throughout the race by blocking, bumping, or crowding the No. 1 car. Chastain seemed apologetic and embarrassed by his actions when he spoke to the media after the race, and he vowed to do a better job controlling his car going forward. But grudges hold tight in the NASCAR community, and it will be interesting to see where the drivers go from here. NASCAR has announced that it will monitor Chastain, Hamlin, and Elliott this week and may intercede to prevent escalation, if necessary.
After the inaugural run and drama at WWT, I’m happy to be back to a track the drivers are more familiar with and where expert fantasy picks are easier to choose. Last week, my Bonkers picks were dangerously close to winning and my Brilliant picks were nothing to write home about. But at a road course, I feel better about the old stand-bys. From the Road Course King to those who are just along for the ride, here are my Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers excerpt fantasy drivers for NASCAR’s return to Sonoma.
Brilliant – These expert fantasy picks for NASCAR have the best shot at a win this weekend
Kurt Busch
After a win at Kansas, and a setback at Charlotte, it feels like Kurt Busch is finally coming into a good place. The older Busch ran well all day at WWT and ended up with a third-place finish. No. 45 has driven just about every manufacturer in racing and found a way to win; seems like he’s doing it yet again with Toyota.
Wins at Sonoma: 1
Top-5 finishes: 7
Top-10 finishes: 11
Kyle Busch
Little brother Kyle Busch gave Logano a run for his money last week but lost it on the final OT restart. Second place is never good enough for the number 18 team, and after two of them in a row, you can bet he’s ready to push it toward a win in Sonoma.
Wins at Sonoma: 2
Top-5 finishes: 6
Top-10 finishes: 8
Chase Elliott
It’s been a rough four weeks for the driver of the No. 9 car, with finishes in the 20s and 30s. But Chase Elliott has the most road course wins of any Cup Series driver in the last three years. Though he’s struggled a bit elsewhere this season, he’ll likely feel right at home here. Sonoma might be the place where he can turn things back around.
Wins at Sonoma: 0
Top-5 finishes: 2
Top-10 finishes: 3
Bold – Here’s my NASCAR fantasy advice on this week’s sleeper picks
Erik Jones
I have not seen Erik Jones run this well since he ran with JGR. These NextGen cars have turned a few drivers around, and the Number 43 is one of ‘em. Jones already has one more top-five finish that he had all of last year and led 42 more laps. He has one of the best overall records on this track, with consistent finishes in or near the top ten every time. And with the way he’s running, I think he’s going to have one of his best finishes yet.
Wins at Sonoma: 0
Top-5 finishes: 0
Top-10 finishes: 2
Daniel Suárez
Don’t let the zeros here fool you. Daniel Suárez has been consistent this season. Unfortunately, he’s been in the middle of random incidents that have pushed him back too early. Suárez has already beaten his numbers from the last two seasons, and he’s on track to have one of his best seasons in a long time. Sonoma is as good a place as any to lock in a win, or at least a top-five.
Wins at Sonoma: 0
Top-5 finishes: 0
Top-10 finishes: 0
Martin Truex Jr.
And here he is again. But, Truex Jr. finished third here in 2021 and first in 2019, 2018, and 2013. He blew an engine in 2017 but finished fifth in 2016. See where I’m going here? As much as I worry about another DNF, he has three of them here, I still have a feeling that Truex will get you some stage points and a near-top finish if you bet on him. And with Cole Pearn back in his pit crew for a one-week reunion, I see only good things for the 19.
Wins at Sonoma: 3
Top-5 finishes: 5
Top-10 finishes: 6
Bonkers – Stay away from these drivers in your NASCAR fantasy racing lineup this week
Denny Hamlin
There are about 50 reasons why Denny Hamlin needs to stay out of your fantasy lineup this weekend, and the fact that he’ll be closely watched by NASCAR is only one of them. Anything he’s done well here has been in the last five trips, so that’s a plus, but Hamlin is so sketchy this season, that it’s best to pick one of the drivers who has a better shot and isn’t being surveyed.
Wins at Sonoma: 0
Top-5 finishes: 4
Top-10 finishes: 7
Alex Bowman
Some of these drivers have only been to Sonoma a handful of times, and Alex Bowman is one of them. Though anything is possible, and I don’t see him getting blown out of the water, I think that No. 48 will have a rough go of this road course. Not the best NASCAR fantasy pick this week.
Wins at Sonoma: 0
Top-5 finishes: 0
Top-10 finishes: 2
Aric Almirola
Aric Almirola looked great last week, but he’s not that great on road courses. Save him for the Nashville Superspeedway after the Father’s Day break next weekend.
Wins at Sonoma: 0
Top-5 finishes: 0
Top-10 finishes: 2
