The Cup Series will once again celebrate the 4th of July weekend in the Windy City. The Cup Series has been racing on the streets of Chicago over the last three seasons, but this year they will make the trip to Joilet, Illinois (just outside of Chicago) to race at Chicagoland Speedway. This track was known for providing many grooves to ran on and wearing out tires over the long run. It has aged seven years since the last race, so we can expect a lot of slipping and sliding as the drivers compete for the checkered flag. It is great to see this 1.5-mile, D-Shaped, Tri-Oval back on the schedule. The eero 400 can be seen Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on TNT.
Here are my picks for your season long Fantasy NASCAR games…
DRIVER GROUP GAME PICKS FOR CHICAGOLAND
GROUP A DRIVERS
KYLE LARSON (7): Larson used to be the best driver at Chicagoland Speedway and I doubt that will change this year. Larson participated in a tire test at Chicagoland Speedway in May and he said he found some speed for the new Chevy Camero chassis. Larson used the speed from the tire test to finish 5th at Charlotte. I expect the No. 5 car to unload with some speed and Larson to be one of the drivers to beat Sunday.
DENNY HAMLIN (5): The race Sunday night should come down to a battle between Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin. Both drivers participated in the tire test at Chicagoland Speedway, so they should unload with some speed Saturday. Hamlin has been a beast on the 1.5-mile, intermediate tracks year. Hamlin has an average finishing position of 2.5 (best in the field), led 361 laps (best in the field), 130 Driver Rating (best in the field) and he has average 17 Stage Points per race. I just cannot fade those stats this week.
GROUP B DRIVERS
TYLER REDDICK (3): Reddick should easily be the best pick in Group B. The most similar track to Chicagoland Speedway is Kansas Speedway and Reddick won the pole and won the race at Kansas. He also finished 4th at Texas and 4th at Charlotte. I am running low with my allocations with Reddick, but this track sets up perfectly for his driving style (searching the track for grip). I will take a chance with the No. 45 car Sunday night.
BUBBA WALLACE (6): Wallace has been at his best on the large, intermediate tracks this year. He finished 9th in Las Vegas and 5th at Kansas (the two most similar tracks to Chicagoland Speedway). I am sure the information that Denny Hamlin received from the tire test at Chicagoland Speedway will be passed on to Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace. I expect another top-10 finish from the No. 23 car in Chicago.
TY GIBBS (4): I wish I could buy some more allocations with Gibbs because I am running out fast. There is a good chance that Gibbs will be the best or second-best driver in Group B, so I at least need to have the No. 54 car in my lineup. Gibbs finished 5th at Las Vegas and 9th at Kansas (the two most similar tracks to Chicagoland Speedway). Gibbs should be a good pick for qualifying points and an even better pick for the race.
BRAD KESELOWSKI (7): I trust Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace and Ty Gibbs, so I will take a chance with Keselowski. Chicagoland Speedway is going to wear out the Goodyear tires quickly. Tire management is going to be important. That is something that Keselowski is very good at. He is almost a lock for all lineups if he qualifies in the top-10. I do not want to be regretting not playing Keselowski is he qualifies up front, so I will have the No. 6 car in my lineup this weekend.
GROUP C DRIVERS
CARSON HOCEVAR (3): Hocevar is by far the best choice in Group C. He has shown speed in every race this year, so I expect “The Hurricane” to qualify up front and score some Stage Points. Can he run the entire race without causing any problems for himself or his competitors? That is my concern. I at least need to have Hocevar as an option this weekend.
COREY HEIM (8): Heim won the last time he was in a Cup Series race. Can he do it again Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway? I doubt it, but 23XI Racing and the Toyota teams have been the best on the 1.5-mile tracks this year. The most similar track to Chicagoland Speedway is Kansas Speedway. Heim started 24th and finished 15th at Kansas. I think he can have a similar type of race Sunday night.
* Be sure to check back Sunday morning for my starting lineup.
SPEEDWAY COLLECTIVE PICKS
GROUP A DRIVERS: My picks for Group A in the Speedway Collective game will be KYLE LARSON and DENNY HAMLIN. These two drivers participated in the tire test at Chicagoland Speedway and they have been two of the best drivers on the 1.5-mile, intermediate tracks this year. There is no need to make this pick harder than it needs to be. Just pick Larson and Hamlin and move onto Group B.
GROUP C DRIVERS: My picks for Group B will be BUBBA WALLACE and BRAD KESELOWSKI. I would love to use TY GIBBS and Wallace, but I am running low with my allocations with Gibbs. I trust Wallace to show some speed in practice and I will have Keselowski on the team, just in case he qualifies up front Saturday.
GROUP C DRIVERS: My picks for Group C will be AUSTIN CINDRIC and CARSON HOCEVAR. I originally had Erik Jones in this spot, but he had some domage to the bottom of his car in practice. I will pivot to Cindric. He had the fastest car from this group in practice. Hocevar should run well and qualifying up front. I am hoping to use Cindric in the rac ethough.
GROUP D DRIVERS: This is a tough group. I am already out of allocations with DANIEL SUAREZ and ZANE SMITH. They would be my top-two picks, if I could play them. Instead, I will pivot to COREY HEIM and RILEY HERBST. I like the speed that the Toyota’s have had on the intermediate tracks this year, so these two young drivers should run well Sunday.
* Be sure to check back Sunday morning for my starting lineup.
FANTRAX PICKS
* Each league in Fantrax is different. Some leagues have bench drivers and award qualifying points and others do not. The two leagues that I am playing in do not have bench drivers. Also, most leagues (including mine), do not require your lineup to be set until minutes before the race starts. My picks will change after practice and qualifying for most races. If you need bench drivers, you can use my picks from the Driver Group Game.
* Be sure to check back Sunday morning for my starting lineup.
Good Luck Sunday!
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