This is a unique week for the Driver Group Game. The MENCS had two practice sessions Friday and qualifying will be held Saturday afternoon. We got to see the two practices so it only makes sense to adjust our lineups based on what happened on the track Friday.
Allocations are very important in this game and we need to save them when we can. Road courses tend to be unpredictable so I am going to try and save some of my best drivers for the 1.5-mile tracks. If allocations did not matter, this is the lineup I would go with…
Group A: Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr.
Group B: Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray and AJ Allmendinger
Group C: Alex Bowman and Michael McDowell
Although Kevin Harvick has a great chance to win this week, I do not recommend using an allocation with him at this track unless you have 5 or more left with the No. 4 car. I am replacing Harvick with Denny Hamlin. The No. 11 car looked pretty good in practice.
I will have Kurt Busch on my team for qualifying points only. He had the fastest car in race trim and he has a great chance to win the race this weekend, but I need to save my allocations with him for the 1.5-mile tracks (you do not lose an allocation unless you start him in the race). I think I can get by with my other 3 drivers this weekend.
Alex Bowman will get a lot of experience this week since he will be competing in the K&N West Series race at Sonoma. Bowman looked like he should finish in the top 20 this week but I am saving him for the tracks where he has more experience. I am replacing Bowman with Chris Buescher.
Here are my final picks for Sonoma…
Group A: Martin Truex Jr. (8), Denny Hamlin (9)
Group B: Kurt Busch (3), Clint Bowyer (4), Jamie McMurray (7) and AJ Allmendinger (9)
Group C: Michael McDowell (8) and Chris Buescher (5)
If you need any further advice with your team or want to see my updated picks after Qualifying, look for me on Twitter (@MrFantasyNASCAR).
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