Fantasy NASCAR: New Hampshire 301 Preview and Driver Picks
* Breaking NASCAR News (7/15): Dale Earnhardt Jr. will miss the race at New Hampshire because of concussion-like symptoms. Earnhardt also missed races in 2012 because of a concussion. There is no timetable set for Earnhardt to return to the No. 88 car, but his health is the most important thing for him right now. Alex Bowman will fill in for Earnhardt this week and Jeff Gordon will drive the No. 88 car if needed next week at Indianapolis.
So what does this mean for fantasy NASCAR at New Hampshire? No. 88 team was one of four teams who tested at New Hampshire last month (Denny Hamlin, Aric Almirola and Rickey Stenhouse Jr. also tested at the track). The team should have an advantage as cars are unloaded today and Bowman should be able to turn some fast laps. He is a great option at the minimum price ($5,000). I suggest using Bowman this week and using the extra money to spend up on higher priced drivers.
Update Picks for the New Hampshire 301 for Fox Sports Fantasy Auto Racing:
Driver 1: Brad Keselowski $12,500
Driver 2: Kyle Busch $10,600
Driver 3: Carl Edwards $10,900
Driver 4: Matt Kenseth $10,600
Driver 5: Alex Bowman $5,000
------------ORIGINAL ARTICLE---------------
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series travels to Loudon, New Hampshire this week for the New Hampshire 301. The 1.058-mile oval is flat and provides some of the best racing of the season. Be sure to test your knowledge of NASCAR by competing in the Fox Sports Fantasy Auto Racing.
New Hampshire is a unique track and it is hard to compare it to other tracks on the schedule. Some people like to say it is similar to Phoenix, while others say it is a smaller version of Indianapolis. I think it is a combination of both tracks.
The best way to select your fantasy team this week is to use the most recent stats at New Hampshire. Drivers can control how their cars perform by managing their brakes as they get into each corner. The crew chiefs will also be a factor Sunday. This race often comes down to fuel strategy, so do not be surprised to see some drivers try to save fuel to make it to the end of the race. Here are the drivers with the best stats at New Hampshire in the last four races...
Track position is important at New Hampshire, but it is not necessary for a driver to win the race. The average starting position of the last five race winners at the track is eighth. The scoring system for Fox Sports Fantasy Auto Racing game rewards drivers who improve their position in the race more than the drivers who lead the most laps. Fantasy teams must capitalize on the bonus points for position differential in order to finish at the top of their league standings.
Pick to Win
Brad Keselowski ($12,500) has been on fire as of late. The Blue Deuce has won two races in a row and has finished the last five races on oval tracks in the top five. Keselowski has a series-best average finishing position and a series-best driver rating in the last four races at New Hampshire. He finished second in this race last year and Keselowski should be in Victory Lane this week.
Contenders
Kevin Harvick ($13,400) could have easily won both races at New Hampshire in 2015. He was leading the summer race with 51 laps to go when Kyle Busch made one of the passes of the season to split Brad Keselowski and Harvick before the caution flag was waived. Harvick was leading the fall race when he ran out of gas with only three laps to go. The No. 4 car will be fast this week and if they can avoid mistakes Harvick could win his second race of the season.
Carl Edwards ($10,900) has been the best driver this season on the short tracks. The No. 19 finished second at Phoenix, sixth at Martinsville and won the races at Bristol and Richmond. Edwards won the pole for both races at New Hampshire in 2015 and he finished both races in the top seven. Edwards will be one of the drivers to beat this week.
Matt Kenseth ($10,600) has run very well this season on the short tracks but he has been stricken with some bad luck early in the year. Kenseth has finished three of the five races on the short tracks in the top 10, including a win at Dover. At Bristol he led 142 laps. Kenseth won the last race at New Hampshire and he should have a good chance to get back to Victory Lane Sunday.
Joey Logano ($9,700) considers New Hampshire his home track and it is no secret he loves winning in front of his home fans. Logano won his first race of his career at New Hampshire in 2009. He also visited Victory Lane at the track in 2014. Logano has the third-best driver rating and the seventh-best average finishing position at the track in the last four races. Fantasy teams can expect Logano to bounce back after his disappointing races at Kentucky last week.
Value Picks
Denny Hamlin ($8,700) has won two races at New Hampshire and has finished 12 of his 20 starts (60 percent) in the top 10. Joe Gibbs Racing has been the best team on the short tracks this season and they will provide Hamlin a fast car this week. The No. 11 car is a great value under $9,000 Sunday. Fantasy teams need to take advantage of his cheap price this week.
Greg Biffle ($8,000) got off to a slow start this season but the No. 16 team seems to be heating up this summer. Biffle and his crew chief Brian Pattie are starting to work well together and the car has been very good the last two races. Biffle won the pole and finished eighth at Daytona and followed it up with a sixth-place finish at Kentucky. Biffle finished fourth in this race last year so he knows how to get to the front. He is a great value pick this week for fantasy teams.
Ryan Blaney ($6,600) has only competed in one Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire and he ran very well in the race. Blaney was in the seventh position and moving to the front when his car had a loose wheel. Blaney had to pit and ended up finishing 16th. I expect another solid run from the talented rookie Sunday. Blaney has a top 15 average finishing position on the short tracks this season.
Here are my picks for the New Hampshire 301 for Fox Sports Fantasy Auto Racing:
Driver 1: Brad Keselowski $12,500
Driver 2: Kyle Busch $10,600
Driver 3: Matt Kenseth $10,600
Driver 4: Joey Logano $9,700
Driver 5: Ryan Blaney $6,600
FOX Fantasy Auto Resources
And don't forget - prizes are on the line each race of the fantasy season! First, second and third place each win a prize. Plus, each race builds your point total for larger segment and season prizes.
*Stats from Driveraverages.com and career stats from Racing-Reference.Info...
If you need any further advice with your team or want to see my updated picks after Happy Hour practice, look for me on Twitter (@MrFantasyNASCAR) or LIKE my Fantasy NASCAR Tips Page on Facebook.
