The NASCAR Cup Series will have seven days off between races. What am I going to do with all of this free time? LOL. I was starting to like these mid-week races. Well, at least we get a double-header next week at Pocono. This week the Cup Series will go Superspeedway racing at Talladega. This race is always exciting. The GEICO 500 can be seen Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on Fox.
The Fantasy Live was performing well and then it was horrible in Homestead. Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick should have been locks for a top 5 finish and both drivers did not live up to expectations… and do not get me started on Jimmie Johnson. At least Denny Hamlin scored us a lot of points. The picks are still beating 99.4% of the entries so that is not too bad.
You must save allocations at Talladega. This is the most unpredictable races on the schedule and the last thing you want is to use one of your top drivers and watch them crash out on lap 1. The allocations are simply too important in this game. I am using drivers with good track history and drivers I do not plan to use at other tracks.
Here are my picks for the Talladega….
STARTING DRIVERS
Aric Almirola: Aric Almirola is my pick to win the race. Almirola has completed every lap in 9 of the last 10 races at Talladega. Are you freaking kidding me?!! Almirola has finished 4th, 9th, 1st, 7th, 5th, 4th and 8th at Talladega in his last 7 races at the track. Almirola has two wins in the Cup Series and they both came on the Superspeedways. I would not be surprised to see the No. 10 car in Victory Lane Sunday.
Ryan Newman: Ryan Newman could easily have been the 2020 Daytona 500 Champion. Instead he ended up on his roof and in the hospital. Newman said he is not worried about getting back to Superspeedway racing and I believe him (The dude is as tough as nails). Newman finished 2nd, 9th, 25th, 7th and 2nd in his last 5 races at Talladega. His 8.9 average finishing position in the last 10 Superspeedway races is best in the series. This is a good race to use the No. 6 car.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has a reputation of wrecking the field at Talladega but usually he is not involved in the wrecks. Stenhouse has finished 5th, 1st, 26th, 5th, 3rd, 25th and 9th in his last 7 races at Talladega. Stenhouse knows this race is one of his best chances to win and lock up a spot in the playoffs. I am sure he will wreck to field to win again Sunday (as long as he doesn’t wreck my other drivers, I do not care).
Austin Dillon: Austin Dillon has finished almost everywhere at Talladega. He has some top 10 finishes, some finished outside the top 30 and he has even finished about 4 rows deep into the grandstands. He has been pretty good lately though. Dillon finished 6th, 14th and 17th in his last 3 races at the track. I will take a chances with Dillon Sunday.
Ty Dillon: Ty Dillon has been very consistent at Talladega and that is a trait that is hard to find in a driver at this track. His worst ever finish at the Talladega is 17th. That is not bad. The most incredible stat for Dillon is that he has finished on the lead lap in a 6 of his races at Talladega (He has NEVER crashed at Talladega). He should be a safe pick Sunday.
GARAGE DRIVER
Corey LaJoie: Corey LaJoie has always been pretty good at Talladega. LaJoie finished 7th and 11th at Talladega in old Roush Fenway Racing cars last year at this track and this year he will be in a Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. His new SHR car should have more speed. If LaJoie was ever going to win, it will happen Sunday. I will have him in the Garage since he has a habit of avoiding wrecks at Talladega.
Good luck this week!
*Stats from Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet Pro and NASCAR Media.
** Photos from NASCAR Media
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