NASCAR Fantasy Picks: Pocono 400

This week’s NASCAR fantasy picks for the Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway.  

Last Week’s NASCAR Fantasy Picks: Recap From Charlotte

Brilliant NASCAR fantasy picks:

• Kevin Harvick – finished 10^th
• Clint Bowyer – finished 24th
• Aric Almirola – finished 11^th

Bold NASCAR fantasy picks:

• Austin Dillon – finished 34^th
• Kyle Larson – finished 33^rd
• Kyle Busch – finished 3^rd

Bonkers NASCAR fantasy picks:

• Denny Hamlin – finished 17^th
• Ryan Newman – finished 16^th
• Jimmie Johnson – finished 8th

And now, here are this week’s Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers NASCAR Fantasy picks for the Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway:

Brilliant NASCAR fantasy picks

Denny Hamlin

• Wins: 4
• Top 5 finishes: 10
• Top 10 finishes: 16

Poor Denny has had some foul finishes in the last 5 weeks, but he better get back on track here (no pun intended), because the next three tracks are not kind to the 11 team. A good pit stall and a steady car on the long runs will give Hamlin a chance to come out on top.

Martin Truex Jr.

• Wins: 2
• Top 5 finishes: 5
• Top 10 finishes: 10

Truex won this race last year, and I fully expect him to do it again. He was on a slow burner for the first few races of the season, but he’s cranked it up since his win at Richmond. Barring any problems with the 19 car, he’ll get the repeat. 

Kurt Busch

• Wins: 3
• Top 5 finishes: 14
• Top 10 finishes: 20

Those numbers are highly respectable, and there’s no reason why the older Busch brother can’t turn that into 4 wins after this race. As long as Kurt can start the race somewhere in the top 10, I expect him to stay there until he pulls a last minute maneuver to win the whole thing.

Bold NASCAR fantasy picks

William Byron

• Wins: 0
• Top 5 finishes: 1
• Top 10 finishes: 1

Considering he’s only been here twice, those stats aren’t half bad. Plus, his average finish here is 12^th, his crew chief has won here a handful of times, and he’s led ten whole laps at the tricky triangle. Byron has been creeping up slowly, and it’s safe to say that he might just eek one out this week in the mountains of Pennsylvania.

Ryan Blaney

• Wins: 1
• Top 5 finishes: 1
• Top 10 finishes: 3

Despite the season the 21 has had thus far, I’m giving him a shot at the title this week. Blaney needs confidence, and being on a track where he’s won before might be all it takes for him to settle in. He just needs to put a booster on that aggression and he’ll be off and running.

Erik Jones

• Wins: 0
• Top 5 finishes: 2
• Top 10 finishes: 3

Jones was knocked out of the race before people even got settled in their seats at the 600 last week. I think that setback will fuel the fire he needs to make something happen here in Pocono. He’s been up and down so far this season, but now’s the time for the 20 car to show us what he’s got.

Bonkers NASCAR fantasy picks

Austin Dillon

• Wins: 0
• Top 5 finishes: 0
• Top 10 finishes: 0

I want to see this team finish well. I really do. But even on the tracks where it’s expected, it’s just not getting done. This isn’t a good place for Dillon to begin with, and with the way he’s been running, even a first-place pit stall wouldn’t do much for him at Pocono.

Aric Almirola

• Wins: 0
• Top 5 finishes: 0
• Top 10 finishes: 1

The SHR drivers have had a lousy season so far. Not one first-place finish among them. That’s a shocker considering what they accomplished last season. Almirola has had some good finishes, but not great. His record at Pocono is downright poor, and I imagine he’ll have to wait a few more weeks to see a light at the end of this tunnel.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

• Wins: 0
• Top 5 finishes: 0
• Top 10 finishes: 0

Last week’s 5^th place finish at Charlotte was Ricky’s best of the season, but I don’t think his luck will hold out this weekend. He’s never had a good finish at Pocono, but even if he gets up there this week, there are too many others who will hold him off for the win.