People either hate NASCAR or they love it. For those who love it, or want to start dabbling, we have you covered with this week’s NASCAR fantasy picks for the Pennzoil 400 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
What came out of the race in Atlanta last weekend? An amazing feat by Kyle Busch to get to the front so fast after starting in the rear. An amazing win by Brad Keselowski, who was hit by the stomach bug Friday night and had to get seven bags of IV fluids to rehydrate. Also on tap: lots of frayed tires, a few penalties, and one big old wreck right on pit road in the middle of green flag stops.
From One Junior to Another
Also of note, two “juniors” had plenty to say about each other after the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.
First, Martin Truex Jr. laid the blame on Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for holding him up during the final laps of the race. Truex was quick to complain about the “lack of respect” that lapped cars show the leaders, specifying that it’s tough to run in the “dirty air” behind them.
Stenhouse expressed his confusion about the “dirty air”’ comment, wondering if Truex believed that lap cars have “dirtier air coming off the car.” Stenhouse also pointed out that if Truex was fast enough, “he could have caught us.” Hopefully the bad air between these two drivers clears out before the green flag waves on Sunday.
Last Week’s NASCAR Fantasy Results: Recap From Atlanta
Brilliant Picks:
Jimmie Johnson – finished 24th
Kurt Busch – finished 3rd
Kyle Busch – finished 6th
Bold picks:
Aric Almirola – finished 8th
Kevin Harvick – finished 4th
Chase Elliot – finished 19th
Bonkers picks:
Joey Logano – finished 23rd
Ryan Blaney – finished 22nd
Eric Jones – finished 7th
And now, here are this week’s Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers NASCAR Fantasy picks for the Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Brilliant
Brad Keselowski
Wins: 3
Top 5 finishes: 5
Top 10 finishes: 7
Three wins at Vegas make Brad the man to beat this week. True, it means a two-week winning streak, but if the guy can win a race after battling a stomach bug all weekend, he can breeze through sin-city with ease. Look for BK to run up from behind and get to the front of the pack this week.
Kyle Larson
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 3
Top 10 finishes: 4
Does he have the best stats here? No. Is he itching to drive into victory lane? Hell, yeah. After a dynamic 2017, Larson was expected to follow it up with even better stats in 2018. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing year for the 42, with zero wins and half as many laps led. No one is as desperate for a win as he is, and this could be the week he gets it.
Kevin Harvick
Wins: 2
Top 5 finishes: 5
Top 10 finishes: 8
Harvick has better tracks than this, but he’s highly favored by the odds this week. He tasted victory in Vegas last year, and it made him hungry for more. Plus, he’s on the pole. Expect to see the 4 in victory lane this week, barring any blow-outs, engine failures, or rookies who get too close.
Bold
Martin Truex Jr.
Wins: 1
Top 5 finishes: 4
Top 10 finishes: 6
Truex was crushed last week when he came in behind Brad. His post-race interview was like talking to Eeyore on downers. He felt jilted, but I think it lit a competitive fire in his belly. He’s starting in the back, but expect Truex to pull out all the stops this week in Vegas and possibly cruise into his first win of the season.
Ryan Blaney
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 2
Top 10 finishes: 4
Ryan Blaney is on everyone’s radar. His numbers have gotten progressively better each year, and they should continue to improve in 2019. This is one of his best tracks, averaging an 8th place finish. Vegas would be a great place for his first win of the season, ensuring him a spot in the playoffs.
Joey Logano
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 4
Top 10 finishes: 7
There’s something about coming to a track where you’ve done well, but just can’t nab the win. Logano came close in Daytona (like I said he would), totally missed the mark in Atlanta (like I said he would), and has a great shot at a win in Vegas (like I think he could).
Bonkers
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 0
Top 10 finishes: 0
Stenhouse is a fighter. We see this every week as he rides several laps in the front with the big boys. There are tracks where he also finishes up front with the big boys, but this is not one of those tracks. Stenhouse has enough trouble staying out of his own way on tracks where he does well, and he’ll have a tough time doing it on one where he doesn’t.
Alex Bowman
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 0
Top 10 finishes: 0
Bowman has talent, and he’s certainly on the right team to let that talent explode. He’s had success at a few different tracks, so expect to see him sitting in the bold category soon. He might be starting in the 11th spot, but Vegas has not been kind to him, and I don’t expect it to send him to victory lane.
Kurt Busch
Wins: 0
Top 5 finishes: 1
Top 10 finishes: 4
Before you start questioning this Vegas native’s placement in the bonkers category, take another look at his stats at this track. His average finish here is 22nd and he’s starting 28th this week. Numbers are very powerful, and though Kurt is one hell of a driver, he won’t be pulling off the win this week.
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