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Fantasy Racing Darkhorse Picks: Good Sam RV Insurance 500

Expert	Website	Pick to Win	Finish	Experts Avg
Josh Lobdel		Mark Martin	13	10.62
Jerry Lagger	One and Done Game Winner	Juan Pablo Montoya	32	14.38
Dennis Michelsen	RaceTalkRadio.com	Juan Pablo Montoya	32	16.33
Steve Wronkowicz	On Pit Row	Kasey Kahne	28	16.14
Eric McClung	KFFL	Juan Pablo Montoya	32	15.10
Eric McGuire	free agent	Juan Pablo Montoya	32	14.24
Dan Beaver	Fantasy Racing Games	Greg Biffle	8	14.62
Matt Mercer	On Pit Row	David Ragan	34	14.00
Adam Ansell	Roto Experts	no pick		22.00
Chris Leone	On Pit Row	Brad Keselowski	1	23.00
Bob Ellis	NASCAR Ranting and Raving	Greg Biffle	8	17.76
CharlieTurner	On Pit Row	Greg Biffle	8	12.14
Jordan McAbee	On Pit Row	Martin Truex Jr	12	14.38
Jon Rodgers	Gillette Young Guns Challenge Winner	Brad Keselowski	1	16.62
James Jones	On Pit Row	Kasey Kahne	28	14.71
Mike Wells	Racing4Glory.com	Kasey Kahne	28	10.71
Darren Fauth	FantasyRacingCheatSheet	Kasey Kahne	28	15.24
P J Walsh	FantasyNASCARPreview.com	Kasey Kahne	28	17.76
Charles Rantz	ifantasyrace.com	Juan Pablo Montoya	32	14.62

NASCAR Fantasy Racing Experts Picks: Good Sam 500 from Pocono

Expert	Website	Pick to Win	Finish	Experts Avg
Josh Lobdell		Jeff Gordon	6	12.71
Jerry Lagger	One and Done Game Winner	Jeff Gordon	6	13.19
Dennis Michelsen	RaceTalkRadio.com	Jeff Gordon	6	12.24
Steve Wronkowicz	On Pit Row	Matt Kenseth	16	11.29
Eric McClung	KFFL	Jeff Gordon	6	13.33
Eric McGuire	free agent	Jeff Gordon	6	14.52
Dan Beaver	Fantasy Racing Games	Jeff Gordon	6	11.71
Matt Mercer	On Pit Row	Carl Edwards	7	14.71
Adam Ansell	Roto Experts	no pick	44	21.43
Chris Leone	On Pit Row	Jeff Gordon	6	12.71
Bob Ellis	NASCAR Ranting and Raving	Denny Hamlin	15	11.91
CharlieTurner	On Pit Row	Denny Hamlin	15	14.57
Jordan McAbee	On Pit Row	Denny Hamlin	15	13.10
Jon Rodgers	Gillette Young Guns Challenge Winner	Carl Edwards	7	10.71
James Jones	On Pit Row	Jeff Gordon	6	11.62
Mike Wells	Racing4Glory.com	Carl Edwards	7	11.57
Darren Fauth	FantasyRacingCheatSheet	Kurt Busch	3	8.95
P J Walsh	FantasyNASCARPreview.com	Tony Stewart	11	9.48
Charles Rantz	ifantasyrace.com	Denny Hamlin	15	13.29

Fantasy NASCAR Preview: Pocono 2 - Good Sam RV Insurance 500

This weekend the Sprint Cup Series will visit Pocono Raceway for the second–and final–time of the season (yes, I hear that sigh of relief). This marks the third race in a row that the series is racing on a flat track, so you should expect some familiar faces to be strong once again on Sunday, even though the fuel mileage situation in Indianapolis put some surprising names up front in the end. Two practice sessions are set to be held on Friday afternoon and qualifying will start at 10:30 Saturday morning.

During The Last Race At Pocono…Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Juan Montoya, and Denny Hamlin combined to lead 190 of the 200 laps ran on this 2.5-mile tri-oval, and it was Gordon who went on to take the checkered flag in the end. Kurt Busch (the pole sitter that day) followed the 24 to the line, while Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five. As you may or may not remember, Kyle Busch was penalized six points after the race for his Toyota not meeting the minimum height requirements set by NASCAR.

Top Fifteen Ranking Entering The Good Sam RV Insurance 500:

1. Jeff Gordon - No one has been as dominant as Jeff Gordon on the flat tracks this year–he won at Pocono in June, won at Phoenix in February, finished 2nd in Indianapolis last week, and was running in the top five before running out of fuel in New Hampshire and finishing 11th. I’m usually not very high on the 24, but when the series comes to these flat tracks it’s hard not to be: this team has found something at them. Gordon also has five top 10s in the last six Pocono races.

2. Kevin Harvick - “Happy” is in a bit of a slump (no top 10s since Daytona on July 2), but he should turn that around this weekend. Harvick is on a three-race streak of top 5s at “The Tricky Triangle,” and before the last two races (New Hampshire and Indianapolis last week), he had a streak of eight top 6 finishes on these flat tracks. I fully expect him to restart that streak on Sunday, but he won’t dominate by any means: Harvick has started 21 races at Pocono and has led just five laps, which came in last year’s spring race.

3. Jimmie Johnson - I’ve been saying this for a few weeks now, but Jimmie Johnson is going to win soon. It’s hard to believe that the five-time champion has just one win this season, and it was at Talladega of all places. Johnson hasn’t finished worse than 13th at Pocono since 2007 and his 9.3 career average finish is bested only by Denny Hamlin’s 9.2. Jimmie has visited victory lane at “The Tricky Triangle” twice in his career, but they both came in 2004. What’s even more impressive is that in 19 career starts here, Johnson has just one finish outside of the top 15. He has led at least one lap in six of the last seven Pocono races.

4. Kurt Busch - Over the last five races, the elder Busch brother has the 5th-best average driver rating in the series, but he has the 20th-best average finish. If he starts up front, though, expect Kurt to get the finish on Sunday. And that shouldn’t be a problem for the driver of the Double Deuce because he has started in the top five in six of the last eight Sprint Cup races, and that includes three poles. A Pocono, he’s been hit or miss lately, with three top 10s and three finishes of 33rd or worse in his last six starts. Busch had the best driver rating in the June race here earlier this season.

5. Juan Montoya - The reason Montoya is ranked so high this week is because the following drivers have some major question marks with me, and while JPM certainly brings risk when you put him onto your roster, I think he’s set to break out with a very solid run this weekend, and will use that momentum for another great race at Watkins Glen. In Juan’s first four starts at “The Tricky Triangle,” he never finished better than 16th, but since then he has recorded four top 10s in five races and a worst finish of 16th. Montoya finished 7th in the June race here despite having the third-best driver rating and leading 38 laps.

6. Carl Edwards - Cousin Carl experienced a broken valve in the June race, but he was pretty strong before that issue happened, and I highly doubt that the same thing will happen again on Sunday. Edwards is a two-time winner at Pocono and finished 3rd here last August. He also has the fourth-best average driver rating at “The Tricky Triangle” over the last five races. However, for the first time in this 2011 season, Carl has had two straight races ending outside of the top ten, with 13th and 14th-place finishes in the past two Sprint Cup races. Will this mini-slump continue? I guess we will find out.

7. Denny Hamlin - Hamlin is second on the active driver list in terms of laps led at Pocono, but we all know that this team isn’t running as strong as normal this year, and when they do (like at this track in June) they haven’t been able to get the finish (19th in June). However, you can’t overlook the fact that Denny is a four-time winner at “The Tricky Triangle” and that his career average finish of 9.2 at this track is the best of all drivers. In the last four races at Pocono Hamlin has led a total of 274 laps.

8. Kyle Busch - Pocono is nowhere near Rowdy’s best track (it’s actually his fifth-worst statistically) but when he’s running strong, he’s one of the best. He has a 2nd and a 3rd-place in the last two June races at this track, but those are Kyle’s only top 10s in his last seven starts here. Busch is actually a risky pick when the series comes to the this track, though, so watch him closely in practice, and be sure to remember he would be an even better choice if he starts near the front, although don’t count him out if he starts in the rear (remember he started 34th here last June and ended up 3rd).

9. Kasey Kahne - Kasey Kahne was wicked fast last weekend at Indianapolis, but he disappointed fantasy owners once again, which is something he seems to have found a liking to do this season. Despite his last three races at Pocono have given Kasey no finishes better than 12th, I think he has a good chance to change that on Sunday, especially if his Toyota is as fast off the truck as it was last weekend. Kahne won here in 2008 and has the 9th-best average driver rating at “The Tricky Triangle” over the last five races.

10. Ryan Newman - Newman is always a force when the series comes to a flat track, and Pocono is no exception. His career average finish in nineteen career races here is 13.1 and he hasn’t finished worse than 14th at this track in the last five races. “The Rocketman” won the pole for the July race at Pocono in 2003, and went on to lead 88 laps and take the checkered flag. In June, he started 8th and finished 9th. He also has six straight starts inside the top ten at Pocono.

11. Clint Bowyer - In terms of average finish, Pocono is middle of the road for Bowyer, but he has been pretty consistent here. Clint has made eleven starts at “The Tricky Triangle” and has amassed five top 10s and just two finishes worse than 21st. He finished 16th here in June, and if he doesn’t impress me very much in practice, expect him to fall right around there when I write my post-qualifying Predictions on Saturday. Bowyer hasn’t finished better than 12th since Sonoma in June.

12. Tony Stewart - I said it before and I’ll say it again: this team isn’t as strong as many expected they would be this summer, myself included. His average finish at Pocono is right around 12th, and that’s right around where I think “Smoke” will end up on Sunday. He finished 21st here in June after starting 15th, and I think the reason Stewart has posted his 6th-place effort at Indianapolis was because of luck. I could be wrong, but I don’t see the #14 being a factor this weekend.

13. Matt Kenseth - Kenseth posted a solid 8th-place finish here in June, but I’m still not ready to pull the trigger on him yet. Before that race, Matt had five straight starts here end in finishes between 11th and 18th, and he hasn’t posted a top 5 at “The Tricky Triangle” since June 2006. In 23 career starts, Kenseth has averaged a finish of right around 14th, and in the four flat track races this season, he has averaged a finish of 11.3. If he impresses me in practice, the #17 Ford will probably jump up my rankings when I post them again on Saturday.

14. David Ragan - Before the fuel came into the equation last weekend, Ragan was running great (I don’t think I saw him lower than 5th) and I thought he was really going to surprise some people after his pole run for the Brickyard 400. This team has been running strong for a while, actually, and I expect that to continue this weekend in Pocono as well. Ragan finished 17th here in June and ended up 14th in last year’s August race at “The Tricky Triangle”.

15. Paul Menard - The series most recent race winner isn’t that great at Pocono–his average finish is around 24th–but he has stepped up here lately, with three straight finishes between 13th and 16th here after failing to finish better than 25th at this track in his first six tries. Paul qualified on the front row here in June, and you never know what a little momentum from a win–even though it was a fuel mileage race–will do to a driver.

Just Outside The Top Fifteen Entering The Good Sam RV Insurance 500:

16. Martin Truex, Jr. - It’s always a risky pick when you put Martin Truex, Jr. on you roster, but he has two straight top 10s at Pocono and has ran pretty strong on the flat tracks this year, with a 14th-place finish at Phoenix in February and 10th and 8th-place efforts at Pocono and New Hampshire, respectively. Martin’s career average finish here is 15.6, which makes it his fifth-best track on the circuit–for whatever that is worth.

17. Brad Keselowski - BK seems determined to prove Jimmy Spencer wrong this week, and he has improved in every start at Pocono (in terms of driver rating) and been consistent with his finishes, with all of them being between 20th and 23rd. I don’t see Keselowski challenging for the win on Sunday by any means, but I think he could post a career-best finish at “The Tricky Triangle” because of how strong this team has been.

18. Mark Martin - Martin’s average finish at Pocono is right around 11th, but like the race here in June–where Mark finished 18th after starting 10th–expect him to worsen that average after Sunday. The only reason Martin finished 8th last week in Indianapolis was because of the fuel mileage situation, so don’t take that as a reason to pick him this weekend.

19. Jeff Burton - This team seems to have turned things around lately, but I still wouldn’t put Jeff Burton anywhere near the top ten. However, a finish between 15th and 20th should be expected from the #31 Chevrolet. Burton ended up 20th in the June race at this track, and posted top 10s in both races here last season. However, that was last season, so don’t expect the same.

20. Regan Smith - Don’t expect another top five finish like last week out of Regan Smith, but I think he could score a solid top 20 on Sunday as long as he doesn’t run into any trouble. He started 5th here in June before finishing 15th, and his two starts at “The Tricky Triangle,” Regan finished 18th and 21st.

Avoid These Drivers For The Good Sam RV Insurance 500:

Dale Earnhardt, Jr, - I understand that he finished 6th here in June, but in case you haven’t noticed, Junior is in a major slump. Since that aforementioned race here, Earnhardt’s average finish has been 23.7 and his best effort has been his 15th-place finish at New Hampshire. Until this team turns things around, you won’t see the #88 Chevrolet on any of my rosters.

Marcos Ambrose - The Tasmanian posted a solid 6th-place finish in his first start at “The Tricky Triangle,” but since then, his average finish has been 34.3 in four races. Ambrose’s average start in those four races is 15th, though, so don’t let a solid qualifying effort trick you into picking him this weekend.

Jamie McMurray - Before you get all riled up about Jamie Mac’s top five in Indianapolis last weekend, remember that it was a fuel mileage race and he had just the 18th-best driver rating in the race. Jamie has never found success at “The Tricky Triangle” (22.4 career average finish in 17 starts) and hasn’t finished better than 20th here since early 2009.

Bobby Labonte - Some fantasy racers in allocation leagues may already be looking for start savers, but Bobby Labonte wouldn’t be a wise choice. In three of the last five Pocono races, Labonte has finished in 28th, and his other two starts ended with 36th and 38th-place efforts. Even in his prime I wouldn’t have picked Bobby.

Greg Biffle - I’m not sure what is up with this team, but they simply haven’t been running consistently since April, and the 7th-place finish they got last weekend in Indianapolis was due to the fuel mileage factor, as the #16 Ford was junk for most of the race, in my opinion. Biffle won here last August, but that’s the only top 10 he’s posted at Pocono since early 2006. He finished 27th here in June after starting 37th, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if The Biff ended up there again on Sunday. Even if he looks good in practice, I would still avoid Biffle on Sunday.

Scouting Report: Pocono

How to make an informed pick at Pocono:

1) Look back at what happened earlier this year. NASCAR visited this track less than two months ago so if you make really bad picks this week it’s all on you. On TV they’ll be saying “I can’t believe how much this track has changed since we lasted visited here”, but to fantasy racers we should be tuning this out. (Pocono results from earlier this year)

2) Starting position is important at Pocono. This isn’t a track where drivers can just easily change their lines and go around a competitor. In order to pass at Pocono you basically need superior horsepower.

3) Practice is important at Pocono because there will be plenty of long runs in Sunday’s race. This race will be won in long runs so play close attention to practice this week.

4) Don’t forget to look back at Indy. The basic concept between the two tracks are the same. Both tracks are essentially comprised of long flat straightaways were horsepower is the key to victory.

Drivers to watch:

Jeff Gordon – Gordon won at Pocono just a little bit ago so he’ll definitely be strong in the Good Sam RV Insurance 500. In June he started third and had an average running position of third throughout the race. His driver rating was second to only Kurt Busch (131.3). Indy has similar characteristics to Pocono and Gordon was the car to beat.

Kurt Busch – Busch didn’t win at Pocono earlier this year but he did have the best driver rating (131.5). In June Busch started on the pole and finished second. He’s the only driver who ran the entire race inside the top fifteen. Busch has two wins and eleven top tens at Pocono.

Denny Hamlin – In the Pocono race earlier this year Denny Hamlin led a race high 76 laps but a late flat tire killed his chances of visiting victory lane. Although he finished 19th his average running position was 6th. Hamlin’s average finish at Pocono is 9.2 and his average starting position is 5.9. Hamlin has four wins at Pocono.

Jimmie Johnson – Johnson was strong at Pocono earlier this year and finished 4th. He was a top five driver all day and once again will be a serious competitor at the “Tricky Triangle”. Out of current active drivers Johnson has the second best average finish (9.26).

Kevin Harvick – Havick has three straight top fives at Pocono. If you pick him don’t expect any lap leading bonus points. In 21 races at Pocono he’s only led once (2010) and that was for a grand total of five laps. In June Harvick started 32nd and finished 5th.

To see the rest of my rankings check out My Pocono Fantasy Preview

VegasInsider.com odds to win the Good Sam RV Insurance 500: Jimmie Johnson 4/1, Jeff Gordon 5/1, Denny Hamlin 6/1, Tony Stewart 7/1, Carl Edwards 8/1, Kyle Busch 10/1, Kevin Harvick 10/1, Kurt Busch 12/1, Matt Kenseth 15/1, Greg Biffle 18/1

Racing4Glory.com’s driver 5 year averages at Pocono: Tony Stewart 8.6, Denny Hamlin 9.2, Jimmie Johnson 10.1, Kevin Harvick 10.2, Jeff Gordon 10.6, Ryan Newman 11.3, Matt Kenseth 11.8, Jeff Burton 12.1, Mark Martin 13.6, Kurt Busch 14.0

FantasyRacingCheatSheet.com’s driver momentum over the last three races: 1)Ryan Newman 2)Tony Stewart 3)Jeff Gordon 4)Jimmie Johnson 5)Matt Kenseth 6)Carl Edwards 7)Kasey Kahne 8)Kurt Busch 9)Denny Hamlin 10)Joey Logano

NASCAR Fantasy Racing Experts Picks: 2011 Pocono 500

Expert	Website	Pick to Win	Finish	Experts Avg
Josh Lobdell		Carl Edwards	37	13.57
Jerry Lagger	One and Done Game Winner	Denny Hamlin	19	13.79
Dennis Michelsen	RaceTalkRadio.com	Jimmie Johnson	4	12.71
Steve Wronkowicz	On Pit Row	Kasey Kahne	12	11.79
Eric McClung	KFFL	Denny Hamlin	19	13.57
Eric McGuire	free agent	Carl Edwards	37	16.36
Dan Beaver	Fantasy Racing Games	Denny Hamlin	19	12.14
Matt Mercer	On Pit Row	Carl Edwards	37	15.57
Adam Ansell	Roto Experts	Denny Hamlin	19	10.14
Chris Leone	On Pit Row	Denny Hamlin	19	11.64
Bob Ellis	NASCAR Ranting and Raving	Denny Hamlin	19	12.64
CharlieTurner	On Pit Row	Carl Edwards	37	12.07
Jordan McAbee	On Pit Row	Denny Hamlin	19	13.36
Jon Rodgers	Gillette Young Guns Challenge Winner	Kyle Busch	3	10.93
James Jones	On Pit Row	Tony Stewart	21	10.71
Mike Wells	Racing4Glory.com	Denny Hamlin	19	11.71
Darren Fauth	FantasyRacingCheatSheet	Denny Hamlin	19	9.43
P J Walsh	FantasyNASCARPreview.com	Denny Hamlin	19	10.64
Charles Rantz	ifantasyrace.com	Denny Hamlin	19	11.71

Fantasy NASCAR Preview: Pocono - 5-Hour Energy 500

This weekend the Sprint Cup Series will visit Pocono Raceway to run the first of two races scheduled for this season. First, though, some of the drivers will make a stop in little Rossburg, Ohio for the 7th annual Prelude To The Dream at Eldora Speedway. In case you haven’t heard about the Prelude before, you can click here to see what it’s all about. I will be there, and if you’d like to meet up sometime feel free to send me a tweet and let me know (@FanNASCARPredic). Nicknamed “The Tricky Triangle,” Pocono Raceway is a 2.5-mile track and is technically considered a flat track. 500 miles–or 200 laps–are set to be run on Sunday afternoon, and once again the only practice sessions of the weekend will be held before qualifying. After the starting lineup is set, the cars won’t see the track again until the drop of the green flag.

During The Last Race At Pocono…Greg Biffle showed the power of the new Ford FR9 engine and took the win after leading 28 laps. Tony Stewart started on the pole that day but led just two laps before finishing 2nd. Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five. In the spring race, Denny Hamlin led 88 en route to his third win of the 2010 season. Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, and Jimmie Johnson followed the #11 to the finish line. Full results for the spring and fall Pocono races can be found by clicking here and here, respectively. Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, and Jeff Burton all notched top 10s in both races at this track last season.

My Recommendations To Fantasy Racers…The only flat track that has been raced on this season was Phoenix back in February. Does success there translate to success here? Not necessarily, but it’s something to think about when you are finalizing your rosters. In both Pocono races last season, six of the top ten finishers also started in the first ten positions, so qualifying can definitely be important at “The Tricky Triangle”. Only first practice will be used to set the qualifying order this week, so the second practice session on Friday will be the one where all cars are in race trim. Be sure to check out my Practice Breakdown this week, as the average speeds during the second session should tell who has a consistently fast car.

Top Fifteen Ranking Entering The 5-Hour Energy 500:

1. Denny Hamlin - Denny got off to a rough start to this season, but in the last five races he has four top 10s and a worst finish of 16th and I think he will get his first win of the season on Sunday. In his rookie season, Hamlin started from the pole for both Pocono races and ended up winning them both as well. He has since added two more wins at “The Tricky Triangle” and if you take away his two finishes outside of the top 20 in 2008 and 2009, Hamlin’s average finish here is 2.6.

2. Tony Stewart - In the last eleven races at Pocono, “Smoke” has finished outside of the top ten just once. Do you think that’s going to change this weekend? Me neither. Stewart is a two-time winner here and, as everyone knows, this is the time of year where he really starts heating up and putting together potential race-winning runs. Tony also has three poles in the last four Pocono races, so expect him to be up front early and often on Sunday.

3. Jimmie Johnson - Over the past two years at Pocono (four races), no driver has had a better average driver rating than “Five Time”. Johnson finished 42nd here in 2007 but other than that, his worst finish at “The Tricky Triangle” has been 15th, giving him an average finish of 9.6. He’s a two-time winner here, but both of those came in 2004. Jimmie finished 3rd in the Phoenix race earlier this season.

4. Jeff Gordon - This ranking is the most likely to change once qualifying is over, but I think Gordon will have a good race on Sunday. He got his first top five finish since Talladega last weekend and if the #24 Chevy is as strong as it was last week (and at Phoenix earlier this year, for that matter), Jeff could make it two in a row on Sunday. In 36 starts at Pocono, Jeff Gordon has four wins and just six finishes outside of the top twenty. He has four top tens in the last five races at “The Tricky Triangle”.

5. Carl Edwards - “Cousin Carl” won here in his first start at the track and added a second trip to victory lane in 2008. His average finish at Pocono is right around 12th and Edwards has completed every lap ran here since the rain-shortened 2007 race. The #99 Ford was wicked fast in Phoenix earlier this year, but damage from “The Big One” gave Edwards a disappointing 28th-place finish. As with every week, expect Carl Edwards to have a fast car this weekend and fight for a top five, if not a win.

6. Kevin Harvick - Kevin Harvick has led just five laps in his 20 starts at Pocono, but he does have three top five finishes in his last five starts here, and he finished 4th in both races at this track last season. Harvick also finished 4th in the Phoenix race earlier this season. He has five top 12 finishes in the last six Sprint Cup races, and I highly doubt that that changes on Sunday. Harvick has seven total top 10s at Pocono.

7. Kurt Busch - Is the Penske team finally consistently bringing two good cars to the racetrack week in and week out? Kurt has two straight top 10s and his teammate–who I will talk about later in this article–hasn’t finished worse than 19th in the last four Sprint Cup races and is the most recent winner. Busch has six finishes of either first or second at this track and has led at least two laps in four of the last five races at Pocono. He finished 8th at Phoenix earlier this season.

8. Greg Biffle - “The Biff” has the sixth-best average driver rating in the series over the past four races at Pocono and is the most recent winner at this track. However, that win is also his only top 10 finishes in Biffle’s past nine starts at this track. He’s not great here (his 17.2 average finish says that) but the #16 Ford has been strong all year and I don’t see that changing this weekend. As long as they don’t shoot themselves in the foot on Sunday, expect a good run from Biffle.

9. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - Close but no cigar yet again for Junior. He’ll be in victory lane soon enough, but I don’t think that it will be this weekend in Pocono. Earnhardt hasn’t had a top 10 finish here since 2008 but I expect that to change this weekend. With the way his season is going, it’s hard to go off of last year’s races to predict how he will do this year. He has six top ten finishes in his 22 starts at Pocono, and all but one of those have been top fives.  Expect Junior to improve his average career finish of 17.9 at Pocono this weekend. He finished 10th at Phoenix earlier this year.

10. Ryan Newman - This ranking may be a little to high for “The Rocketman” because he has just one top 10 finish in the last five Pocono races, but he hasn’t finished worse than 14th in that span. Newman visited victory lane here in 2003 and has a career average finish of 13.3 at “The Tricky Triangle”. At Phoenix earlier this season, Newman brought the #39 Chevrolet home in 5th place. He’s been struggling a bit lately, though, so keep an eye on him in practice on Friday.

11. Kasey Kahne - Kasey won from the pole here in 2008 and has five top 10 finishes in fourteen career starts at Pocono. If he doesn’t start near the front on Sunday, though, I would avoid him because he has just one top ten in the five races where Kahne didn’t start in the top ten. At Phoenix, Kasey ended up 6th after starting 3rd. Scott Speed ended up 20th in the June Pocono event last season while driving for Red Bull Racing, so you’d have to think that Kahne could end up a lot better than that in the same car.

12. Clint Bowyer - Bowyer has been in a bit of a slump recently (with just one top ten finish in the past four Sprint Cup races), but he hasn’t finished worse than 15th in the last five races at Pocono and three of those races have been top 10s. Clint’s average driver rating of 95.3 over the past two years at this track is good enough for 8th-best in the series.

13. Kyle Busch - This is nowhere near Kyle Busch’s best track, but he’s still the best (in my opinion) driver in the series and I’m sure he will visit victory lane her eventually. He has just three top 10s in twelve starts at “The Tricky Triangle,” but Busch finished 2nd after starting on the pole in the spring race last season and he ended up 2nd to Jeff Gordon at Phoenix in February.

14. Mark Martin - This weekend will be Mark Martin’s 49th start at Pocono Raceway and while he has never visited victory lane at this track, Mark has finished outside of the top 20 just seven times in all of those starts. Martin has a four-race streak of top 10s in the fall race at this track, so you might want to wait until then to pick him, but he did end up 13th at Phoenix earlier this season.

15. Jeff Burton - This could be the week that Jeff Burton gets his first top 10 of the season, but I’m going to guess that–as usual–it won’t happen. He finished 7th and 8th in the two Pocono races last season, though, and Burton has four top 10s in the last six races at this track. He has never won at “The Tricky Triangle,” and I don’t expect that to change on Sunday, but a top fifteen is possible.

Just Outside The Top Fifteen Entering The 5-Hour Energy 500:

Matt Kenseth - Matt has made 22 starts at Pocono Raceway but has just 8 top 10s. This isn’t his best track, but he’s really consistent. Kenseth may not post top 10s at “The Tricky Triangle” but he does have 18 top 20s in his 22 starts here.

A.J. Allmendinger - I’m starting to like “The Dinger” on flat tracks. He finished 9th at Phoenix earlier this year and has posted ten top 20 finishes in the last twelve flat track races. At Pocono last season, Allmendinger finished 10th and 24th. If A.J. puts the #43 Ford up front in qualifying, I’d put him on my fantasy rosters if I were you.

Brad Keselowski - He was my underdog of the week in Kansas, but of course I didn’t listen to myself and kept BK off of my fantasy rosters. He has made two starts at Pocono and ended up 21st and 20th in those races. Keselowski has a streak of four straight top 20s and I don’t expect that to stop this weekend. With the momentum from his win, I could see Brad posting a career-best finish at Pocono this weekend.

Martin Truex, Jr. - In ten starts at Pocono, Truex has an average finish of 16.2, which includes three top 10s. He finished 9th here last fall but I think he will end up in the teens on Sunday.

Brian Vickers - Vickers is either really bad here, or really good, so pay close attention to him in practice if you are thinking about putting him on your roster this week. In twelve starts at Pocono, Vickers has amassed six top 6 finishes, but he has also had four finishes outside of the top 20.

Avoid These Drivers For The 5-Hour Energy 500:

Jamie McMurray - You should know by now that you should avoid Jamie Mac pretty much every week. He had a good season in 2010, but that was last year. McMurray has made 16 starts at “The Tricky Triangle” but has come away with just three top 10s. Even if he qualifies well, avoid him.

Juan Montoya - In the last two years, Montoya has found success at Pocono, and for that reason many people will pick him this week. Don’t make that mistake. Juan hasn’t had a top ten since Martinsville in April and I don’t like how the Earnhardt-Ganassi Chevys are running.

Joey Logano - To say that “Sliced Bread” is underachieving this season would be an understatement, and I expect a finish in the mid-twenties at best out of Logano this week. He was running in the top ten before Harvick spun him during last year’s first Pocono race, which kept Joey’s average finish here at 22nd in four starts at the track.

Paul Menard - And the downward spiral continues. Menard hasn’t had a top 15 since Talladega in April, and I highly doubt that will change this weekend. He finished 16th and 13th in the Pocono races last season, but before that Menard’s best finish was 25th in his first six starts at this track.

Scouting Report: Pocono 5 Hour Energy 500

How to make an informed pick at Pocono

1. Past Pocono History: NASCAR has visited Pocono plenty of times and some trends are obviously clear. Thinking outside the box will not do you any favors this week. This week you should go with what you know, as long as you’ve done your homework.

2. Starting Position: Track position is very important at Pocono. Passing is nearly impossible unless a driver has superior horsepower. Pocono is essentially a short race, not because you fall asleep in the middle of it but because there will be long green flag runs and teams will have limited opportunities to make adjustments.

3. Practice: Practice is important at Pocono but not as important as 1 & 2. The reason why I think practice should be downplayed is because there won’t be much practice. I really don’t expect anybody to run ten laps consecutively this week. Look for 5 lap averages this week.

4: Similar Tracks: Not all flat tracks are created equal. Pocono is pretty much a unique track only similar shape wise to Indy. The one race this year I would really study is what happened in the Auto Club 400. California is a horsepower track and so is Pocono.

Drivers to watch:

Denny Hamlin - Need a fantasy pick this week? Pick Denny Hamlin, everyone else is. Hamlin’s a four-time winner who’s a natural at Pocono. In the last three Pocono races he’s won two of them and finished 5th in the other.

Carl Edwards - The FR9 engine is going to make him tough to beat this week. Last year using the FR9 engine Edwards finished third and teammate Greg Biffle took the checkered flag. Carl Edwards has two wins at “The Tricky Triangle”.

Jimmie Johnson - Jimmie Johnson has led 20 or more laps in every Pocono race except one dating back to 2008. He’s both a good qualifier (7.7 avg start) and finisher (9.6 avg finish). Johnson has two wins at Pocono but they were both back in 2004.

Tony Stewart - Since 2005 he’s finished in the top ten every race but one. This two-time winner will have Hendrick power under his hood and will be a major challenger for the win.

Kevin Harvick - There was a time when people would make jokes about Harvick at Pocono because he never led a lap. To those people I say get some new jokes, he led 5 last year. In 2010 Harvick finished 4th twice.

VegasInsider.com odds to win Pocono:

Denny Hamlin 7/2, Jimmie Johnson 5/1, Dale Earnhardt Jr. 7/1, Tony Stewart 8/1, Kyle Busch 8/1, Kevin Harvick 8/1, Jeff Gordon 10/1, Carl Edwards 10/1, Matt Kenseth 12/1, Greg Biffle 16/1

NASCAR Fantasy Racing Experts Darkhorse Picks: Pocono Pennsylvania 500

The On Pit Row fantasy racing experts opinions of the best Sprint Cup driver currently outside the top 12 in Sprint Cup Series points, for this weekends race.

Expert	Website	Pick to Win	Finish	Experts Avg
Matt Mercer	On Pit Row	Juan Pablo Montoya	16	15.52
James Jones	On Pit Row	Mark Martin	7	11.62
Josh Lobdell	FFToolbox	Jamie McMurray	22	23.33
Dennis Mickelson	RaceTalkRadio.com	Ryan Newman	12	11.33
Jon Rodgers	Gillette Young Guns Challenge Winner	Joey Logano	25	14.14
Jerry LaggerEric McGuire	One and Done Game WinnerFree agent	Mark MartinJuan Pablo Montoya	716	13.4813.33
Charlie Turner	On Pit Row	Kasey Kahne	19	12.43
Tall Glass of Milk	Answerthis.com	Mark Martin	7	9.81
Adam Ansell	Roto Experts	Kasey Kahne	19	11.95
Charles Rantz	ifantasyrace.com	Dale Earnhardt Jr	27	13.19
Darren Fauth	Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet	Juan Pablo Montoya	16	13.10
Lou Lauer	USAR Fans	Kasey Kahne	19	13.05
Ryan Rantz	On Pit Row	Juan Pablo Montoya	16	14.81
Eric McClung	On Pit Row	Kasey Kahne	19	20.14
P J Walsh	FantasyNASCARPreview.com	Kasey Kahne	19	12.19
Bob Ellis	NASCAR Ranting and Raving	Dale Earnhardt Jr	27	14.48
Chris Leone	On Pit Row	Jamie McMurray	22	20.19
Dan Beaver	Fantasy Racing Games	Kasey Kahne	19	11.00

NASCAR Fantasy Racing Expert Picks: Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono

Expert	Website	Pick to Win	Finish	Experts Avg
Josh Lobdell	FFToolbox	Denny Hamlin	5	16.24
Jerry Lagger	One and Done Game Winner	Denny Hamlin	5	12.86
Dennis Michelsen	RaceTalkRadio.com	Tony Stewart	2	11.71
Tall Glass of Milk	Answerthis.com	Denny Hamlin	5	12.24
Eric McClung	On Pit Row	Clint Bowyer	15	15.19
Eric McGuire	free agent	Denny Hamlin	5	12.52
Dan Beaver	Fantasy Racing Games	Denny Hamlin	5	10.90
Matt Mercer	On Pit Row	Greg Biffle	1	14.05
Adam Ansell	Roto Experts	Denny Hamlin	5	15.76
Chris Leone	On Pit Row	Denny Hamlin	5	13.67
Bob Ellis	NASCAR Ranting and Raving	Denny Hamlin	5	11.76
CharlieTurner	On Pit Row	Kurt Busch	33	17.14
Lou Lauer	USAR Fans	Denny Hamlin	5	14.19
Jon Rodgers	Gillette Young Guns Challenge Winner	Kyle Busch	23	15.00
James Jones	On Pit Row	Kyle Busch	23	13.81
Ryan Rantz	On Pit Row	Jimmie Johnson	10	13.05
Darren Fauth	Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet	Kevin Harvick	4	13.62
P J Walsh	FantasyNASCARPreview.com	Denny Hamlin	5	12.19
Charles Rantz	ifantasyrace.com	Denny Hamlin	5	16.67

Printable NASCAR TV Schedule for August 2010

Download your August 2010 NASCAR television schedule in PDF

NASCAR’ Sprint Cup Series travels to Pocono Raceway, Watkins Glen, Michigan International Speedway,  and Bristol Motor Speedway  in August. The Nationwide Series goes road racing in Montreal while the Camping World Truck Series heads to Chicagoland.

Click here to download your printable August 2010 NASCAR TV schedule

 

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