The Cup Series returns after a three week break for the Olympics. This is an important part of the season for the Cup teams. They had plenty of time to work on their cars to find more speed and there are only four races left until the playoffs. That means there are only four weeks left in the regular season for the Fantasy Live game. There is no need to save allocations now. It is time to make one last push to the top of our league standings.
Here are my picks for Go Bowling at the Glen…
* I mapped out my allocations with each driver for each race. I do this each year to ensure I am using each driver at their best tracks. I will tweak it during the season if a driver gets on a hot-streak, but it gives me an idea of what allocations I have left with each driver.
Chase Elliott (2): I have two allocations left with Chase Elliott with four races to go. I will use him at the two road course tracks (Watkins Glen and Indianapolis) because I think I can get through the races at Michigan and Daytona without the No. 9 car. Elliott has won the last two races at Watkins Glen and 6 of the last 8 races on the road courses. If you have any allocations left with Elliott, you need to use it this week.
Martin Truex Jr. (2): Martin Truex Jr. would be the best pick for the race at Watkins Glen if Chase Elliott was not entered into the race. Truex has finished 2nd, 2nd and 1st in his last three races in Western New York. The No. 19 team has not been as good this year on the road courses as they have been in the past, but that should change Sunday. Joe Gibbs Racing had 20 days to prepare for this race. Truex should have plenty of speed to give Elliott a battle for the checkered-flag at Watkins Glen.
Christopher Bell (6): Joe Gibbs Racing has been closing their gap behind Hendrick Motorsports over the last month. The three week break should help JGR find even more speed. Christopher Bell has been the biggest surprise on the road courses this season. He won the race at the Daytona Road Course and Bell finished 2nd at Road America. Bell starts 7th so he will have the track position to score Stage points and finish in the top-10 Sunday.
Kurt Busch (7): Kurt Busch has really been running well this summer. His 9.2 average finishing position in the last six races is second to Kyle Larson’s 8.8 average finishing position. His 10.3 average finishing position on the road courses this season is 4th best in the Cup Series and the best in Group B. Busch has been consistent at Watkins Glen. His average finishing position at this track over the last decade is 7.5. That is a large sample size with good results. I will use another allocation with Busch Sunday.
Brad Keselowski (2): Everyone knows that Brad Keselowski has never won a race on a road course. I do not need him to win Sunday. I just need the No. 2 car to run well and I think it can. Keselowski starts on the pole so he should take the early lead and score some Stage points. Watkins Glen is by far his best road course. Keselowski has four finishes in the top-three at this track. I will take a chance with Keselowski since he starts on the pole. I will put the No. 2 car in the Garage if Keselowski fades too much in the first two Stages.
Garage Driver Kyle Busch (2): Kyle Busch crashed early in the race at New Hampshire so I had to put the No. 18 car in the Garage. That means I have an extra allocation with Kyle Busch. He starts deep in the field since the lineup was set using the NASCAR formula, but I am not worried about his starting position. Busch should have plenty of speed to make it into the top-10 by the end of Stage 1. I will have Busch in the Garage as an insurance policy Sunday.
I know some of you do not have the same allocations left with your drivers that I have with mine. Here is my top 12 for Sunday race…
- Chase Elliott (Use if you have any allocations left)
- Joey Logano (Use if you have any allocations left) (I am out of allocations with Logano)
- Martin Truex Jr. (Use if you have any allocations left)
- Denny Hamlin (Use if you have 2 allocations left) (I am out of allocations with Hamlin)
- Kyle Larson ((Use if you have 2 allocations left)
- Christopher Bell (Use if you have any allocations left)
- Kurt Busch (He is my No. 1 replacement for the drivers listed above)
- Brad Keselowski (He is my No. 2 replacement for the drivers listed above)
- Kyle Busch (He is my No. 3 replacement for the drivers listed above)
- Alex Bowman (He is my No. 4 replacement for the drivers listed above)
- Ryan Blaney (He is my No. 5 replacement for the drivers listed above
- Ross Chastain (He is my No. 6 replacement for the drivers listed above)
Good luck and be sure to follow me on Twitter @MrFantasyNASCAR. I will send out a Tweet during the race to let you know if I plan to swap out one of my drivers for my Garage pick.
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