The NASCAR Cup Series traveled across the country this week for the first race on their “West Coast Swing.” The Cup Series will race Sunday at Phoenix Raceway and then next week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. I decided to take a chance with AJ Allmendinger in my One & Done Contest last week and Tyler Reddick in the Pick 36 game. Those picks worked out well. Allemndinger finished 9th and Reddick won the race. I will try to keep the momentum going at Phoenix Raceway.
Here are the picks for the race for the Straight Talk Wireless 500…
ONE & DONE CONTESTS
This pick is for games where you can only use a driver once throughout the season.
DANIEL SUAREZ will be my pick in games where you can use a driver once throughout the season. I’m going to roll the dice with Suarez and hope he can shock the Cup Series with a trip to Victory Lane like Josh Berry did last year. Suarez is off to a hot start. Phoenix is technically his home track (closest to Mexico). Suarez has an average finishing position of 15.2 in his last 5 races at Phoenix. He posted the fastest speed in practice and “My Amigo” qualified 4th for the race. I may not get a chance like this to use Suarez this season, so I will take a chance with the No. 7 car Sunday.
ONE & DONE (REGULAR SEASON/PLAYOFF GAMES)
The picks for the Regular Season / Playoff Games are rest this week. There are some One & Done Contests that reset when the playoffs start. That means you only need to use 26 Drivers for the regular season and then 10 drivers for the playoffs. We can be more aggressive in these types of One & Done Contests.
CHRISTOPHER BELL will be my pick in games that reset at the end of the regular season. Bell has been a beast at Phoenix Raceway in the spring races. He won this race in 2024 and then came back last year and went to Victory Lane again. Bell has a 125.8 Driver Rating in the spring races at Phoenix Raceway. That is 8 points higher than any driver in the field. This is the best race for Bell on the schedule, so I will use him in my One & Done Contest that reset at the end of the regular season.
ONE & DONE (USE A DRIVER MORE THAN ONCE)
There are some One & Done games that are not really “One & Done.” I play in a league where you can use a driver twice and another league where you can use a driver three times during the season. The picks posted below are for these types of contests (I am going to base these picks on being able to use a driver twice during the 2025 season).
RYAN BLANEY will be my pick in games where you can use a driver more than once during the 2025 season. I need to use Blaney at one of the short, flat tracks this year and the race at Phoenix Sunday is the spot. Blaney finished 5 of his last 7 races at Phoenix Raceway in the top-two. The No. 12 car looks fast again this weekend. Blaney posted the fastest long run speed in his group in practice and the No. 12 car qualified 5th for the race. Team Penske has dominated many of the races at Phoenix, so I will take a chance with Blaney in my One & Done lineup.
NASCAR.COM 36 FOR 36 PICK
Good luck Sunday!
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