The NASCAR Cup Series will celebrate the 4th of July weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. This will be the 5th race on a 1.5-mile, intermediate track (Las Vegas, Kansas, Texas and Charlotte are the others) and the first race at Chicagoland Speedway since 2019. This track will provide multiple grooves to race in and it will wear-out tires quickly. We can expect fireworks in the Windy City this weekend. The eero 400 can be seen Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on TNT.
Here are my Fantasy NASCAR picks for the race at Chicagoland Speedway this weekend…
DRIVER GROUP GAME
GROUP A: KYLE LARSON (7): Larson was the best driver at Chicagoland Speedway and I doubt a seven year break is going to change anything. Drivers must search the track for grip as it wears out throughout the race. No driver in the field is as good as Larson at this type of driving. The No. 5 car tested at Chicagoland Speedway in May, so Larson should know exactly how this track will change throughout the night. It has been over a year since Larson went to Victory Lane. Do not be surprised to see “Yung Money” holding the checkered flag after the race Sunday night.
GROUP B: BRAD KESELOWSKI (7): 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. The No. 6 car posted the 12th fastest speed in practice and Keselowski qualified 4th for the race. He is almost a lock to run well any time he qualifies up front, so I will take a chance with the No. 6 car this weekend.
GROUP B: 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.
GROUP C: COREY HEIM (9): Heim won the last time he was in the No. 67 car. He can do it again Sunday night. I doubt Heim is going to win, but he should compete with Carson Hocevar as the best driver in Group C this weekend. I am running low on my allocations with Hocevar, so I will take my chances with Heim. He posted the third-fastest long-run speed in practice. Heim should have a good chance for a top-15 finish Sunday.
SPEEDWAY COLLECTIVE
FANTRAX
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