The NASCAR Cup Series travels to Texas Motor Speedway this week. This will be the third race for the Cup Series on a 1.5-mile, intermediate track. Denny Hamlin won in Las Vegas and Tyler Reddick won in Kansas. Will Toyota win another race on an intermediate track? Toyota has never won at Texas Motor Speedway in the Gen-7 car. Their last win came in 2020 with Kyle Busch (9 races ago). It will be interesting to see if Toyota can continue their dominance on the intermediate tracks, or will a Chevy or Ford make it to Victory Lane in the Lone Star State. The Wurth 400 can be seen Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
Here are my updated picks for your season long Fantasy NASCAR games…
DRIVER GROUP GAME PICKS FOR TEXAS
GROUP A DRIVERS
WILLIAM BYRON (9): This was a tough week for Group A. The Fords looked great at Texas last year. The Toyota’s have dominated the intermediate tracks in 2026. So, do I use Ryan Blaney in his Ford, or maybe Denny Hamlin or Christopher Bell in their Toyota’s? I am trusting the stats and using two drivers from Hendrick Motorsports. William Byron has an average finishing position of 7th in the Gen-7 car at Texas. That includes a trip to Victory Lane in 2023. He also finished 3rd in Las Vegas and 7th at Kansas this year. Byron should run up front and score a lot of points for your Driver Group Game lineup Sunday.
KYLE LARSON (8): It is hard to fade Larson on a 1.5-mile, intermediate track. Larson finished 7th in Las Vegas and 2nd at Kansas a few weeks ago. The No. 5 team just finished testing at Chicagoland Speedway (another 1.5-mile, intermediate track). This test gave Hendrick Motorsports more time to figure out their new chassis. Larson said after the test, “We learned some stuff that should help us in July (at Chicagoland Speedway) and it should help us at the other intermediate tracks too. We are still gathering information about this car and any time we get on the track helps out a lot.” Larson led 90 laps, scored 17 Stage Points and finished 4th at Texas last year. He should be better Sunday.
GROUP B DRIVERS
BRAD KESELOWSKI (7): Texas Motor Speedway is by far the best intermediate track for Keselowski. He finished 28th (flat tire), 2nd, 7th, 8th, 9th, 4th, 2nd, 6th and 9th in his last nine races in Texas. The only thing that can keep Keselowski out of the top-10 at Texas Motor Speedway is a mechanical failure. He also finished 10th in Las Vegas and 6th at Kansas this year. Keselowski should be a safe pick for a top-10 finish Sunday.
BUBBA WALLACE (6): Wallace is at his best on the 1.5-mile, intermediate tracks. He finished 9th in Las Vegas and 5th at Kansas earlier this season. He has also been good in Texas. Wallace finished two of his last three races in the Lone Star State in the top-10. The Toyota’s have had the speed on the 1.5-mile tracks this year, so I will take a chance with Wallace Sunday.
CHRIS BUESCHER (8): I thought about using Joey Logano since he won the race at Texas last year, but I just cannot do it. I will save the No. 22 car for the short tracks. This is a home game for Buescher. The Prosper, Texas native had one of the cars to beat at Texas last year until he got a flat tire. Buescher finished 6th at Las Vegas and 10th at Kansas earlier this season. The No. 17 car should finish in the top-10 again Sunday.
TYLER REDDICK (5): How can you fade Reddick on a 1.5-mile, intermediate track right now. He has been scorching hot this year and there is no guarantee that his hot streak will last all year. Reddick has been the best Toyota driver at Texas Motor Speedway over the last two seasons. I hope I can save my allocation with Reddick for another track, but I need him in the lineup as an insurance policy this weekend.
GROUP C DRIVERS
CARSON HOCEVAR (7): I really like the speed that Spire Motorsports has had this year on the 1.5-mile, intermediate tracks, so I will have Hocevar as a backup plan for Daniel Suarez. Hocevar finished 13th a few weeks ago at Kansas, but he ran most of the race in the top-10. He won the pole at Texas Motor Speedway last year, so Hocevar has a decent chance to qualify up front and score bonus points for your Driver Group Game lineup, Suarez and Hocevar should be the best combination in Group C this weekend.
DANIEL SUAREZ (7): This was a tough decision. Should I use Daniel Suarez or take a chance with Corey Heim? Suarez finished 10th, 5th, 8th, 12th and 5th in his five races in the Gen-7 car at Texas. He has the second-best average finishing position at Texas in the Gen-7 car, behind William Byron. I love those stats, but I will take a chance with Heim. He has been good every time he has been behind the wheel of the No. 67 car on an intermediate track. I just cannot fade the speed 23XI Racing has right now on the 1.5-mile tracks.
* Be sure to check back Sunday morning for my starting lineup.
SPEEDWAY COLLECTIVE PICKS
GROUP A DRIVERS: My Group A drivers for the Speedway Collective game will be the same as my drivers for the Driver Group Game. William Byron leads almost every stat category at Texas Motor Speedway in the Gen-7 car. Kyle Larson dominated this race last year. I have no problem going all in with these two Hendrick Motorsports drivers in the Lone Star State.
GROUP B DRIVERS: I will take a chance with two RFK Racing drivers in Group B this week. Brad Keselowski is one of the best drivers in the field at Texas Motor Speedway. He is a lock for all lineups this week. This is a home game for Chris Buescher. He has been hit or miss at this track in his career, but I am willing to take a chance with the Prosper, Texas native.
GROUP C DRIVERS: Carson Hocevar is a lock for Group C. He is by far the best pick from this group. Finding the driver to pair with Hocevar is not easy. The best driver according to the stats is Erik Jones. He finished 5th at Texas Last year and he has the 10th-best average finishing position in the Gen-7 car at Texas. I will trust the stats and use “That Jones Boy” this weekend.
GROUP D DRIVERS: I would use Daniel Suarez but I am already out of allocations with the No. 7 car. I will pivot to Corey Heim. His 23XI Racing Toyota has had a lot of speed when he has been entered into the race. I will take a chance with the young driver Sunday… I know it is hard to trust the Richard Childress Racing drivers right now, but Austin Dillon has a couple of tracks were he is really good. Texas Motor Speedway is one of them. Dillon finished 2nd at Texas in 2022, 8th in 2024 and 7th last year. I will take my chances with the No. 3 car Sunday.
* Be sure to check back Saturday night 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 Saturday night for my starting lineup.
Good Luck Sunday!
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