The Cup Series will join the Xfinity Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend. NASCAR is going back to Sunday afternoon racing this week after three straight night races. Maybe we can get better weather and get a full race in Sunday, because these shortened races are killing my lineups. The Crayon 301 can be seen Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on USA Network and streamed on the NBC Sports App.
STRATEGY FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE
There have been three races on short, flat tracks this year that should translate into speed Sunday (Phoenix, Richmond and Gateway). My strategy this week is to use the drivers who ran well in those races at New Hampshire Sunday.
I am not too worried about saving allocations in the Crayon 301. The cream rises to the top at the short, flat tracks and on the 1.5-mile tracks. I will use my top drivers in these races (there are not many of them left on the schedule) and fade the top drivers at the road courses, Superspeedways, Pocono and other funky tracks.
Here are the picks for the Crayon 301 …
GROUP A DRIVERS
KYLE LARSON (6): I will be shocked if I do not start Larson Sunday in the Crayon 301. He has been “Yung Money” on the short flat tracks this year. He led 201 laps and finished fourth at Phoenix, led 93 laps and won at Richmond, led five laps and finished fourth at Gateway and completely smoked the field in the All-Star Race at North Wilksboro. Larson has been hit or miss at New Hampshire in his career. The way crew chief Cliff Daniels has the No. 5 car dialed in on the short, flat tracks this year; I expect Larson to have a great chance to win Sunday.
CHRISTOPHER BELL (7): The race Sunday at the Magic Mile is the best track on the schedule to use an allocation with Bell. He raced three times at New Hampshire in the Xfinity Series and he won all of them. Iowa Speedway is similar to New Hampshire and Bell finished 1st, 1st, second and second in his four race at the track. Bell won his Cup Series race at New Hampshire last year and he finished second at the Magic Mile in 2021. I would not be surprised to see Bell in my starting lineup Sunday.
(CONTRARIAN PICK) CHASE ELLIOTT (7): The choice for the contrarian pick came down to William Byron and Chase Elliott. I expect both Hendrick Motorsports drivers to be fast, but I will write about the No. 9 car. Elliott has not driven in any of the short, flat track races this year, but Josh Berry finished 10th at Phoenix, second at Richmond and won the All-Star Open Race at North Wilksboro. Elliott should be able to produce similar results. He qualified second and finished second in this race last year. He would be a good pivot to one of the drivers listed above.
GROUP A DRIVER RANKINGS: 1) Kyle Larson 2) Christopher Bell 3) Chase Elliott 4) William Byron 5) Ryan Blaney 6) Denny Hamlin 7) Ross Chastain 8) Joey Logano
GROUP B DRIVERS
KYLE BSUCH (4): Busch just won the last race on a short, flat track. Rowdy won the pole, led 121 laps and went to Victory Lane at Gateway. The No. 8 car should be good again at New Hampshire, if they bring the same setup to the track this weekend. Busch has the second-most wins in the Cup Series at the Magic Mile. He is going to be tough to beat in the Crayon 301.
KEVIN HARVICK (5): There is a rule in Fantasy NASCAR that will only last for a few more race…. “Use Kevin Harvick in your lineup at all of the short, flat tracks on the schedule.” Phoenix, Richmond and New Hampshire are three of the best tracks for Harvick. He has the most wins at Phoenix and the most wins at New Hampshire. Harvick finished fifth at Phoenix and fifth at Richmond this year. He should have a great chance to finish in the top-five Sunday.
BRAD KESELOWSKI (6): Keselowski is putting together a good season. He may make the playoffs on points, but he could get in with a win Sunday at New Hampshire. Keselowski leads the Cup Series with 120.9 Driver Rating and has led the most laps (237) in the last three races at the Magic Mile. He did this while having some down seasons. The most similar track to New Hampshire is Richmond. Keselowski finished 10th in that race and he should have a good chance to finish in the top-10 Sunday.
MARTIN TRUEX JR. (2): I am down to two allocations left with the No. 19 car. I need to use them wisely. Truex is in the lineup this week as a backup plan. I do not plan to use him in the race unless he has the fastest car in practice and qualifies up front. That could happen, so I at least want the chance to use him if the No. 19 car is on rails this weekend. I would rather save him though and use Brad Keselowski in the race.
(CONTRARIAN PICK) ALEX BOWMAN (8): I thought about using Bowman over Martin Truex Jr., but I just do not trust Bowman right now. He has not finished in the top-10 since the seventh race of the season, when Bowman was leading the Cup Series Point Standings. The reason he was so good early in the season had a lot to do with his ninth-place finish at Phoenix and his eighth-place finish at Richmond. Bowman “should” be a good pick this week, but I doubt I would use him over Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick or Brad Keselowski, so I will sit him on the bench Sunday.
GROUP B DRIVER RANKINGS: 1) Kyle Busch 2) Kevin Harvick 3) Martin Truex Jr. 4) Brad Kesolowski 5) Tyler Reddick 6) Alex Bowman 7) Daniel Suarez 8) Bubba Wallace 9) Chase Briscoe 10) Chris Buescher
GROUP C DRIVERS
TY GIBBS (6): I have six allocations left with Gibbs, so I am in good shape if I have to use one of them Sunday. Gibbs has been hit or miss on the short, flat tracks this year. He finished 28th at Phoenix and 20th at Gateway, but he also finished ninth at Richmond. Gibbs may not finish in the top-10 Sunday, but he should be the top driver in Group C. There just are not many good options for this spot Sunday.
RYAN PREECE (7): I am going to try and squeeze a start out of Preece this week. New Hampshire is the best track for Stewart-Haas Racing. Kevin Harvick has won multiple races at the Magic Mile and Aric Almirola just won a few years ago. This is the home track for Preece. He is a short track specialist. Preece finished 12th at Phoenix, 18th at Richmond and 17th at Gateway. The No. 41 car should finish around the 15th position Sunday. That could be the best finish in Group C this week.
(OTHER CHOICE) RICKY STENHOUSE JR. (4): Stenhouse is having a career season. He has been better on the larger tracks, than he has been on the short, flat tracks. Stenhouse should be a decent pick if you do not trust Ryan Preece or if you are running low with your allocations with Ty Gibbs.
GROUP C DRIVER RANKINGS: 1) Ty Gibbs 2) Ryan Preece 3) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 4) AJ Allmendinger, 5) Corey LaJoie
* Be sure to check back Sunday morning for my starting lineup.
XFINITY SERIES PICKS
Good Luck This Weekend!
Follow me on Twitter @MrFantasyNASCAR
If you like Fantasy NASCAR, LIKE my Fantasy NASCAR Tips Page on Facebook