The Cup Series had their regular practice and qualifying session Saturday. The teams had 20 minutes to dial in their cars for the M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 and then they set the starting lineup. The cars are impounded after qualifying so the speed the cars had in practice should be the speed the drivers will start the race with Sunday.
Here is my starting lineup for the race at Pocono…
Driver Group Game Team
GROUP A DRIVERS
KYLE BUSCH (5): It is hard to trust Busch right now because he has been terrible since his contract problems with Joe Gibbs Racing have heated up. Rowdy “should” be good at the Tricky Triangle. He finished 1st, 2nd, 38th, 5th, 9th, 1st, 1st, 3rd and 1st in his last nine races at Pocono. Busch posted the seventh-fastest speed in practice with the sixth-fastest long-run speed. Busch qualified second for the race so he should run up front, score a lot of Stage Points and have a great chance to win the race Sunday.
GROUP B DRIVERS
CHRISTOPHER BELL (3): Bell has been the most consistent driver in the Cup Series on the non-Super Speedway and non-Road Course tracks. Bell finished 1st, 8th, 9th, 5th, 6th, 4th and 7th in his last seven non-Super Speedway and non-Road Course races. The No. 20 team brought another fast car to the track. Bell posted the 11th-fastest speed in practice with the second-fastest long run speed. Bell got loose in qualifying so he will start 11th. His car is fast enough to make it to the front and score a lot of points in your Driver Group Game lineup.
BUBBA WALLACE (7): I took a chance with Wallace and it paid off. The No. 23 car posted the 12th-fastest speed in practice and qualified seventh for the race. I do not trust Wallace much, but I cannot use the top drivers every week. The race Sunday at Pocono is likely to be wild. I will take a chance with Wallace and save my top drivers for more predictable races.
GROUP C DRIVERS
DANIEL SUAREZ (4): Suarez is another driver who is on a hot streak right now. Suarez has finished 9th, 6th, 5th, 15th and 1st in his last five races. The No. 99 car has had speed all season and Suarez looks fast again this week. Suarez posted the third-fastest speed in practice and qualified ninth for the race. I like the way the Trackhouse Racing cars are running right now so I will use another allocation with Suarez Sunday.
Good Luck Sunday!
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