Fantasy Nascar Preview: Daytona

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This week's "preview" will be setup differently then most. We are at Daytona. Yes One of four scheduled plate races. Having skill is just as important as having luck. Using the draft to your advantage can be the different from a 17th place and 7th place. It doesn't really matter where you start.Only thing that matters is avoiding the "big one". Fantasy players will need to be wise when selecting their lineups. Especially if they are competitively completing for a championship. Those players might want to take a more conservative approach. While other deep in the standings, might want take a few chances to gain ground (depending on your league format / rules and requirements.)

Drivers to watch out for:

2-Brad Keselowski: Keselowski always seems to run up front in 2014. Plate races have been no different. He arguably had one of the best cars back in February (finish top 5). In past 5 races , Brad K holds an 13.6 average finish, 2 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s , 26 laps led and 90.4 driver rating. He only have One Dnf in that span.

3-Austin Dillon: Dillon impressed people back in February with a 9th place finish. Unfortunately he wrecked several cars in the process. But there definitely promise with this youngster. Not many rookie can say they have a shot at sweeping the top 10 at Daytona in Sprint Cup Series.

11-Denny Hamlin: Hamlin been pretty stout on plate tracks in 2014. He have an 1.5 average finish. Pretty darn good for guy who isn't typically known for his plate racing skills. Over past 5 races (at Daytona) , Hamlin holds an 16.2 average finish, 2 Top 5s , 2 Top 10s , 126 laps led , and 98.6 driver rating. Hamlin been Top 5 or basically bust (giving his elite status equipment wise).

14-Tony Stewart: Smoke and Daytona in July seems to go together. Smoke just love this time a year and Daytona been kind to over the years. Over past 5 races here , He holds an 19.0 average finish , 1 win , 2 Top 5s , 2 Top 10s , 24 laps led and 67.3 driver rating. Not overly impressive. But over the past 5 (July Daytona races) , Stewart holds an 8.0 average finish , 2 wins , 3 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s (4 Finishes of 11th or better).

16-Greg Biffle: Greg is probably the most reliable driver in the field this week. He always find way to finish well here. Not many can say that. Over past 5 races here , he holds an 11.0 average finish , 1 Top 5 , 3 Top 10s , 87 laps led and 102.8 driver rating.

17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr: Garry Briggs (@Gbriggs12) said , "The 17 car just goes together with plate races" after Talladega in 2013. And honestly he might be on to something. I mean , Ricky have consistently finish well at Daytona and Talladega. Over past 4 races here, He holds an 12.5 average finish , 1 Top 10, 0 laps led , and 75.5 driver rating. His worst finish in that span is 20th.

20-Matt Kenseth: Kenseth is a well known plate racer. Expect him to be a popular pick this weekend. Kenseth have been dominant in terms of laps led. Over past 5 races here , Matt holds an 16.0 average finish , 1 win , 2 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s , 226 laps led and 103.3 driver rating.

27-Paul Menard: Menard is an interesting option. He on the fine line of drivers to watch and drivers to avoid. His track record backs that up. Over past 5 races here , He holds an 23.2 average finish , 1 Top 10, 2 Top 20s , 32 laps led and 71.9 driver rating. Not very impressive. But if we take out an 43rd place finish in 2013. Menard holds an 15.75 average finish , 1 Top 10 , 3 Top 20s in the past four July races.

31-Ryan Newman: Newman was once known as a iffy option at Daytona. But most recently have turned the corner significantly. Over past 5 races here , Newman holds an 12.6 average finish , 2 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s , 3 laps led and 74.4 driver rating.

48-Jimmie Johnson: Johnson been solid at Daytona recently. He's sweep Daytona last year and finish quite well at the 500 most recently. Over past 5 races here , he holds an 17.0 average finish , 2 wins , 3 Top 5s , 3 Top 10s , 126 laps led and 93.5 driver rating. Only two poor results were Dnfs by Johnson.

88-Dale Jr: Dale will be the most picked driver this week. And it probably won't be close either. Dale popularity combined with legitimate makes him the top option in many people views. His record here is unbelievable. Over past 5 races here, Dale holds an 5.6 average finish , 3 Top 5s , 4 Top 10s , 5 Top 15s , 54 laps led and 105.6 driver rating.

Dark Horses:

1-Jamie Mac: JMac always seems to be a popular options at the plate races. Weather he ends that way is the unknown question. Jamie always seems to be a boom or bust type of play. He will either knock off a fantastic finish or wreck out. Risk/Reward option.

4-Kevin Harvick: Harvick 2014 woes overall keeps him from being favorite at Daytona. But got to believe he will be threat all weekend long. He been freaky fast all season long. His record is inconsistent here though. Over past 5 races here , Harvick holds an 17.6 average finish , 0 win , 1 Top 5s , 2 Top 10s , 3 Top 20s , 0 laps led and 71.6 driver rating.Harvick finish inside the Top 5 a year ago.

10-Danica Patrick: Patrick doesn't stand out , but outside of a few costly wrecks. She actually have impressed me a bit. She can lead laps here (we know that). Getting the finishes is the unknown/ concern. Over the past four races here , she holds an 25.0 average finish, 1 Top 10, 2 Top 20s , 7 laps led and 70.7 driver rating. Take out the 2 bad results , She have an 11.0 average finish , 1 Top 10 , 2 Top 15s. Unfortunately that's too small of a sample size to work with and make it validated and relevant.

22-Joey Logano: Logano have been fast all season long. Expect the same this weekend. He was extremely strong at the 500. Over past 5 here, He holds an 16.6 average finish , 1 Top 5 , 2 Top 10s , 4 Top 20, 6 laps led and 91.4 driver rating. His lone bad finish was an dnf. My concern is wasting an valuable start with him (mainly in Yahoo).

*32-Terry Labonte: Having a extremely down year? Why not go all out and go for broke (especially in Yahoo formats).Typically the Labonte bros are entered at the plate races. This will likely be Terry's final Daytona start. He is an experienced vet and is have been fairly reliable. Over past 5 races here , He holds an 20.6 , 4 Top 20s , 3 laps led and 53.1 driver rating. Not bad for crappy equipment.

51-Justin Allaiger: Justin wouldn't be the flashy popular option , but there aren't worst choices. Honestly I was quite impressed by the 51 at Talladega. He running solid until he had issue (think he got turned after getting a flat tire). Nevertheless I am definitely considering him.

*52-Bobby Labonte: Bobby is arguably the most underrated plate racer in Nascar. He finish 15th back at the Daytona 500. And it wasn't a fluke either. He been in minor equipment for a few years now. Over past 5 races here , He holds an 15.6 average finish , 1 Top 10 , 4 Top 20s , 0 laps led and 60.3 driver rating. There a sneaky play the risk takers out there.

66-Michael Waltrip: MW will either finish really well or really poorly. Nothing in between. So prepare for that outcome. He been better in the July races then February's though. February average finish is 31.5. While July average finish is 7.0 (past four races).

99-Carl Edwards:  Edwards is an interesting option. The Roush cards seems to always run well here. Even this year. Over past 5 races here , he holds an 18.6 average finish , 2 Top 10s , 3 Top 20s , 8 laps led and 78.9 driver rating.

Drivers to avoid:

5-Kasey Kahne: Kahne is like a mystery box. You don't know what inside. Daytona haven't been kind to Kahne really. His stats back that up. Over past 5 races , He holds an 27.0 average finish , 1 Top 10 , 1 Top 20, 2 laps led, 78.3 driver rating. I don't expect that to change much.

18-Kyle Busch: Busch doesn't give us much value nor upside with his recent track record at Daytona. Over past 5 races ,He holds an 21.2 average finish , 3 Top 20s,  54 laps led and 92.6 driver rating. At end of the day , we tend to look for consistency at plate races. Busch record doesn't stack up unfortunately.

21-Trevor Bayne: Bayne is so far overrated as a plate racer. It not even laughable anymore. He was much better with the tandem style racing back in 2011. He isn't a good drafter. Not to mention , he tends to get caught up in wrecks most of the time. Over the past 5 races here , He holds an 28.4 average finish,1 Top 20, 2 laps led, and 55.5 driver rating. That pretty bad. Yet he still an popular pick. Probably because his 2011 Daytona 500 victory overshadows his realistic record since. Don't be fooled.

24-Jeff Gordon: Gordon finish inside the top 5 back in February. But unfortunately he have left a lot of us to doubt him as a safe fantasy pick for Daytona. Two things stick out to me: His horrible record recently at Daytona and getting caught up in the big one at Talladega. A lot of it have to do with luck. And that's the thing. His luck at plate races haven't been that great lately. Don't really see the need to force a start here. Especially with New Hampshire , Indy , Pocono, Atlanta , Bristol , Richmond coming up.

55-Brian Vickers: Vickers isn't a guy that we associate with plate racing. He doesn't have a good track record. Vickers is much more useful at Intermediate tracks and flat surfaces (like New Hampshire and Bristol coming up).

Twitter : @MichelleRizzo5

Thanks for reading ,

Michelle Rizzo

Fantasy Nascar Rankings: Kentucky

Welcome to Timerssports

Final Ranks-

1. Brad Keselowski
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Joey Logano
5. Jimmie Johnson
6. Matt Kenseth
7. Jamie Mac
8. Kyle Busch
9. Paul Menard
10. Kasey Kahne
11. Kyle Larson
12. Tony Stewart
13. Carl Edwards
14. Dale Jr
15. Brian Vickers
16. Clint Bowyer
17. Denny Hamlin
18. Ryan Newman
19. Kurt Busch
20. Greg Biffle
21. Austin Dillon
22. Danica Patrick
23. Martin Truex Jr
24. Aj Dinger
25. Justin Allaiger
26. Aric Almirola
27. Marcos Ambrose
28. Casey Mears
29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
30. Michael Annett

Thanks for reading ,

Jeff Nathans

Fantasy Nascar Update: Kentucky

Welcome to TimersSports

Notes-

1-Jamie Mac: JMac like most weeks showed good speed in both practices and qualifying.He will roll off from inside the top 10. He should be a top 15 option overall in most formats (boarderline top 10).

2-Brad Keselowski: Keselowski arguably had the best car on Friday and will start on the pole. Brad is the guy to beat on Saturday night. Watch out for him. Track position will be key for Saturday race.

3-Austin Dillon:  Dillon roll off 16th. Like normal , Dillon will race better then he practice. Austin was a bit free on the exit in practice 1. Later in the session , He said 3 and 4 was perfect but needed help in 1 and 2.

4-Kevin Harvick: Harvick complained about being loose mainly. But his car consistently got better as the day went on. He is an top 5 guy heading in. But don't be shocked to see him go to the lead early on.

5-Kasey Kahne: Kahne spun in final practice. Complained early on about being slightly loose. Near end of final practice , Kahne was very happy with his car. Kahne ran good lap times all day long. He is my dark horse pick to win.

10-Danica Patrick: Honestly I didn't see her do a race trim in either practice. I am sure she did a few race runs. But I probably missed it. She starts 10th and Harvick explained Kentucky to Danica after Nationwide practice. Remember last time at Kansas?

11-Denny Hamlin: Hamlin didn't blow me away in practice. Fortunately he was good overall. He doesn't have the pure speed of the guys starting around him. But expect a finish between 7-15 range.

14-Tony Stewart: I didn't watch Smoke much on Friday. So I don't have much of a read on him. But he seemed off overall. Tony typically excels on slick racetracks. I would save him for another week.

16-Greg Biffle: The Roush cars have a problem and its showing on the intermediate racetracks. It really pathetic. They are really off from the chevys. Save the Biff for Daytona next week.

18-Kyle Busch: Busch and JGR cars are clearly lacking the speed from a year ago. But that doesn't mean , he cannot contend for a top 10 finish on Saturday. Felt like the 18 was slightly off on Friday though.

20-Matt Kenseth: If you haven't noticed, Kenseth have looked average in practice all year long. Then goes out and slowly makes his way towards the front on raceday. This week no different.

22-Joey Logano: Logano looked fairly competitive in practice. Posted solid lap times all day long. He will start 2nd. Top 5 to Top 10 based off practice.

24-Jeff Gordon: Gordon to no surprise looks fast on the long run (again). He starts 3rd. They keep delivering him fast cars and Gordon keeps knocking off top 10s. Expect Saturday to be the same.

27-Paul Menard: A lot to love about the 27 this week. He been smoking lately. He should make a nice addition to any team this weekend. He showed nice speed in practice.

31-Ryan Newman: Newman didn't make headlines on Friday. But he seems to like his car overall. Near end of practice Newman commented , "This is the best I ever felt here." Newman have a top 10 to top 15 car.

42-Kyle Larson: Boy can this kid drive. Every week , he impresses. This week he looked good once again. Not sure how many race runs he ran though. But expect a top 15 type of night (if not better).

48-Jimmie Johnson: Johnson have some work to do. He will start start 25th. But he looked great in race trim. Weather he makes it from 25th to 1st without strategy is the unknown question.

55-Brian Vickers: I really wanted to see more out of the 55. I mean , I thought he was off compared to others. I don't get that confident feeling towards him. He looked best top 15.

88-Dale Jr: Dale was off for most of the day. Doesn't help he qualified poorly as well. Honestly none of the HMS cars qualified well (outside of 24 car).

99-Carl Edwards: Edwards didn't really impress me. He looked off. But heck the Roush fords been like that all year (especially at Intermediate tracks.)

Thanks for reading ,

Jeff Nathans

Fantasy Nascar Early Rankings: Kentucky

Welcome to TimersSports

Early Rankings -

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Joey Logano
5. Dale Jr
6. Brad Keselowski
7. Carl Edwards
8. Kyle Busch
9. Paul Menard
10. Matt Kenseth
11. Brian Vickers
12. Denny Hamlin
13. Kasey Kahne
14. Ryan Newman
15. Clint Bowyer
16. Tony Stewart
17. Kyle Larson
18. Kurt Busch
19. Jamie Mac
20. Greg Biffle
21. Martin Truex Jr
22. Austin Dillon
23. Aj Dinger
24. Danica Patrick
25. Justin Allaiger
26. Marcos Ambrose
27. Aric Almirola
28. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
29. Casey Mears
30. Michael Annett

Jeff Nathans

Fantasy Nascar : Sleepers and Busts

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I started off my debut at Timerssports by nailing down 2 sleepers and 1 bust last week (including last week winner Carl Edwards). So my overall correctly prediction percentage is 50%. I will try to improve upon that at Kentucky. Kentucky is one of my favorite racetracks. Especially because of the worn out surface. Selecting a team this week can be difficult. Mainly in allocation leagues. Looking at past trends in 2014 could help you find an legitimate sleeper. I will load my lineup with sleepers and heavy hitter. As that combo have served me well at similar tracks in the past.

Sleeper:

Paul Menard - For 10 races (dating back to Texas) , I have raved on about the 27 team. Unfortunately most are now just starting believe what I have been saying for over 2 months. Menard have been awesome on Intermediate tracks in 2014. 4 Top 10 and 2 Top 5s (in 5 races). Including an top 5 at Michigan. The Potential of the 27 at Kentucky is high. But I expect him to overlooked once again.

Bust:

Jamie Mac - Seems like everyone is jumping on the 1 train this week. With all due respect , his finish last year was misleading. He had a car that should have finish just outside the top 10. Plus I think people are putting too much stock in his 4th place finish at a road course. He haven't shown me he can take momentum and use it to his advantage. I need to see more races like last week , before I consider him fantasy relevant.

Sleeper:

Brain Vickers - Another driver I been raving about in 2014. Its been a rocky road for Vickers lately. But that may be helpful in all honestly. I expect his overall percentage (and value) to keep going downhill as the week progresses. But he been a good option on similar type tracks. An top 15 would be doable.

Bust:

Martin Truex Jr - Truex have a solid record here. Unfortunately that the complete opposite in 2014 on similar tracks. He had a few nice runs recently though. Most noticeably at Charlotte (before having a problem late). I don't trust Truex. His bad luck been tremendously horrible in 2014. Why take a unnecessary risk?

Sleeper:

Carl Edwards - Edwards is just floating under the radar. Something I was definitely counting on. Edwards won't be impressive in practice and will likely qualify mid pack. But I am certain he will find a way to finish near the front. He have two wins this season, i think he can make it 3 on Saturday.

Bust:

Tony Stewart - Smoke definitely is an 9 start caliber driver (in Yahoo). But selecting him to your team this week just don't make sense. Especially considering his unimpressed track record. At end of the day , there probably 5-6 more worthy candidate that warns more consideration.

Garry Briggs

Fantasy Nascar Early Thoughts

Welcome to TimersSports

Typically I write Fantasy Football articles, but since we are only in June. My boss (and Timerssports owner) Chase Edwards wanted me to write up an fantasy nascar article (of my choice) each week. So every Monday , I (Matt Aleza) will give my early thoughts for the upcoming race. I will keep it in a Yahoo format though. Sit back and enjoy.

A:

Johnson is the first guy that comes to mind. He been arguably the best driver since Kentucky debuted in the Sprint Cup Series. Unfortunately I am down to four starts. So I will likely leave him off. Harvick will likely become my primary choice this week. He will give me the best shot at the pole and will give me the best possibility at maximum points. Gordon will get the nod for my secondary choice. He is the safest option this week in my opinion. He been really consistent all year.
Kenseth, Kyle Busch , and Dale jr are all good for top 10. But I will pass.

B:

The name of the game in B is to manage your starts , while consistently scoring well. Everyone been circling this race for the Penske cars. With 5 starts apiece left , It almost a sure thing I roll least one of them. Something about worn out tracks that Keselowski and Logano seems to excel on. Menard is another guy I am eyeing this week. He been impressive. Props to him. 9 Top 10s and 3 Top 5s in 16 races. He is extremely valuable at the moment. Stewart rounds out my team. Definitely dodged a bullet at Sonoma (kept him on the bench.) I think Stewart could surprise people this week. Just a feeling though. Don't have anything to back it up. Newman and Vickers are guys that just on the outside looking in. Weather they make my team will come down to percentage. Same with Edwards.

C:

Group C was a mess at Sonoma. I mean Allgaier, Said and Larson killed several fantasy lineups. Ironically Danica Patrick was the group C savior. Now on to Kentucky. With no fantasy relevant part timer entered , we are force to use another Dillon/Larson. Unless you have guts to use Allgaier or Danica. In all honestly , I will likely insert Dillon as my prime choice and pair him with Danica Patrick. Afterall , she finish an respectable 23rd last year. She been much more stable in 2014. Anything near 20th would be a victory in my book.

Twitter - @MattAleza1

Thanks for reading ,

Matt Aleza

Fantasy Football: Mock Draft 1.0

Welcome to TimersSports

On Sunday evening , I took part in my first mock draft for the 2014 upcoming season. Believe me , it definitely wasn't what I was expecting (but rarely it is.) Personally that what I love about Mock drafts. For me it about having notes/comparisons. Each year I typically take part in 5 mock drafts before my real drafts. First one coming in late June (other four coming in Mid July , Late July, Early August and finally the day before draft day.)

Below are few notes from my first Mock draft:

1. Rbs are hot selections early on- Something I knew already was running backs will absolutely fly off the board extremely fast in the first 15 picks. Backs are very valuable due to the lack of legitimate options outside the first 15.

2. Gordon dropped like a bad habit- Amazing how Gordon was an realist top 12 pick a few months ago. Funny how a few drug tests can change that in a flash. In all honestly , I don't think he even a draftable option this season. Especially with a suspension on his hands.

3. Few big name quarterbacks dropped- I noticed a few big names quarterbacks dropped from where I expected them to fall. Most noticeably Matt Ryan, Tom Brady, and Cam Newton. Of the three, Ryan probably holds the most upside. Hoping all three keeps trending down. I would absolutely love to draft a quarterback like I listed in round 6 or 7.

Well that pretty much it..Hopefully everyone have a great day.

Thanks for reading,

Chase Edwards

Fantasy Nascar Preview: Kentucky

Welcome to TimersSports

The Sprint Cup Series heads east to Kentucky. Kentucky is an 1.5 mile oval racetrack. This is arguably the most important type of track to consistently finish well at. Not only from a driver/team point of view, but a fantasy nascar side as well. Kentucky is race 17 of 36. Jimmie Johnson dominated last year until late in the event. Let get rolling!

1-Jamie Mac: Jamie haven't set the world on fire in 2014 (least on Intermediate tracks.) But he did finish 2nd here a season ago. Over the past two seasons , Jamie have an 8.5 average finish , 1 Top 5 , 1 Top 10, 0 laps led and 91.4 driver rating.

2-Brad Keselowski: Keselowski have been extremely strong at Intermediate tracks in 2014. But he have several misleading finishes as well. He actually been better then his overall average finish suggests in '14. Since 2012 , BK have put together an 17.0, 1 win , 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 68 laps led and 98.0 driver rating.

3-Austin Dillon: I got a really good feeling about Dillon this week. In his lone Cup start he finish 24th. Which is saying something because he have a better quality ride in 2014. I could see him knocking off an top 20 (if not more).

4-Kevin Harvick: Harvick is superman on Intermediate tracks in 2014. Remember Kenseth in 2013. He is exactly the same way. Harvick should be the guy to beat. His stats are solid too. Over past 2 races , Harvick holds an 10.5, 0 Top 5 , 1 Top 10, 0 laps led and 92.9 driver rating.

5-Kasey Kahne: Kahne is finally starting to look like an Hendrick driver in 2014. But isn't fantasy relevant. Even though hes have legitimate record here. He holds an 6.5 average finish , 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 0 laps led and 100.0 driver rating.

10-Danica Patrick: I don't hate using Danica (especially if starts are an issue in C.) Danica is honestly only good for a start save most weeks (at best). This Week is no difference. Expect an top 25 from her.

11-Denny Hamlin: Hamlin is an interesting option this week. Honestly he could finish in top 10 , easy as he could finish outside the top 20. I will give him consideration , but I might leave him off for a sleeper pick. Since 2012 , he holds an 19.0, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 58 laps led and 104.4 driver rating.

14-Tony Stewart: Stewart is starting to catch fire. Which what a lot of us were hoping. Now it a reality. In Yahoo , we need to manage his starts well though. Pinpointing the best places to use him is the difficult part. Since 2012 at Kentucky, Smoke holds an 26.0 average finish (1 Top 20 -best finish 20th), 0 laps led and 57.7 driver rating.

16-Greg Biffle: I will keep it short and sweet. Don't force a Greg Biffle start. If you are in a allocation league, hold out to use him at Daytona and Talladega.

18-Kyle Busch: Lets be honest here..The JGR cars are down on power. You aren't gonna use all 9 starts with Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth (like in 2013). But he is still a useable option (especially here). The speed isn't there , but that doesn't mean he cannot run top 10.

20-Matt Kenseth - Basically the same apply to Kenseth as Busch ^^

22-Joey Logano: JoLo have been extremely strong on similar tracks. So I expect him to be strong. Since 2012 at Kentucky , he holds an 13.0, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 0 laps led and 90.4 driver rating. In his lone start with Penske at Kentucky , Joey finish 4th in 2013.

24-Jeff Gordon: Mr. Consistency himself. Gordon have been a machine in 2014. Top 10 after top 10. Last time Gordon finish worse then 8th was Talladega. The smart players probably have been riding Gordon in recent weeks. Gordon makes a good candidate this week (again). Since 2012 , he hold an 6.5 average finish , 1 Top 5, 2,Top 10s, 0 laps led and 100.1 driver rating.

27-Paul Menard: Menard is having a fantastic season. Cannot say enough about this guy. Two weeks ago , he knocked off his second Top 5 in 2014 (2 more then his two teammates combined -Ouch). Now he is primed as a sleeper candidate with less then stellar record at Kentucky. Since 2012 , he holds an 21.0, 1 Top 20 (best finish 12th), 0 laps led and 65.2 driver rating.

31-Ryan Newman: Newman have mixed results over his past two starts at Kentucky  (much like his teammate Menard.) But Newman have great qualifying efforts in that span (6.0). Unfortunately his 24.0 average finish isn't so great. But he did finish 12th in that same span. There upside with Newman.

42-Kyle Larson: Larson is the most impressive rookie since Kyle Busch stormed on to the scene with Hendrick Motorsports. I mean this kid gonna be something special one day. That being said, it very important to manage your starts with him. The game best start savers probably have done a great job of that. For rest of us , things could be difficult down the road.

48-Jimmie Johnson: Johnson is probably the logically choice for your team. Especially after the run Double J is on. He dominated this race in 2013. Unfortunately Logano (or someone) got into Johnson and turned him late in the race. Since 2012 at Kentucky , Johnson holds 7.5, 2 Top 10s, 2 Top 5s, 203 laps led , and 129.0 driver rating.

88-Dale Jr: Dale Jr will be overlooked a lot this week (especially in Yahoo). I expect him to be in contention all weekend long. His record here is pretty stout (So are a lot of drivers though). Since 2012 at Kentucky , he holds an 8.0, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 10 laps led and 97.0 driver rating.

99-Carl Edwards: A lot of us were burned by the Roush cars a few weeks ago. So I think it would be a good idea to step back for a few weeks and just observe. But selecting Edwards to your team isn't a horrible idea. He always find a way to front (somehow).

Okay that it. Hopefully everyone enjoys. Big thanks to my fellow writer Jeff Nathans (@JeffNathans) for letting to do the previews.

Thanks for reading ,

Michelle Rizzo

Fantasy Nascar Update: Sonoma

Welcome to TimersSports

We are at Sonoma this weekend. This is a difficult track to master at times. But luckily we were able to see both practices before the Yahoo lockdown. Unfortunately qualifying didn't go how most of us expected at all. The favorites are positioned throughout the field for the start of Sunday race. Below are my official personal notes of both practice and qualifying sessions:

1-Jamie Mac: Jamie starts on the pole. He started on the pole in 2013 as well. Jamie seems to really like his car in practice. Top 10 is likely, but I don't trust him to deliver honestly.

2-Brad Keselowski: Brad start outside of the top 12. He is probably more useful at other venues though. But starting him Sunday isn't the worst idea. I expect him to challenge for at least a top 10.

3-Austin Dillon: Coming into the weekend I expected an top 25 from Dillon. That pretty much the feeling I get from him in practice on Friday. Don't really see a legit reason to start him on Sunday.

4-Kevin Harvick: Harvick have given the term flying under the radar a completely new meaning. He wasn't  just overlooked..he was overlooked by 10 miles. 16% in Yahoo selected him. Kevin is actually a pretty good road course racer. He was pretty good in practice on Friday and qualify very well (inside the top 10).

5-Kasey Kahne: Kahne have been average so far this weekend ,but that about it. He haven't been horrible , but he isn't an fantasy option at the moment. Just need to see more out of him.

9-Marcos Ambrose: Ambrose starts 23rd. Not exactly what I wanted out of him. Wouldn't be surprised to see most people (or least some) bench road course gems like Ambrose in favor for guys who starts up front. If you do , then you better be 100% sure your starters can hold the track position. Ambrose will be able to drive up through the field fairly easy.

10-Danica Patrick: Patrick may be our best choice this week (given you aren't willing to burn a Larson start). Patrick wasn't outright impressive , but at Sonoma track position is very key here. Dillon , Said and Allaiger didn't qualify that well (didn't practice well either). Patrick could knock off a top 20.

11-Denny Hamlin: Hamlin shouldn't even be on the radar , let alone your team. He pretty much back that up in practice. Nothing really overly impressive about him. He's needs to look top 10 , before you start him. Hammy not Top 10 material at Sonoma.

14-Tony Stewart: Stewart starts outside the top 20. I have no intentions of using an Smoke start on Sunday (mainly because I left him off my team.) Smoke was pretty good in practice. He won't stay there for long. I expect an top 10 from the 14 this week.

15-Clint Bowyer: Bowyer start 25th. He was the car to beat in practice. Like Ambrose, his poor starting position is only an temporary setback. Nevertheless I fully expect most people to bench the 15 for the 41 or 24.

16-Greg Biffle: The Biff was good in practice. Qualifying didn't go like he wanted though. I am not convince the Roush cars are realistically top 10 options. I mean their performance of late make me highly doubt them as an organization.

18-Kyle Busch: Busch is top 15 at best (based on practice and qualifying efforts). There are better places to use him. And are better options to use at Sonoma.

20-Matt Kenseth: Kenseth will likely give JGR realistically the best shot at an top 10 this weekend. Kenseth was good in practice (not great though). He qualified solidly too. I have him just outside the top 10 at the finish line.

22-Joey Logano: Logano is one of the most underrated options in the field this week. He doesn't get the credit he deserves honestly. JoLo was pretty stout in practice. I consider him one of the guys to beat on Sunday. I have him finishing in the top 5.

24-Jeff Gordon: Gordon will start 15th. He is arguably the safest bet for a top 10 finish in the field. His starting position shouldn't be a issue. If anything , its adds value for variety of formats. Gordon is my pick to win on Sunday. He will be hard to beat on long runs.

27-Paul Menard: Menard qualified well , but i don't think he can stay there. Honestly , it would be a mistake to start him on Sunday. He isn't the best road course racer (especially not in Yahoo B-tier drivers). He was okay in practice , but his lap times fell off a bit too much.

31-Ryan Newman: Newman was okay in practice , but qualified very well. He might be a dark horse for a top 10. But i see him finish in the 11-17 place range. There are much worse options though.

32-Boris Said: Okay you took a chance with a ringer and he qualified 41th. Do the right thing and start your other option. Said was absolutely horrible in practice. Heck his car stalled in middle of the track (which caused a caution.) I want no part of the "Boris Said wrecking my fantasy team project".

41-Kurt Busch: Guess someone at SHR finally told Busch that 2014 season started. Busch looked stellar in practice. Back that up with an top 5 qualifying effort. My only concern is the 41 long run speed. Felt like he fell off after 15 laps. I could be wrong though.

42-Kyle Larson: Okay lets be honest..Are you really gonna bench Larson from the 3rd starting position in Yahoo? Yeah I wouldn't either. The 42 was bad fast in practice and qualifying. I wouldn't be shocked to see him in victory lane.

47-Aj Dinger: The Dinger is arguably the most overlooked option this week. He could knock off a top 5 this week. He was strong in practice. Back it up with qualifying. I love the Dinger this weekend. He is an legitimate road course racer.

48-Jimmie Johnson: Johnson was good in both practices , but didn't get the feeling he have a winning capable car (based on practice times least). He is probably too value to waste here and not get maximum points.

55-Brian Vickers: Vickers was another overlooked option. He was probably overlooked because of his bad luck recently. But man are those MWR cars strong this weekend. I wouldn't be shocked to see them both in the top 5 on Sunday evening.

78-Martin Truex Jr:  Truex Jr makes a case for a starter this week (after practice). But when you mix an up and down season with an disappointing qualifying effort..it doesn't look good. I still think he could finish near the top 10 though.

88-Dale Jr: Dale looked good in practice. He backed that up with a nice qualification on Saturday. He wouldn't be my first choice , but you could certainly do much worse.

99-Carl Edwards: Edwards qualified 4th for Sunday race. He was fairly strong in Friday practice too. But there are better places to insert ole Carl. I don't hate starting Carl though. He definitely holds value (with his percentage being incredibly low in Yahoo).

Okay that pretty much it. Don't forget to check back tomorrow before the race. As we have a few more articles to post still.

Thanks for reading ,

Jeff Nathans

Fantasy Football Rookie Season Woes

Welcome to TimersSports

We all remember our rookie season in fantasy football. Probably didn't go as we planned (least mine didn't). Today I will share my rookie season and maybe it can help the 2014 incoming rookie class. Hopefully everyone enjoy my story.

It was 1999 , the world believed the end was near and people were crazy. It was a much simpler time where fantasy football was unimportant and unpopular to most. I just made the football team at University of Michigan. Its was a just a normal day on the campus of Michigan. My teammates were loudly chatting about some odd game. Shortly afterwards they confronted me and invited me to play.

My first reactions were, "Okay I have no idea what fantasy football is and i have no intentions to find out". But decided to join in on the fun because I wanted to try something new. Over the next few weeks , I took advice from my "so called" teammates. Didn't realize it wasn't a good idea to take advice from rivals. On draft day , I was all but completely doomed. As I was setup to fail from the start.

As you have already figured out, my teammates recruited me to use as an punching bag and easy win target. We are now quickly coming up on week 1. I finally realize that I was played and was on pace to finish last before the season have began. As I was convinced to draft a washup kicker number one overall.

Week One came and went. As you can imagine , I was completely slaughtered after all of my starters struggled to produce much of anything. While my teammates were quite amused on how easily I was dismantled on opening week. This was the common trend the following three weeks. I was stirring an 0-5 start in the face.

Like any good owner , I spent hours of research between meals , class, and anywhere I could find time. I was able to find a few good sleepers hidden on the wire. Few more weeks went on before I finally squeezed out a win. Unfortunately that wasn't until week 8 (as half the season was over). But I was able to complete a blockbuster trade which really turned my season around. Over the next 6 weeks , I went 5-1 and eventually finished 6th in the league.

Now 14 years later , I have won 9 championships in the very same league. For the 2014 Fantasy Football rookie class, here a few tips that could be hopefully:

1) Don't take advice from anyone within your league. Consult an expert from an social media site. They will help you much as possible.

2)  Don't target your favorite players without having an legitimate reasoning. Draft smart. Sometimes drafting your favorite players isn't the best option (especially if there clearly better players on the board).

3. Just have fun and enjoy the game.

Thanks for reading ,

Chase Edwards

Fantasy Nascar Sleepers and Busts

Welcome to TimersSports

I am extremely excited to make my debut at TimersSports. If you followed my content at Thissportz , then you know this is my only weekly article. We are at Sonoma this week. Arguably one of the most challenging races of the 2014 season. This is almost like a plate race. Unpredictable is the unknown heading into Sunday race. Expect me to select multiple sleepers for Sunday race. But avoiding the costly busts are key to success here. We saw it last season at Sonoma. Juan Pablo Montoya ring a bell as he ran out of gas? Let get rolling!

Sleeper-

Aj Dinger: I have been watching the Dinger this season and he been impressive. I expect big things from him this weekend. His road courses skills are definitely underrated. This dude can finish in the top 10 this week. He was extremely strong on the courses in 2013 (sweep the top 10). With this very same team. No reason why he cannot again.

Bust-

Greg Biffle: Last week I said to avoid the Roush cars and well I dead on about that. One can make the argument that speed doesn't matter and that will help the Biff at Sonoma. Speed isn't as important is correct. Unfortunately i don't regard The Biff as an legitimate road racer. Sure he have some nice finishes over the few years. But I think there least 6 better options in Yahoo this week. He isn't useable in my opinion in salary cap formats.

Sleeper-

Martin Truex Jr: Seems like Truex Jr have slipped under the radar somehow. There nothing I love more then a defending race winner with a different team (who happened to finish 3rd in the same race as well.) I mean sure the 78 team have had some bad luck , but Truex is an legit road course specialist. His finishes last year proved that. The 78 was particularly strong at Sonoma in 2013. Fantasy Nascar Gods are just giving us a present , yet most players are too blind to open it.

Bust-

Ryan Newman: Newman grew up 29 miles from where I was born. So I hear a lot about this guy and rightfully so. But honestly I think people are putting too much value in him this week. People seems to be forgetting , he struggled here recently. Not horribly though. Just enough he is overvalued. Don't expect a top 10 or nothing. Top 15 at best. Road Courses haven't exactly been RCR strong suit over the years either.

Sleeper-

Carl Edwards: I don't know why ,but Edwards always find a way to finish near the front in 2014 (except a few times). At the road courses , its was the same way in recent years. He rarely run up front , but at end of the day there he was. Something I expect to see on Sunday.  Are there better places to use Carl? Sure. But after Michigan , who would take a chance on him? Anyone who thinks about value. I see no reason not to give Edwards a chance. Especially if his percentage keeps dropping on Yahoo. Probably wouldn't consider him in salary cap leagues as he isn't worth the price.

Bust-

Danica Patrick: With all due respect , I wouldn't consider Danica as an option this week. There least 4 options that are safer and will likely finish better then Danica on Sunday. Patrick may have a nice run on Sunday , but why use her? Not like she have proven herself on road courses in Nascar. Don't really see the need to take the risk.

Okay that it for myself this week. Hopefully I was helpful in today short article. Don't forget to check back after tomorrow practices for Jeff Nathans (@JeffNathans) Fantasy Nascar Post Practice Notes (aka Fantasy Nascar Update).
Twitter : @Gbriggs12

Thanks for reading ,

Garry Briggs

Fantasy Football Draft Strategies

Welcome to TimersSports

We are literally just a week away from fantasy drafts (least the start of them.) Anyways , today we will dig into how to maximize your draft picks with strategies. Maximizing your draft picks is always an top priority when draft day comes around. It doesn't matter , if it round 1 or round 14. Always max out the potential for your squad.

Strategies:

-Stacking up on rbs and Wrs:

In recent years , stacking your team with backs and wide outs seems to be the common trend among owners. Rightfully so , as the pool of running backs and wide receivers are thin after the 7th round. Depending on your targets and objectives for the draft, but overall this should be the main draft strategy  (least for the first two rounds).

-Where to Draft your starting Quarterback:

This is arguably the most debated discussion when it comes to drafting positions. Roughly 50% will target quarterbacks early on. While the other half will target quarterbacks 5th round and beyond. Honestly you really won't know which side of the draft strategy you are on until the draft actually starts. Mainly because all the variables took into consideration. Heck last year, I was set on drafting Aaron Rodgers in Round 3. But ended up selecting Jimmy Graham instead. While selecting Andrew Luck in Round 6. Both ended up being nice value picks over what I would have got (if say I selected Rodgers and a random Tight End).

-Underrated or overlooked value:

Believe it or not , I have won majority of my league championships over the years by stacking up on underrated options. Sounds crazy, but in all honestly this what wins championships sometimes. Would I select my entire squad like this? No of course not. After drafting your early studs , its always an stellar idea to look for underrated options. Especially if the price (or value) is right. A good owner knows how to build a solid team around his superstars ( aka first rounder and second rounders).

-Winging it on draft day:

Okay lets be honest, we all have been guilty of winging it in a draft. Probably because we in a hurry or we just wanted to test out multiple draft strategies. For me it was the second reasoning. I have actually found success in this method over the past few seasons. Would I use this in drafts against my friends , family , and my Twitter peeps? Heck no. Typically I would use to method in unimportant leagues. Mainly because I am a risky drafter at times.

Okay that pretty much it. If your draft is coming up soon , then good luck. I typically don't draft until Mid July. So look out for invitation links to my league in the near feature on Twitter (@MattAleza1).

Thanks for reading ,

Matt Aleza

Fantasy Nascar : Early Rankings

Welcome to TimersSports

Crazy week, started off the week writing for Thissportz. Now writing here for TimersSports. Nevertheless I am honored to have this opportunity to bring my talent to TimersSports. Now lets to get to my rankings. Grab a few beers and lets roll!

Early Ranks-

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Clint Bowyer
3. Marcos Ambrose
4. Tony Stewart
5. Kurt Busch
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Joey Logano
8. Brian Vickers
9. Kevin Harvick
10. Brad Keselowski
11. Aj Dinger
12. Carl Edwards
13. Matt Kenseth
14. Martin Truex Jr
15. Kasey Kahne
16. Dale Jr
17. Greg Biffle
18. Denny Hamlin
19. Jamie Mac
20. Kyle Busch
21. Ryan Newman
22. Kyle Larson
23. Danica Patrick
24. Paul Menard
25. Austin Dillon
26. Justin Allgaier
27. Aric Almirola
28. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
29. Boris Said
30. Casey Mears

Thanks for the reading,

Jeff Nathans