Fantasy Nascar Early Rankings (Daytona)

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

Twitter - @CrazyKateNascar

Fantasy Nascar Picks (Daytona)

Welcome to TimersSports

After a mess at Sonoma , now we turn our attention to another messy race at Daytona. This will be another great track to put it all on the line with our fantasy picks. Everyone in your league will have a different strategy in mind. We could probably start any driver in the field in our lineups and still have a equal chance of finishing well. Some people will go with the top more well known names to fill out their fantasy lineups like myself. Or others will employ more risky fantasy options that the competition will probably overlook. Either way I am excited for this week's race.

Yahoo -

A:

Start: Dale Earnhardt Jr (7)

Bench:  Jeff Gordon (8)

Reason -Okay this is probably the easiest decision of your lineup. Dale Jr is starting from the pole and he been the best driver at this track for a long time. Gordon on the other hand have had some very tough luck at Daytona lately. Roll with the pole sitter.

B:
Start - Clint Bowyer (7) and Jamie McMurray (7)

Bench - Austin Dillon (8) and Kasey Kahne (4)

Reason - I am rolling with Bowyer and McMurray because they are two of the most popular fantasy options this weekend. I love Dillon, but anything can happen at Daytona. So I am rolling with the majority on this one.

C:

Start - Danica Patrick (6)

Bench - Ryan Blaney (7)

Reason -I probably made a mistake in setting my lineup. I wanted to save Danica for a more predictable racetrack as I think down the road we will get 7-9 starts from her. However Blaney missed the race after qualifying got rained out. So really forces our hand.

Fantasy Live -88,78,15,41,33

Sleeper -Austin Dillon

Winner -Dale Jr

Email - MattAleza@yahoo.com

Twitter - @MattAleza

Fantasy Nascar RaceDay Thoughts (Sonoma)

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Happy Raceday. Setting your fantasy team can be difficult , especially with everything being factored in. Below our group of experts give their thoughts on today race (Including their final
picks).

Kate Roswell (@CrazyKateNascar):

- Strategy. We will heard this word over and over throughout today's race. Pretty good chance we will see a late pit stop that will jumble this race. Is it a given? No. But I like the odds of it.

-Jeff Gordon will find himself back in victory lane after nearly a decade at Sonoma. He start from 5th and have a fast car this weekend.

-I expect both the Penske drivers to run better than they did last season here. I have them 10th and 11th in my rankings. With little luck one of them could find victory lane.

-I like Dale Jr as a legit sleeper today.

Garry Briggs (@Garryy12):

- I am not as high on Jeff Gordon as most everyone else is. I don't think he will be able to live up to the high standards everyone is expecting.

-Greg Biffle is a guy to watch out for. 4 of the past 5 races he have finished inside the top 10 at Sonoma. He starting from 22nd.

-If you love rolling the dice with your fantasy picks (like I do), then today is your lucky today. Sonoma is a great track to gamble at and try to get lucky.

-Not big on the CGR cars after seeing practice and qualifying. I had high hopes for Jamie McMurray. Course he will probably go out and win now.

Matt Aleza (@MattAleza):

-Starting position more important than people think. You don't wanna be caught in mid-pack with just a good car. Without strategy you probably will never be able to get to the front. Especially since passing will be tougher than ever under the current rule package.

- Don't use up your tires trying to make passes. The drivers who will be racing up front at end of a run will probably be the best road course drivers. They seem to understand how to be fast and not use up their equipment. Tires will be important today.

-AJ Dinger will be a great fantasy option today. Bank on it.

-Don't sleep on Kevin Harvick!

Yahoo Lineups -

Kate's Lineup - 24,47,15,38

Garry's Lineup - 24,47,15,95

Matt's Lineup - 24,41,47,38

Sleepers -

Kate's Pick - AJ Dinger

Garry's Pick - Greg Biffle

Matt's Pick - AJ Dinger

Winner -

Kate's Pick - Gordon

Garry's Pick - Kurt Busch

Matt's Pick - Gordon

Fantasy Nascar Final Rankings (Sonoma)

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Final Rankings -

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

Twitter - @CrazyKateNascar

Fantasy Nascar Update (Sonoma)

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Sonoma is in my opinion one of the toughest tracks to make fantasy picks for. Not because of the lack of fantasy options to choose from. But from how races usually play out at a track such as Sonoma. Road courses in general are headaches. There several ways this Sunday race could play out, but I think the toughest one will be who have track position late? That is the key question that will need to be answered. Whoever have track position late will lately find themselves in victory lane. With this season current rules package, I think it will be more important than ever.

A:

1. Jeff Gordon - Without question I think Jeff Gordon is the top option in this tier this week. I don't know if he will win, but he definitely bring a lot to the table. His 9 Top 10 finishes makes him a reliable fantasy option from a track history point of view. Something I think is very important to take into consideration at these type of tracks. Not to mention, he posted solid practices on Friday. He was 6th and 15th respectably. It helps that Gordon is in top-notch equipment. I think that aspect of the game is a lot of times overlooked. Sonoma is the tougher of the two road courses, so having solid equipment is probably a double-plus in my book.

My Overall Ranking: 1st

2. Jimmie Johnson - Johnson have been one of the strongest drivers at Sonoma over the past few seasons. He have evolved into one of the best road racers in the series. I feel like more people are starting to respect Johnson as a elite driver at Sonoma, but he still overlooked by too many. He was good in practice on Friday. I wouldn't call him great, but he rarely is on the road courses. Johnson usually don't show his hand until the race. Honestly I don't know why, but he will find his way into the top 5 when the checkers waves. I would rather save him for another day, but I am not against rolling the dice with him this weekend.

My Overall Rankings: 3rd

3. Kevin Harvick - Harvick put up a strong case for the top 2 spots , but Johnson and Gordon track records were too much for him to override them. Don't worry though, I am still very high on Kevin Harvick. He was very strong in pair of practices on Friday. If we were comparing Harvick to Johnson or Gordon based on practice, then Harvick would easily be ranked above them. However the overall rankings at Timerssports are based on several categories. Honestly I am willing to bet Harvick would have the car to beat heading into Sunday's race, if he didn't qualified poorly. Last June he was the man to beat until some bad luck crossed him late in the race. If bad luck don't strike again, then Harvick just might find himself back in victory lane.

My Overall Ranking: 5th

4. Kyle Busch - After the top 3 drivers, it pretty much a guessing game. I like Busch this weekend, but not sure if he can win though. He was fastest in final practice and looked solid in the first practice. Busch knows how to get around Sonoma as he is a former winner at this track. However his recent track record doesn't look too promising though. I think Busch have the potential to run well, but I think he need help to find victory. There probably a lot worse options to have though. I have Busch across the line at 7th overall. Just keep in mind he gunning for wins now, since he chase hopes are pretty slim. I am higher on him than most though.

My Overall Ranking: 7th

5.  Ryan Newman - Newman is pretty good at the road courses. I would call him great, but he more than capable of finishing inside the top 10 on Sunday. He had a solid pair of practices on Friday and didn't qualify too bad either. Honestly I have a feeling he might surprise people will a solid effort at Sonoma. Newman isn't really known for his road course skills, but he have been consistent at this venue throughout his career. If he finishes outside the top 15, then I would be very shocked. I have him as a top 10 fantasy option heading into Sunday's race. Even though he will probably run in the lower teen most of the day.

My Overall Ranking - 9th

Other Options - Keselowski (10th) , Logano(11th) , Kenseth  (14th) , Dale Jr (16th) and Hamlin (17th)

B:

1. Clint Bowyer - Bowyer is my top option in this grouping tier. His track record, impressive practice sessions, solid starting position and above average equipment makes him the best driver among the competition. I don't know if he will win on Sunday, but he is locked as a top 5 play in most formats. In practice, I thought he was one of the best drivers overall. He showed speed in both sessions and seemed pretty happy with his car. Bowyer have 4 straight Top 10 finishes at Sonoma. Last season he had a top 5 car before wrecking. He is someone you can feel good about picking. Bowyer is a road course ace and this is his best racetrack in my opinion.

My Overall Ranking: 2nd

2. AJ Dinger - I know a lot of people will disagree with Dinger not being number 1. Okay and that fair, right? He had one of the best cars in both road course races last season. He is starting on the pole for Sunday's race. He also looked pretty good in practice. Posted some real good lap times and team was pretty happy with the car. So there definitely plenty to like about him. However let look at it from a different view. Dinger have been pretty inconsistent in underfunded equipment this season. I don't care how good you are at a track, you will only go far as your equipment will take you. That might be his downfall. Even though I think he will lead a lot of laps. I say Dinger is a solid top 5 pick based on what I have seen this weekend.

My Overall Ranking: 4th

3. Kurt Busch - Busch will roll from 2nd on Sunday. I like him a lot heading into the race. He was pretty impressive in both practice sessions on Friday. He should easily contend for a top 5 finish. I wouldn't be shocked to see him win either though. Busch actually been one of the strongest performers at Sonoma dating back to 2011. His lone win came in 2011 with Penske, but he been able to contend for wins with smaller teams since then. Last season he should have probably finished inside the top 5, but he got caught up in the Bowyer-McMurray mess. That incident set him back quite a bit as he eventually finished 12th last June. I think it would be hard for him to finish outside the top 7 , unless something should happen to his car.

My Overall Ranking: 6th

4. Martin Truex Jr - Truex should make a solid fantasy option on Sunday. He will start from 12th, but I expect him to find his way to the front without much problems. He looked pretty good in both practices on Friday, unfortunately it would be hard to rank him over the guys above. I say Truex have a potential top 5 car for Sunday's race. However for now I have him ranked a bit lower than most would like. I am sure he will outrun my expectations, even though you never know about road courses. These races are well-known to screw up our fantasy lineups with late-race pit strategy. Keep that in mind if you play in allocation type-formats.

My Overall Ranking: 8th

5. Kyle Larson -Larson will roll off from 4th on Sunday. I would love to see him in victory lane, but I couldn't possibly feel confident enough to say he will have a realistic shot at winning at Sonoma. I really like what I saw from him last season, but that was only race. Larson probably have top 15 car for Sunday race with some track position early on that will help him. I wasn't overly impressed by him in practice, but I don't think practice is all too important at Sonoma. Like I said earlier track position will be the key to winning on Sunday. Truthfully I am not too high on Kyle Larson. Both the CGR cars have looked considerably off so far this weekend. Even though Larson qualified very well.

My Overall Ranking: 12th

Other Options - Kasey Kahne (13th) , Carl Edwards (15th) , Tony Stewart (18th) , Jamie McMurray (19th) and Greg Biffle (20th).

C:

1. David Gilliland - Gilliland didn't qualify all too well, but I am willing to bet he finishes somewhere near the top 20 on Sunday. Not sure how good he was in practice, since I didn't really track his lap times all too much. Based on his recent races on the road courses, I think he should make a solid top 25 play in most formats. In Yahoo fantasy racing , he is probably a fan-favorite among most players. Doesn't hurt he have ran near the top 25 all season long.

My Overall Ranking: 22nd

2. Danica Patrick - Patrick easily is the most trustworthy fantasy option in this tier. Not because she have been great on the road courses in her Cup career. Matter of fact, she haven't done that well. However she is in solid equipment and should have a leg up on the competition. Does that mean she will finish ahead? Nope. It will definitely be plus though. I have him just finishing behind the 38 car. She did qualify 21st if that means anything to anybody.

My Overall Ranking: 23rd

3. Michael McDowell - McDowell may be the the best kept secret this week. He was fast in every practice session and qualified 22nd. His equipment isn't great, but don't be fooled though. McDowell should be able to run with the top drivers in this tier. I was quite impressed by him in practice. Honestly I am not sure if he can finish any better than 20th, but the 95 team was pretty happy with the car after final practice. If the team is happy, then I am more than willing to take a shot in the dark.

My Overall Ranking: 24th
Email - MattAleza@yahoo.com

Twitter - @MattAleza

Fantasy Nascar Sleepers & Busts (Sonoma)

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Sleepers -

Joey Logano: Over the past 6 seasons, 6 different winners have broken out for their first road course wins. All 6 of them have had relatively decent success too. However nobody really saw any of those wins coming. Truth be told, we typically depend on the popular road course gems to deliver. Therefore we overlook the mass majority. Logano is someone you could probably depend on. Two things he brings to the table: Reliability and upside. In 6 career starts, Logano have finished inside the top 20 five times. Most recently he have stabilized himself as a solid fantasy play though. Before last season's 16th place run, he finished 11th , 6th and 10th from 2011-2013 races. Now that is far from impressive, but he have proven he can run up front here. I am willing to bet he least finishes inside the top 10 on Sunday. For now keep tabs on him in practice on Friday.

AJ Dinger: I wouldn't call him a sleeper as he have proven last season. He was arguably the best driver on the road courses. He probably should have finished up front last June. However Dale Jr had other ideas. With about 30 laps to go, Dinger got punted by the 88 car. Which led to Dinger heading to the garage early. Before last season's poor result? He finished 4 straight races from 7th-13th. Dinger is far from a must-have in my opinion. As he have proven to be inconsistent at his best tracks like Richmond , Martinsville, Bristol , etc. Personally I think Dinger will either win or finish somewhere in the 30s. If he finish poorly , I am willing to bet Ryan Newman may be the cause of that.

Jamie Mac: I wouldn't call JMac a favorite by any means, but he isn't someone you should be overlooking this week. If you go solely on stats, you probably wouldn't even consider Jamie. Considering he only have top 10 finish over the past 5 races at Sonoma. However JMac is in my opinion one of the better road course racers in the field. He doesn't always get the finishes, but he have shown us he can run up front. A lot of that have to do with his abilities to qualify well, but it nevertheless true. Last season was his best performance of his career. In that event, he started 1st and finished 4th. That was surprising to me since he was involved in the Clint Bowyer wreck late in the race. His performance for that event was very impressive though. Jamie had about the 3rd best car behind AJ Dinger and Kevin Harvick. In that race, he had the best average running position of 5.0 and best driver rating of 126.0. Two of the most important stats to look at when scouting a driver's overall performance. There two sides to JMac really. He will either finish pretty well or have you heavily drinking. This season he actually have been pretty reliable. He have been a top 15 machine lately. Especially over his past 7 races or so. In those 7 races (From Richmond to Michigan) , JMac have an 9.7 average finish with 4 Top 10 finishes and 6 Top 15 finishes. In fact, he is only one of 3 drivers to finish inside the top 20 in every race. Yeah he been pretty consistent!

Busts -


Tony Stewart - Man I am seriously tired of putting Smoke on the bust list. Honestly I am starting to feel guilty at this point. Unfortunately my hand is pretty much forced. His career stats here are impressive, but he been better at WGI. Smoke have struggled at Sonoma over his past 4 starts. In those races, he have had a 22.0 average finish. He was pretty bad last June too. In that race he finished 19th with 20.0 average running position. That was absolutely pathetic! Even though late pit strategy almost gave him an top 10 finish. Nevertheless it wouldn't changed the fact about his overall performance for the event. Thinking back to his past few races at Pocono and Michigan (best top tracks), he have a huge liability with finishes in the mid-20s. If he can ran well here, then I would definitely consider him for the Glenn. For now I think he will finish somewhere in the teens.


Brad Keselowski: Keselowski have struggled at Sonoma a lot in his career so far. In 5 career starts, Keselowki have only twice finished inside the top 20 and holds an 20.0 average finish with 19.2 average running position. Truthfully the sample-size it too tough to say how good he is here. However Keselowski is a pretty aggressive driver and it is one of the reasons he have done so well at The Glenn. Sonoma really more about hitting your marks. Getting too aggressive usually here typically leads to bad things. With tracks such as Kentucky and New Hampshire on the horizon, I would probably wait on him.

*All stats are from FantasyRacingCheatSheet and DriverAverages


Email - briggs_garry48@yahoo.com

Twitter - @Garryy12

Fantasy Nascar Picks (Sonoma)

iWelcome to TimersSports

Sonoma Raceway is located in Sonoma , CA and is the first of two road course on the 2015 schedule. Sonoma is in my opinion one of the toughest tracks to master on the schedule. It have turns that alter from left to right throughout the entire course. The key this weekend will be to understand which drivers have found success from a track history vantage point. Typically drivers who have found success on road courses in the past will be able to continue. Is it given? No. But it definitely helps. For example , over the past 3 seasons: 14 drivers have least 2 Top 15 finishes of  20 drivers to post finishes inside the top 15.

Yahoo -

A:

Start: Jeff Gordon (9)

Bench: Joey Logano (6)

Explanation -Go ahead and get fancy if you want. Gordon was selected by 53% of all Yahoo users this week and starts from 5th. I find it very hard to use anyone else in this grouping. He is by far the best fantasy option. Gordon should be a top 5 play.


B:

Start: AJ Dinger (7) , Clint Bowyer (9)

 Bench: Jamie McMurray (6) , Greg Biffle (9)

Explanation - Pretty easy decisions! Dinger start from the pole and Bowyer start from just outside the top 5. I find it very hard to bench either of those options. I expect Dinger to lead some laps and finish inside the top 5. Same with Bowyer. No need to get fancy folks.

Start: Michael McDowell (9)

Bench: David Gilliland (9)

 Explantion - McDowell and Gilliland are dead even in almost every category headed into Sunday's race. From equipment to track record they match up pretty evenly. So who gives me the better chance of gaining ground on the competition? McDowell it is.

Fantasy Live -4,41.78, 13 and 47

Sleeper - Dinger

Winner -Kurt Busch

Email - briggs_garry48@yahoo.com

Twitter - @Garyy12

Fantasy Nascar Early Rankings (Sonoma)

Welcome to TimersSports

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

Twitter - @CrazyKateNascar 

Fantasy Nascar Preview (Sonoma)

Welcome to TimersSports

After an off-week the NSCS head back to Sonoma Raceway in Southern California. This is the 16th race of season. This is usually a place where underdog drivers will have their best chance at stealing a spot in the chase.  This is the first of two road courses of the 2015 schedule. Sonoma in the more technical racetrack of two which rewards drivers who can race the track properly. Honestly tough place to make fantasy pick most times. Over past two seasons here only 2 drivers (Edwards and Gordon) have scored Top 5 finishes both times. However 7 drivers have scored Top 10 finishes in both of those races.

The key to success this weekend will be building your fantasy lineup based on the road courses studs. Not every week do we see underdogs such as AJ Dinger and Clint Bowyer labeled as favorites. We need to take advantage of that.

*Also remember practice is scheduled before qualifying, so that should be huge in some format. Let get started!

1-Jamie McMurray: JMac is one of the most underrated fantasy options on the road courses. He finished 4th last season at Sonoma after starting on the pole. In 2013, he also started on the pole but finished 25th in that race after being forced to pit late in that event. However he been one of the best drivers in the series based on overall performance over the past 2 seasons. He have compiled an 14.5 average finish (Tied for 14th-best), 1.0 average start (series-best), 11.5 average running position (Tied for 6th-best), 11 laps led and 101.1 driver rating (Tied for 7th-best). All across the board JMac is considered one of the best driver in the series here. He also have been one of the strongest drivers over the past 10 races of the 2015 season. In that span (since Martinsville), he holds the 2nd-best average finish and have wheeled have 9 Top 15 finishes in that span. Including 6 Top 10 finishes in those races. Histrionically speaking, JMac have been solid here throughout his career. He holds an 16.7 average finish with 6 Top 15 finishes in 12 career starts. He have started either 1st or 2nd in 2 of the past 3 races. In fact he have started 1st or 2nd in 5 of his past 9 races at Sonoma. He have finished inside the top 15 in 4 of the past 6 races at Sonoma as well.

2-Brad Keselowski: Keselowski haven't fared well at Sonoma like he have at the Glenn. He been pretty hit or miss overall. Last season he finished 22nd here. Over the past 3 seasons, BK have compiled an 18.3 average finish, 14.7 average start, 20.7 average running position, 7 laps led and 74.9 driver rating. He have finishes of 21,22 and 12 in that span. I don't know why he struggled last season so bad on the road courses. He finished outside the top 20 in both races. Histrionically speaking, BK holds an 20.0 average finish with 2 top 12 finishes in 5 races. He actually had a few solid performances, but the results haven't been there overall. Honestly I don't know what to expect from Keselowski. I am not super high on him, but he could surprise with an solid finish. I am interested how he does in practice though.

3-Austin Dillon: Dillon probably isn't gonna anything beyond an top 20 fantasy option, but there clearly worse options out there though. Last season he started 26th , finished 17th , had an 22.0 average running position and 65.3 driver rating. Those are far from impressive stats even though he was just a rookie last season. Dillon never been a good driver on road courses. Looking back to his NXS stats, he been pretty average and that probably being nice about it. Honestly I am probably won't use Dillon at all in any format. Especially with Daytona coming up next week.

4-Kevin Harvick: Harvick will probably have the best car this weekend and probably find a way to not win. That your typical Kevin Harvick race. Last season here at Sonoma that exactly have happened. He started from 6th, but quickly drove up to lead. He probably had the best car on the long run. Late in the race after the halfway point Harvick received damage from the Bowyer wrecked. If that didn't occur, he would have won this race or least finished inside the top 5 pretty easily. In that race, he finished 20th but held an 11.0 average running position and 101.6 driver rating. While leading the 3rd most laps (23) to only AJ Dinger and Carl Edwards. However Harvick been one of the most reliable fantasy options before last season. 3 of the past 4 races, he have knocked off finishes of 10th or better. Including an 3rd place finish in 2010. In 14 career races, he have held an 15.9 average finish with 8 top 15 finishes. Harvick is my early pick to win for those wondering at home.

5-Kasey Kahne: Most underrated driver on Road course? Probably Kasey Kahne. He been a stud lately at both Sonoma and the Glenn. I actually been pretty impressive. Last season he started 30th(!) , finished 6th , had an 15.0 average running position , and 96.7 driver rating. If Kahne can post those kind of numbers in a down season, then I am willing to bet he can repeat last season's performance. He actually have been one of the best drivers here recently since joining HMS. In that span (since 2012) , Kahne have an 8.7 average finish , 20.8 average finish, 11.7 average running position , and 99.4 driver rating. Looking at Kahne overall on the road course. Over the past 5 races combined (minus Glenn 2013), Kahne have an 10.2 average finish (5th-best in series), 22.0 average start, 13.8 average running position and 109.7 driver rating.

10-Danica Patrick: Patrick is probably pretty overrated here. No disrespect to her, but she haven't shown us much so far in her career on the road courses. Does that mean she won't be able to finish respectable? Of course not! However she did show significant improvement from year 1 to year 2 at Sonoma which is very encouraging. It pretty hard to get a good outlook on a driver who only have 2 starts under her belt. I would wait on practice to decide on Danica. An early guess would be Danica should be able to run anywhere in latter part of the top 20 or at worst top 25.

11-Denny Hamlin: Hamlin have struggled to produce decent results on road course throughout his career at the Cup level. Last season he started 16th, finished 23rd, had an 15.0 average running position and 65.6 driver rating. He was not terrible the entire event, but he faded late in the race went pretty much ended any chance of  scoring a respectable finish. However he have struggled here since 2010. In that span (5 races) , Hamlin have managed an 31.0 average finish, 13.0 average start, 21.8 average running position, and 69.7 driver rating. Hamlin been pretty hit or miss this season. In 15 races , he have finished 11th or better 8 times. However he have also finished outside the top 20 in 7 events. I really don't see much of upside with selecting Denny Hamlin honestly.

14-Tony Stewart: Smoke have struggled a lot at Sonoma over past few seasons. Over the past 5 races here, Smoke have compiled an 19.4 average finish, 16.6 average start, 15.2 average running position and 104.6 driver rating. Smoke was at one time considered a top fantasy option , but last season he was pretty much an average performer to say the least. He finished 19th , started 21st , had an 20.0 average running position and 66.2 driver rating. If I remember right he used a pit strategy to get track position, but was caught speeding on pit road late. Before that he rode around 20th most of that event. This season he have performed worse from an overall season vantage point. Honestly it hard seeing him suddenly turning it around. Especially after finishing poorly at Michigan and Pocono. Tracks that are considered his best on the schedule

15-Clint Bowyer: Bowyer is probably one of the best road course racers in the field and not everyone realizes it. To be fair, a lot have to do with he isn't top name in Nascar. However I find it very hard to overlook Bowyer recent history here. Over the past 3 races here, Bowyer have compiled 5.3 average finish (2nd-best), 12.0 average start , 8.7 average finish (2nd-best), 76 laps led (series-best) and 114.6 driver rating (series-best). Still not convinced? Let look at his career at Sonoma , shall we? In 9 career starts, he holds an 9.2 average finish with 7 Top 10 finishes. In that span , he have wheeled off 5 Top 5 finishes in his past 8 starts. Before finishing 10th last season , he have knocked off 3 straight top 5 finishes. He probably should have finished top 5 last season though. Was running top 5, but got wrecked unfortunately. In addition to those impressive stats, he also have led in 4 of the previous 5 races at Sonoma. In fact , he have held the 4th-best driving rating over that same span.

16-Greg Biffle: If I told you Greg Biffle is one of the best road course racers , would you believe me? Well you should. Over the past 2 seasons , Biffle have been one of better performers at Sonoma. He have compiled 8.5 average finish , 11.5 average start, 11.0 average running position and 96.6 driver rating. Most people would probably assume it because Roush been down on power the past few seasons. Well hate to tell you Biff been a stud here well  before RFR's performance went south. Over the past 4 races (minus 2011 race) , have produced an 7.8 average finish (4th-best) , 9.0 average start, 13.0 average running position (8th-best) , 0 laps led and 91.5 driver rating. Not good enough for you? Okay let dig a little deeper! Dating back to 2006 (9 races ago), Biff have finished 11th or better 7 times and have finished inside the top 10 in 6 of those races. How does that stack up to the competition? Only Jimmie Johnson , Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer have more Top 10s in that 9-race span. In 12 career starts , Biff holds an 13.8 average finish with 6 top 10 finishes. 9 of his 12 career races , Biff have finished 14th or better.

18-Kyle Busch: Busch is most likely out of chase contention , unless he win a few races between now and Richmond. Sonoma isn't a great racetrack for Rowdy. Over the past 6 races , he have finished 17th or worse in 5 of those races. Let look at the past 3 races though. He have compiled 25.7 average finish, 12.0 average start, 19.3 average running position, and 69.3 driver rating. Busch is much better at the Glenn. If I was gonna roll the dice with him it would be there. I am not very high on him this weekend. At best he probably have an top 15 fantasy outlook. Save him for another weekend folks.

19-Carl Edwards: I don't trust Edwards, but I find it very hard to overlook a driver with such a strong track record, too. So it really a personal call when it comes to Edwards this weekend. He have been a strong qualifier this season recently. He have qualified inside the top 5 in the past 3 races this season. At Sonoma he been one of the strongest performers here. Over the past 4 races here, Edwards have compiled an 7.0 average finish , 10.3 average start, 11.8 average running position, 26 laps led and 99.5 driver rating. In that 4-race span , Edwards have finishes of 1st , 3rd, 21st and 3rd. If we take out his 21st place finish in 2012 , he have an impressive 2.3 average finish. Only Jeff Gordon (2.0) average is better in those 3 races.

20-Matt Kenseth: Kenseth actually been a decent fantasy option lately at Sonoma. He been nothing special over his career, but he is better than most realize though. Over the past 3 seaasons (minus last season race) , Kenseth have compiled 15.3 average finish , 16.0 average start, 14.3 average running position and 84.6 driver rating. Those aren't great numbers, but if he can knock within the top 15 then he should be a decent day for Kenseth. In 15 career races, Kenseth holds an 22.1 average finish with 5 Top 15 finishes. However only one of those have resulted inside the top 10. That was way back in 2008 with 8th place finish. I think it would be better to save Kenseth for another weekend. Least as of right now.

22-Joey Logano: Logano definitely isn't the most well-know fantasy option at the road courses, but he have proven he can be reliable at this place. Over the past 4 races at Sonoma, Logano have compiled an 10.8 average finish, 8.3 average start, 14.0 average running position, 18 laps led and 86.0 driver rating. Last season he finished 16th, but wasn't much better than that for the entire event. In that race he started 11th , finished 16th , had an 16.0 average running position , led 3 laps and had an 76.2 driver rating. Headed into practice on Friday , I have him ranked 10th in my personal set of rankings. Logano is someone to keep a eye on as the week progresses.

24-Jeff Gordon: Gordon will be a very popular fantasy option this weekend. For good reason too. The past two seasons, Jeff Gordon have finished 2nd in both races. He have compiled an 2.0 average finish , 12.5 average start , 10.5 average running position, 7 laps led and 112.5 driver rating. Those are stats that will make any fantasy option popular. However Gordon's track history makes him a fan favorite for the mass majority. Most recently , Gordon have finished 2nd in 3 of the past 4 races. The time he didn't? It was in 2013 where he finished 6th. Digging deeper into Gordon record , he have knocked off 18 Top 10 finishes in the past 20 races. Including 9 straight top 10 finishes in that span. However Gordon last wins came in 2004 and 2006 respectably. On the flip side, Gordon have struggled to finish races this season. So why it hard to imagine him not finishing up front. I could easily see him finding a way to disappoint.

27-Paul Menard: Menard doesn't have most impressive stats on the road courses, but I say he is pretty underrated in my personal opinion. Over the past 3 road course (minus last season race at The Glenn), Menard have compiled an 12.0 average finish, 10.7 average start, 15.3 average running position and 83.7 driver rating. Menard actually been a solid driver at Sonoma since joining RCR (he came to RCR in 2012). In his past 4 races at this track, he have compiled 14.0 average finish, 11.8 average start, 17.8 average running position and 77.9 driver rating. In that span, he have finished inside the top 20 in every race at Sonoma. Including a career-best of 5th last season. In 2013, he finished 14th at this track. Menard doesn't have the most upside, but there are probably much worse options to have though.

41-Kurt Busch: Busch is one of the most successful drivers at Sonoma. Over the past 3 seasons , he have compiled 6.3 average finish, 6.7 average start, 10.7 average running position, 17 laps led and 107.5 driver rating. In that span, he have finishes of 12,4 and 2. Busch had one of the strongest cars last season, but faded late in the event after a incident. Busch have been solid all season long. He is coming off a win at Michigan. Only once this season have he finished outside the top 15. I am willing to bet Busch finishes somewhere up front once again come Sunday. Won't be shocked to see him win back-to-back races. He have finished 12th or better in 5 straight races at Sonoma. Including a win in 2011 with Pesnke Racing.

47-AJ Dinger: AJ Dinger is probably the most likely underdog to win this weekend. Looking at his stats at Sonoma , they have been pretty impressive. Over the past 4 races here (minus last season 37th place finish), Dinger have compiled 10.5 average finish , 14.8 average start, 18.3 average running position and 87.5 driver rating. In that span of races he had finishes of 9th , 13th , 13th and 7th. He probably should won last season's race here though. Dinger led a race-high 35 laps of possible 110. However I believe Dale Jr got a little too aggressive and sent Dinger off the course and damaging his car. Which pretty much ended his chance of winning. However he did show back up later last season and won at the Glenn. On the flip side, Dinger may be a sitting duck if Ryan Newman get his hands on him. Remember Pocono? Yeah I am sure Newman would love to put him in the wall at one of his best track. Kinda like Dinger did to Newman at one of his best tracks. Of course we cannot predict things like that. So I am solely just making a bold prediction at this point.

48-Jimmie Johnson: Johnson in my opinion is one of  the best road course racers in Nascar. I don't know why, but most people don't truly understand how good Johnson is. Over the past 3 seasons , he have compiled an 7.0 average finish, 14.7 average start, 7.3 average running position and 109.8 driver rating. In that span Johnson ranked 4th in average finish , 1st in average running position and 4th in driver rating. Need more convincing? Over the past 6 races at Sonoma , Johnson have compiled an 5.5 average finish (2nd-best) , 8.2 average running position (series-best) and 114.5 driver rating (series-best). It pretty hard to ignore Johnson's impressive Sonoma stats. He will be greatly undervalued this week, which means it could be a great week to scoop up Johnson and employ in all formats.

78-Martin Truex Jr: Truex have been one of the better drivers here recently. Last season he started 18th , finished 15th, had 19.0 average running position and 82.4 driver rating. If I remember correcetly Truex had a flat tire to start off the race went pretty much put him behind most of the race. Even though he had a car probably of running top 10 though. Back in 2013, he won this race. He started 14th , finished 1st, led 51 laps , had an 6.0 average running position and 144.0 driver rating. That win actually caught me off guard because he struggled all weekend and didn't even look like a top 10 guy. Last few seasons that been the case with Sonoma with the eventually race winner. Not sure why though. I have very high hopes for Martin Truex Jr. I would take a shot with him as he is considered one of the best fantasy options in the field right now.

88-Dale Jr: Dale Jr drove like a madman last season at Sonoma. I am sure it was not intentionally, but he definitely ruffled a few trees on his way his 3rd place finish. This was his breakout race in my opinion. Looking at his career numbers , Dale Jr only have 7 Top 15 finishes in 15 races. Even though last season was his first top 5 (and Top 10) effort here. Honestly I still don't think Dale is a great fantasy option on the road courses, but I don't see any reason why he cannot run well this weekend. I have him penciled in as a top 15 option headed into Friday practices.

**All stats are from Driveraverages.com and FantasyRacingCheatSheet.com

Remember to check out Nascar Behind The Wall! Excellent site for race previews , race schedules , entry lists,etc.


 Email - JeffNathan74@yahoo.com

Twitter - @JeffNathans

Fantasy Football Early Look: Sleepers

Welcome to TimersSports

We are kicking off our 2015 Fantasy football content today! The prime objective of this article is to vagary scan the competition and highlight a few potential fantasy sleeper for the upcoming season. Will my opinion change from now and September? Most likely. However I always enjoy comparing notes and thoughts from time frame and another. Who exactly qualify as a sleeper? Good question. In my personal opinion , I believe to qualify as a fantasy sleeper you must meet certain criteria. My definition would one who potentially could out-performance the general public overall expectations or standards. Simple as that! Below I listed 2 player per position to keep an eye on in the upcoming months.

Quarterbacks:

Tony Romo- There probably several experts who have Romo labeled as an top-tier guy, however most of the mock drafts i have done this month have indicated Romo being drafted after the 7th Round. Last season, Romo was one of the better players at his position. He threw for 3705 yards , 34 Touchdowns and 9 Interceptions. Most noticeably, Romo only attempted 435 passes in the 2014 season. For those wondering that the fewest passes attempted in the league among Quarterbacks with least 15 games played. In fact Romo led the league in pass percentage (69%) completed.  He also only had 9 interceptions on the season which is tied with Tom Brady for the 3rd fewest in the league. His 34 Touchdowns ranked inside the top 12 at the Quarterback position. All-across the board Romo posted legitimate numbers and should definitely should be considered a useable Quarterback in every format. I say it unrealistic for Romo to repeat his 8.5 yards per throw and impressive 69% completion percentage. However looking back at 2013, he posted pretty similar numbers. In that season, he posted 3800+ yards , 31 Touchdowns and only 10 Interceptions.


Teddy Bridgewater-  Not many people are probably eying the 2nd-year player for the Vikings. But I have. I am very high on this young man. He only played 13 games in the 2014 NFL season, but he proven he can be a dangerous asset. After week 11 , Teddy really came into his own. In that span , he completed 69% of his passes and averaged 1.6 Touchdowns , 239 yards/per game and was ranked among the top 12 in that span at his position. Now remember Teddy was only a rookie last season, so he really didn't have much of a chance to understand the offense. After a full-year with this team and the addition of Mike Wallace , Teddy should be primed for a pretty good season. Now I probably wouldn't reach for him or nothing, but there aren't many Quarterbacks with the upside that he potentially have.

Running Backs:

Andre Ellington - Ellington was a pretty hyped up second-year last season after an impressive rookie showing for Arizona. However everything didn't go according to plan. Actually Ellington was pretty banged up in the first game. As the season progressed it just got worsen. In  fact, he only played 12 of the possible 16 games. His 3.3 average/Yard per attempt isn't anything to get excited about. But he did add 350+ yards in catches out of the backfield. Ellington actually was ranked around 15th in fantasy points per game in most scoring formats. Which should be a great indication he was a fairly useful option on a weekly basis. He just didn't live up to the high expectations. I would definitely take a shot with him, if he continue to fall down draft boards. In most mock drafts I have done, Ellington have been drafted as an high-end RB3.

Gio Bernard - Gio Bernard heads into the 2015 season as the number 2 running back (as of right), but don't be fooled. Gio role was decreased during the 2014 season, however he still posted top 20 numbers in a season where he was limited due to the emergence of  rookie Jeremy Hill and injuries. Gio only played 13 games in the 2014 season, but he did notch 680 yards on the ground and 44 catches for addition 349 yards out of the backfield. Hill was the better overall back , but it wasn't by large amount of production with 1127 yards on the ground and 217 yards on 27 catches out of the backfield.While Hill definitely hurt Gio fantasy value and potential, however it only limit him. He is still very capable of putting up top 20 numbers on a weekly basis. He been going a lot in mock drafts in Rounds 7-10. Pretty underrated in my opinion!

Wide Receiver:


Devante Adams - Adams is my personal favorite fantasy sleeper. The most dangerous part about the Green Bay Packers offense is the Receiving core. Cobb and Nelson get the most credit, but don't overlook the third-option in this offense. Devante Adam the 2nd-year Wide out from Fresno State in the 2nd Round have huge potential. Last season he notched 446 yards and 3 Touchdowns on 38 catches. To be fair Jarrett Boykin was a huge roadblock until about mid-season when he got injured. I like Adams a lot  because anyone in the Packers offense will have a chance to produce. Heck Rodgers himself was gushing over him not too long ago. Even as the number 3 wide out. Remember in 2012? James Jones scored 14 times behind Nelson and Cobb. Adams is in my opinion much more talented. The only real question is can Adams get production on a weekly basis? Honestly I don't know, but I am wouldn't mind taking a shot with him.

Brandlin Cooks - No more Jimmy Graham means a lot of targets are unclaimed for the upcoming 2015 season. I am willing to bet majority of them will go to Cooks. Especially since Kenny Stills is now in Miami. Last season the Cooks produced 69 targets for 53 receptions on 550 yards and 3 Touchdowns. Those are solid numbers for a rookie wide receiver. However he is by far the top option in the Saints offense. Let look at the other guys on the depth charts: Marques Colston , Nick Toon, Joe Morgan and Jalen Saunders. Cooks probably isn't gonna be a top 10 fantasy option at this position, but I don't see any reason why he cannot clip 1000 yards and 6 Touchdowns.

Tight Ends:

Larry Donnell - I love what I saw out of Donnell in 2014. He didn't do anything special, but he did produce 623 yards and 6 Touchdowns on 92 targets. What stands out is his 92 targets. He was 9th among Tight Ends in targets. There is nobody else on the Giants depth chart at this position that can take a considerable amount of targets away from him. Donnell is a redzone monster with an 6''6/265 lbs frame. We saw it last season how useful he can be in a tough situation for the Giants. Cruz and Beckham will probably take away most of the production, but the Tight end position is pretty thin. If he can match last season stat line, then he should be very useful fantasy option. Heck even an 60-500-5  line would make him an excellent value for his current ADP. Keep an eye on Donnell this summer.

Zach Ertz - Ertz isn't exactly a sleeper as he was a fairly well-known fantasy option last season. Most experts listed him as a possible sleeper last season. He produced a solid stat line of 58-702-3. His 702 receiving yards ranked as 12th among all Tight Ends. However his 58 receptions and 3 Touchdowns have his fantasy owners scratching their heads last season. On the plus side, Ertz may now be the top option in the Eagles offense with no more Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy. Ertz will definitely see a upstick in production. I say he have potential to have a final stat line of 60-700-6. Those are TE1 numbers in most scoring formats. In most drafts, he will be drafted a low-end starter/high-end backup.

Alright that does it for this edition of early sleepers! I hope everyone enjoyed this small little piece. I am looking forward to the 2015 season.

*All stats are from  http://www.fftoday.com

Email- MattAleza@yahoo.com

Twitter - @MattAleza

Fantasy Nascar RaceDay Thoughts (Michigan)

Happy Raceday. Setting your fantasy team can be difficult , especially with everything being factored in. Below our group of experts give their thoughts on today race (Including their final
picks).

Kate Roswell (@CrazyKateNascar):

- Track position will be huge today. I am willing to bet the race winner didn't have the car to beat. Always to play out like that at these type of tracks.

- Be watching out for Jeff Gordon this weekend. He qualified 6th and had a really strong final practice. He could be in store for an strong performance today.

- Greg Biffle have to be the biggest disappointment. A lot of people were very high on him all week long , but is anyone truly shocked? I am not. RFR isn't RFR anymore.

- Martin  Truex Jr could easily make it back-to-back wins today. Crew Chief said his car was perfect during Final practice.

Garry Briggs (Garryy12):

- I got some angry messages from Jr Nation this week after I guaranteed Dale Earnhardt Jr would finish outside the top 10 at Pocono finally. Well Jr Nation , I predict a win out of the 88 this week. Happy?

- Jamie McMurray  was someone I was pretty high on heading into the weekend, but he have struggled in pretty much every practice session held at Michigan. Doesn't help he qualified 25th. He wasn't great last weekend either though, but still ended solid. Still don't think there better fantasy options out there.

- Greg Biffle. The Biff. Call whoever you like I still won't even consider him outside of the plate races. Not sure why so many people were hell bent on him this week. Needless to say , I want no part of him.

-Austin Dillon been a personal favorite sleeper of mine the past few weeks. He starting to show the potential that we all were expecting. However not many people have noticed. This is one of Dillon's favorite tracks. Or least I would think so judging by his past performances on it.

Matt Aleza (@MattAleza):

- Jeff Gordon is definitely someone to look out for. I am probably higher than most on him though. I wouldn't be shocked by an top 5 run by him. He was pretty strong last weekend at Pocono. The 24 team might be onto something of late? Maybe. Maybe not.

-The Penske cars have gained a lot this week, but they are still behind the Hendrick powered cars and Gibbs Toyotas. Even though they clearly have found something.

-Paul Menard have been a disappointment in most people opinions. He actually have looked pretty decent overall. But after 3 straight Top 5 finishes here the standards are fairly high.

-The Gibbs cars look a little off this weekend compared to the Hendrick cars and Haas cars , but I am not convinced that they won't mix it up. A track like Michigan will give them a shot to run up front. Especially with their super-fast pit crews.

Yahoo Lineups:

Kate's Lineup - 4,78,19,21

Garry's Lineup - 4,27,42,33

Matt's Lineup - 4,78,5,21

Sleepers:

Kate's Pick - Larson

Garry's Pick- Dillon

Matt's Pick - Menard

Race Winner:

Kate's Pick - Harvick

Garry's Pick - Dale Jr

Matt's Pick - Harvick

Fantasy Nascar Update (Michigan)

Welcome to Timerssports

We are at Michigan this weekend! This 2-mile racetrack was reapave in 2011. Personally I wished Nascar would stop repaving racetracks altogether as I prefer worn out surfaces to newer surfaces. Oh well that just me being old-school like. From fantasy point of view, the key to success will be having luck on your side. Typically this track favorites fuel mileage. Honestly I am not a fan of it, but that how it plays out sometimes. So be prepared for that if it happens. It kinda reminds me of a road course and that exactly how some teams attack this race.
A:

1.Kevin Harvick - Harvick starts from 2nd and undoubtedly have the car to beat this weekend as he does almost every single track we go to. He posted solid pair of practices on Saturday to back up his heavy favorite status. I was very high on him on all week long though. Wouldn't was though? He have wheeled off  4 straight finishes of 2nd at Michigan. It helps that he finished 2nd earlier this season at Auto Club. Honestly I don't see how anyone could bet against him in Sunday's race. The stats says Harvick will win , but he will probably find a way to finish 2nd. Still he is by far the best fantasy option available to us. 

My Overall Ranking - 1st

2. Dale Jr - Overall I thought Dale was pretty good on Saturday. He posted some great laps in both sessions, but nothing like he did at Pocono practices. Kinda feel like people have let him slip under the radar after all the Pocono hype last week. I wouldn't sleep on him at all. He easily had an top 10 car in practice and probably will finish somewhere in the top 5 when the checkers wave. It also helps that he finished 5th and 7th last season here. People seem to forget Dale Jr once use to own this place and personally I think he may be getting back to his old ways. Which means he could be a very useful fantasy option this weekend if you employ him correctly.

My Overall Ranking - 2nd

3. Jimmie Johnson - Johnson qualified inside the top 10, but he wasn't anything special in practice though. However wasn't too bad either. His Michigan track record isn't anything to laugh at considering he won here last season. Realistically he probably have an top 10 car heading into Sunday race, but his upside usually give him a shot at an top 5 finish. Remember last week? He had a top 10 car all day long, but finished 3rd. Another similar day could be in store for him at Michigan. One major aspect I like about Johnson is that he have won 3 times in 2015 on high-speed intermediate racetracks.

My Overall Ranking - 3rd

4. Matt Kenseth - Behind Harvick it is really a guessing game. In practice, nobody really stood out from the rest in this grouping tier. However Kenseth bring a lot to the table that I really like. His Michigan record is pretty darn good. Even with JGR he been reliable. Over the past 4 races (All with JGR), he only have one finish worse than 15th and that last season where he finished 30 laps down. Also he probably should have won at Auto Club earlier this season, if the caution didn't come out late in the event. It helps that he qualified 12th and posted good practices on Saturday. I wouldn't call them great practices, but he usually races better than he practices. If that the case , he will easily finish inside the top 10 on Sunday. I have a feeling he knock off a finish somewhere in the top 5 when it all said and done though.

My Overall Ranking - 4th

5.Kyle Busch - My sleeper in this tier have to be Kyle Busch. He starts 10th and looked pretty good in both practice sessions on Saturday. I wouldn't call him a favorite by no means since he have struggled to finish races here since the repave, but it hard ignore how much upside a guy like Rowdy have. I also like the fact that he is racing again in the NXS race. I feel like he does better when he is racing double duty. Is it set in stone he will finish better? No, but it probably doesn't hurt him either though.

My Overall Ranking - 6th

Other Options - Gordon (7th), Keselowski (9th) , Hamlin (10th) , Logano (11th) and Newman (14th)

B:

1. Kasey Kahne - It really hard to not like Kasey Kahne this weekend. He starts on the pole and looked pretty good in both practices on Saturday. Everything in practice points to Kasey being a top tier option in Sunday's race. Honestly I been pretty high on him all week long for the most part. Michigan have been a solid track for him since joining HMS. He haven't been anything special this season on the high-speed intermediate racetracks, but have ran very competitively in several of them this season. Typically when he starts up front, he finishes there too. Not saying he will win , however I wouldn't rule out an top 5 finish. Or more realistically an top 10 finish.

My Overall Ranking - 5th

2. Martin Truex Jr - Truex is the hottest driver in the NSCS right now. He have led the most laps in each of the past three races. Don't expect him to slow down anytime soon either. He qualified 9th and had two solid practices on Saturday. I don't think he will make it back-to-back wins, but I wouldn't rule out another top 10 finish though. Not as high on Truex as most are this weekend. Personally I think he hit his peak last week at Pocono. Honestly I am interested how he fares over the next few races. This weekend he has an top 5 car, but I decided to leave room for error with Truex in my rankings. I have him across the line in 8th! On a side note , one of Truex's better racetracks is coming up next weekend for those of you who play Yahoo Fantasy Racing.

My Overall Ranking - 8th

3. Kyle Larson - Larson have been on a roll lately with finishes of 3rd and  8th at Dover and Pocono. Well he doesn't look to be done quite yet. Larson qualified 17th , but don't expect him to stay there for long. He post two very strong practice sessions on Saturday. I felt like Larson slipped under the radar this week. Honestly I am not sure why either. He finished 8th last season in his debut. Realistically he probably will finish somewhere in the top 10 or Top 12. However I wouldn't rule out a finish near the top 5 when the checkers wave. I have him across the line 12th, but I expect him to easily to finish better than that.

My Overall Ranking - 12th

4. Carl Edwards - I am not real high on Edwards this week due to his inability to finish up front. Personally I think Edwards is one of the most hyped drivers headed into a season we have seen in quite a long time. A lot of people jumped on the Carl Edwards 2015-Championship bandwagon in the offseason, but so far the results haven't followed. He qualified 4th , but I am pretty sure he will find a way to finish outside the top 10 once again. He wasn't terrible in practice, but he only posted short runs though. Which kinda makes him unreadable for the most part. I would wait until next week at Sonoma to use him. It been a pretty good place for him lately.

My Overall Ranking - 13th

5. Kurt Busch - Busch have looked a little off this weekend and it doesn't help he qualified 24th for Sunday race. I wasn't super impressed by his practice results , but I wouldn't worry though. He will find his way into the top 15 fairly quick. After that I don't know to be honest. I think he can run top 10 in the race, but I don't think he is anything beyond that. I would feel a lot better if he didn't wreck his primary car in practice 1 on Friday. That car was a lot better than his backup overall in my opinion. It was the car he finished 3rd at Auto Club with earlier this season afterall. I have him across the line in 14th overall in my rankings.

My Overall Ranking - 14th

Other Options - Menard (16th) , Dillon (17th), JMac (18th) ,  and Stewart (19th)

C:

1. Ryan Blaney - Without much debate , Ryan Blaney is the best fantasy option in this tier. He qualified 5th and had the best practices of anyone in this grouping tier of drivers. His speed and competitiveness isn't my concern at all. It weather or not Blaney can go the full 400 miles. That been a major concern all week long. I agree it a concern, but the reward could be huge if plays out right for Ryan. I personally have him ranked 20th in my fantasy rankings. But if he goes the distance with his engine , then he probably gonna least knock off an top 15 or top 20. We cannot predict engine failures , so I say roll the dice with him.

My Overall Ranking - 20th

2.  Ty Dillon - If something were to happen to Blaney , I think without question Ty Dillon is the primary fantasy option in line to be the top scorer in this grouping tier. Dillon qualified 22nd and should be able to easily finish inside the top 25 on Sunday. Ty Dillon (In my opinion) is a younger more talented Austin Dillon. They share a lot of great qualities. One of them is consistency improving their cars throughout the race. His brother loves this track , so let hope Ty shares the same opinion! 

My Overall Ranking - 22nd

3. David Ragan - Ragan been a pretty safe fantasy option over the past few weeks, but I don't feel great about rolling the dice with a driver who was just given a new crew chief. Personally I thought Ragan was the best option in this tier in final practice. However I don't think it a good idea to roll the dice with him over Dillon and Blaney. Especially since he have a new crew chief. Just my personal opinion though. I could see an top 20 finish out of him though.

My Overall Ranking - 23rd

4. Danica Patrick - I definitely could see Danica outscoring all three options above, but I think it unwise to go that route if one of drivers are available to you. Especially in Yahoo Fantasy Racing where allocations are pretty limited. Danica qualified 19th and looked pretty decent overall. She should be able to run top 25 on Sunday, but I am not so sure about anything better than that. However I wouldn't it out either though. I personally have her across the line in 25th in my fantasy rankings. Wished she show us a little more in practice this week.

My Overall Ranking - 25th 

Email - JeffNathan74@yahoo.com

Twitter - @JeffNathans 

Fantasy Nascar Final Rankings (Michigan)

Welcome to Timerssports

Final Rankings -

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

Twitter - @CrazyKateNascar 

Fantasy Nascar Picks (Michigan)

Welcome to TimersSports

We are headed to Michigan this weekend! I consider this my hometown racetrack as it only about 2.5 hours away from my house. The 2-mile racetrack was repaved in 2011, which have flipped the table on the field. Several drivers have surfaced as the new favorites. While others have struggled to get the handle on track like before the repave. Sunday's race will mark the 8th race in NSCS on this surface. As we put down more races expect the old favorites to slowly rise to the top. However we are still quite awhile away from that shift occurring. Expect anything with a Chevy motor to be fast. Especially if it is powered by Hendrick. I would probably recommend building your lineup about around those cars.

Yahoo -

Start - Kevin Harvick 

Bench - Joey Logano

Explanation -I am not gonna get fancy in A this week. Harvick starts 2nd and should lead a lot of laps. I pretty easy decision in my opinion. Take the great points day from Harvick and move on.

B:

Start - Kyle Larson , Paul Menard

 

Bench - Carl Edwards , Kurt Busch

 

Explanation - I regret taking Kahne off at last minute, but it makes my decision pretty easy though regarding my final lineup. Kyle Larson was pretty good in both practice sessions on Saturday. So I will roll with him. I don't really like Edwards or Busch much this weekend. I wasn't impressed with Menard either, however this have been a great track for him recently. So why not?

C:

Start - Ty Dillon 

 

Bench - Danica Patrick 

Explanation - Dillon or Danica? They have been close on speed all weekend, but I need to find some start saves to make my C-list math work. So Dillon it is!

Fantasy Live - 4,41,78,3,13

Sleeper - Austin Dillon

Race Winner - Harvick

Email - briggs_garry48@yahoo.com

Twitter - @Garryy12

Fantasy Nascar Sleepers & Busts (Michigan)

Welcome to TimersSports

Sleepers -

Paul Menard: Honestly Menard isn't even a sleeper in my opinion. He should be on everyone radars as legit stud across the board in most formats. However judging by history, he will be overlooked because he isn't a big time name. Believe me, he is probably a lock for an top 10 finish this weekend. Michigan is considered his best racetrack left on the schedule. He have finished 4th in 3 straight races here. He actually have finished inside the top 10 in 4 of the past 5 races at the 2-mile racetrack.Believe it or not, Menard have finished 4 of his 8 career races with RCR in the top 5 at Michigan. Every time he have finished 4th.  Not to mention , he finished 4th at California (the most similar track). He also was running 4th at Kansas and Texas before have problems. Menard seems to like things that comes in 4(s).

Austin Dillon: Dillon is probably one of the most underrated drivers at Michigan. Back in 2013, he proved he could handle this place with posting results of 11th and 14th. Last season he came back and disappointed in the finish wise. However he was far better than 22nd and 30th. Last June he finished 22nd, but he held an 17.0 average run. I believe he lost some track position on the final round of pit stops or something. In the August race, he finished 30th. In that race he started 19th , had an 13.0 average run and completed 88% of all laps inside the top 15. If Dillon can improve , then could possibly knock off an top 10 finish. Remember he ran pretty well earlier this season at California.

Jamie McMurray: JMac is someone to watch out for this week. He never had any super special stats at Michigan, but he have ran well lately though. He was surprising decent in 2014. Actually had finishes of 14th and 12th. Honestly he been pretty average at this place since joining CGR. If you going on pure past stats, you will not like what you see. Especially since he only have 5 Top 15s and 0 Top 10s over his past 12 races here. With Jamie it more what have you done for me most recent? He only have 9 straight top 20 finishes since Martinsville. In that span , he have finished inside the top 13 in 5 of the past 6. There aren't many driver hotter than Jamie McMurray right now. My concern is can the CGR cars keep up with the front runners? Honestly I don't know. We will find out.

Busts -

Ryan Blaney: I will admit I was very close to putting Blaney on my bust list at Kansas, but didn't jump the gun. But 3 blown engines in 5 starts tell me all I need to know. Sure he have shown awesome upside so far this season, but I don't trust him to go the full-distance. My theory is Penske is using him as a testing driver. Meaning they are giving him risky engines to try out. Which make sense , since the Wood bros are in alliance with Penske. In the end , we really don't know what truly going on though. Use him at your own risk!

Tony Stewart: Hate putting Smoke on the bust list in back-to-back weeks, but his numbers will make him a viable fantasy option. It pretty obvious that Smoke is dead in the water this season. He couldn't even finish decent at Pocono last week. Michigan is probably right behind Pocono, but I just don't see the point in gambling with a terrible hand. If we are lucky, we will see an respectable top 20 from him. That given SHR gives him a car that have some speed. You could probably put him in the 4 car and he wouldn't run top 10. He have lost confident in himself and it isn't something you can replace on the racetrack.

Fantasy Nascar Preview (Michigan)

Welcome to re Timerssports

We are headed to Michigan this weekend for the 15th race of the 2015 NSCS season. Much like Pocono, this is another horsepower racetrack. Which means the cars to beat this weekend will be the cars with the most power under the hood. However Michigan is known as a fuel mileage racetrack. So don't be shocked to see Sunday's race under such conditions! From fantasy point of view, I want anything with a chevy engine. As we saw at Pocono , the chevy powered cars ran up front all day long. I expect no different at Michigan! When making our fantasy picks , we will refer back to races held on intermediates tracks in 2015. There have been 6 races held on this type track! Cali is the most comparable track to Michigan as they are considered sister tracks.



1-Jamie Mac: Jamie Mac have started the 2015 season off very well and have been one of the most reliable fantasy options over the past several races. Last season at Michigan he posted finishes of 14th and 22nd. Over the past 4 races at Michigan , JMac posted an 20.3 average finish, 19.3 average start, 16.3 average running position and 81.1 driver rating. Those are standout numbers, but they are more than reliable numbers considering CGR haven't exactly set the world on fire with their elite speed. He been strong the high-speed intermediates in 2015 though. Minus Atlanta wreck, he have compiled 14.0 average finish, 15.4 average start, 16.4 average running position and 79.6 driver rating. Truth be told, Jamie have been pretty up down this season on this type track. He finished 19th and 21st at Charlotte and Cali. While wrecking out at Atlanta. However he also had some decent results at Texas, Kansas and Vegas. From career point of view, he have held an 19.4 average finish with 4 career Top 10s. His last top 10 was in 2008 back with RFR. Even though he have finished either 12th and 14th in 4 of the past 6 races.


2-Brad Keselowski: Honestly I don't know what going on with Penske. They struggled at Dover and Pocono. Even before that they have looked a little off. Keselowski was pretty solid here in 2014 though. He posted finishes of 3rd and 8th. Over the past 4 races here, he have posted 8.8 average finish, 9.0 average start, 7.3 average running position, 23 laps led and 106.6 driver rating. Those are some really good numbers, but I don't expect him to back those results up. On similar tracks in 2015, he have compiled 5.4 average finish, 6.2 average start, 7.8 average running position, 83 laps led and 111.1 driver rating. Again great numbers, but I don't know what going on with Penske. Might be a good idea to avoid Brad to we know more.

3-Austin Dillon: Dillon have started the 2015 off pretty shaky will some inconsistent results, but have came on wrong lately. Last season at Michigan he finished 22nd and 30th here. I believe he had a flat tire right after an pit stop in the June race. Which basically ended his day in 30th place. However don't be fooled though. In that race, he held an 13.0 average running position and completed 88% of all laps inside the top 15. Last season he posted an 26.0 average finish, 12.5 average start , 15.0 average running position, 2 laps led and 73.5 driver rating. The first thing that stands out is his average running position (15.0). In 2014 most of his ARP's were in the low to mid 20s. So it highly suggests that Dillon is very good at Michigan. In 2013, he had finishes of 11th and 14th. On similar tracks in 2015, Dillon have compiled 22.2 average finish, 19.0 average start, 22.7 average running position and 67.5 driver rating. He struggled for the most part on the high-speed Intermediate tracks in 2015. He did finish 16th at Cali though.

4-Kevin Harvick: Harvick have wheeled off 10 Top 2 finishes in 14 races this season. I smell another top 2 finish from him. Last season he finished 2nd in both races. Over the past 4 races at Michigan, he have posted 2.0 average finish (Series-best), 3.5 average start, 4.0 average running position (Series-best), 63 laps led and 127.4 driver rating. Those are some very elite numbers , however they look weak compared his stats on the high-speed Intermediate tracks in 2015. Minus Charlotte, he have compiled 1.8 average finish, 6.0 average start, 3.2 average running position, 441 laps led and 132.4 driver rating. He pretty much been unstoppable this season on this type track. Even though he only have one win to show for at Vegas. In 28 career starts, he have held 13.0 average finish with 12 Top 10s and 23 Top 20s. Including 7 of the past 9 races ending inside the top 15. With 5 of those 7 results ending inside the top 2.

5-Kasey Kahne: Kasey wasn't anything special at Pocono and finished decent in 13th. He never really contended and I didn't think he would either. At Michigan I expect him to be a heavy contender though. Last season he posted finishes of 16th and 7th. Over the past 3 Michigan races, he posted an 9.3 average finish, 19.7 average start, 15.0 average running position, and 88.6 driver rating. Before this nice stench of races at Michigan, he finished worse than 30th in 2 of his 3 first starts with HMS. Looking at his 2015 numbers, he been pretty good overall on the high-speed intermediate tracks. In 6 races, he have compiled an 14.2 average finish, 11.8 average start, 10.7 average running position and 96.7 driver rating. Really haven't had a bad race yet, but haven't had a great one either though.


10-Danica Patrick: I know some of you are still recovering from the Danica-effect of Pocono. However don't take her out of your lineup yet! Last season she posted finishes of 18th and 17th. Going back to her debut in June 2013, she have knocked off 3 finishes of 18th or better in 4 starts. Michigan is arguably her racetrack on NSCS schedule. Honestly I think some of her success at Michigan is helped by the horsepower she have under the hood. On similar tracks in 2015, she have compiled 21.2 average finish with 21.8 average running position and 64.8 driver rating. I would expect another top 20 from Danica this weekend.

11-Denny Hamlin: The JGR cars have shown significant improvements, but it clear they're still few steps behind the Hendrick engines. Last season Hamlin posted 7th and 29th. Honestly Denny have struggled pretty bad here since winning 2 of 3 in 2010 to 2011 races. His 7th last August was his first top 10 since his win in 2011. On Intermediate tracks in 2015, he have compiled 21.8 average finish, 10.8 average start, 10.8 average running position, 123 laps led and 95.6 driver rating. In 14 races in 2015, Hamlin have 7 Top 10s and 7 finishes worse than 20th. Pretty inconsistent overall, so I would wait on using Hamlin.

16-Greg Biffle: How in the world did Biffle finish 12th at Pocono? I wrote him when he was running in the middle-20s with 50 laps to go. At Michigan, Biffle could be a fine fantasy play. Over his past 6 races here, he have knocked off 5 Top 10s. Including in 2 of his 3 past starts. It doesn't hurt he have some momentum lately either. He have wheeled off 4 straight Top 15 finishes. Any reliability from a RFR driver in 2015 is a great sign. His numbers overall this season doesn't impress me, but this is a very good track for him. I don't hate taking a shot in the dark.

18-Kyle Busch: Busch had his worst overall performance of the 2015 season, but had his best finish of 9th. I don't really like him or any JGR driver not named Matt Kenseth. Since his win in 2011, he have finished worse than 30th in 4 of his past 6 starts. So pretty similar to teammate Denny Hamlin. Honestly it tough to get a good read on Busch since he haven't have much value with limited season data. He been pretty average over his entire career at best.

19-Carl Edwards: Edwards find new ways to finish outside the top 10 each week, doesn't he? I wouldn't expect anything less this weekend at Michigan. Even though this is considered one of Edwards best racetracks on the schedule! Over the past 4 races here, he have compiled 16.0 average finish, 11.3 average start, 16.0 average running position, 16 laps led and 82.0 driver rating. He struggled in 2014 with finishing 23rd (twice). Before that? He knocked off 13 Top 12 finishes in 14 races. Including 11 Top 10s in that 14-race span. On similar tracks, he have compiled 16.3 average finish, 9.7 average start, 12.2 average running position, 40 laps led and 92.2 driver rating.

20-Matt Kenseth: Kenseth is probably the only JGR driver I trust at Michigan. He haven't been anything special since JGR, but has shown the most consistency though. Last August he finished 38th (-30 Laps). Before that? He finished 15th or better in his first starts with JGR. None of his performances have stoodout like with RFR. His best race was his debut in June 2013 with Gibbs. He finished 8th in that race. He been stout throughout his career. In 31 career starts, MK have held 10.9 average finish with 12 Top 5 and 18 Top 10s. More impressively he 29 Top 20s in those 31 races. This season he been decent on similar tracks in 2015. MK have compiled 13.0 average finish, 13.5 average start, 10.8 average running position, 81 laps led and 94.5 driver rating. The race that stands out is Cali where he had the race won until a late caution. Ironically it also the most comparable racetrack to Michigan. Got to count for something, right?

22-Joey Logano: To be honest, I am not sure what to expect from him. He was real strong last season. He posted finishes of 3rd and 9th. In 2013, he posted finishes of 9th and 1st. So that averages out to an 5.5 average finish over the past 4 races here. More noticeably he had an series-best 4.8 average running position and the most laps led (187). On similar tracks this season? He have compiled 7.2 average finish, 4.2 average start, 6.8 average running position, 196 laps led and 109.6 driver rating.

24-Jeff Gordon: Gordon was on pace to have best race of the 2015 season and then his day went south at Pocono. Last season he posted finishes of 1st and 6th. However he have struggled at this track lately. 5 Of his past 9 races have ended 17th or worse. Not to mention, Gordon have struggled to produce good finishes on high-speed intermediate tracks. He have compiled 15.8 average finish, 14.0 average start, 13.5 average running position, and 86.3 driver rating. Those numbers are considered weak compared to his teammates. I would pass on Gordon probably.

27-Paul Menard: Remenber what I said about Menard being inconsistent after the first 12 races? There are tracks Menard seems to run well at and Michigan is one of them lately. Last season he swept the top 5. More impressively he have knocked off 3 straight Top 5 at this track. All three races ended in 4th place! This is by far Menard's best racetrack by far. Thinking back to Cali, he finished 4th in that race as well. See a trend? He been strong this season on Intermediate racetracks. Unfortunately the results are very misleading. Several races he ran inside (or close to) the top 5, but got screw in the end. Still good numbers: 17.0 average finish with 14.5 average running position and 85.3 driver rating. I am very high on him this week!

41-Kurt Busch: Busch is someone who could win on Sunday. He was real strong earlier this season at California. He had the car to beat before a late caution, but had to settle for 3rd. He had a pair of strong performances last season at Michigan. Finished 13th last June. He finished 31st in August. However he was competitively running top 10 before hitting the wall. Looking at his track record, he haven't been a standout. In 28 career starts, he have held an 21.2 average finish with 9 Top 10s and 14 Top 20s. Including 2 wins and 4 Top 5 finishes.

42-Kyle Larson: Larson is starting to hit a groove. Actually both of the CGR cars. Honestly I didn't think either were overly good at Pocono until late in the race. Larson looking to extend his top 10 streak to a season-high 3 straight Top 10s. Last season he posted results of 8th and 43rd at Michigan. He was on pace to another respectable finish last August until he wrecked. He been okay this season on high-speed Intermediate tracks. Larson have compiled 20.8 average finish with 12.3 average running position and 85.6 driver rating. He could be a nice option this weekend.

48-Jimmie Johnson: I am not sure what to expect from Johnson. He could make a great option, but he have shown real inconsistency at Michigan. Finished 9th and 1st last season. Before that? He finished 4 of his previous 6 races outside the top 25. On the flip side, he been the best driver on this type track. He have wins at Vegas, Texas and Kansas. Wrecked out at Atlanta and Charlotte though. He finished inside the top 10 at Fontana. The 48 team seems to be in boom or bust mode lately. They're obviously being more aggressive with their setups.

78-Martin Truex Jr: Truex have been on hot recently and doesn't look to slow at Michigan. This is another high-speed intermediate racetrack and he been one of the better drivers all season long. He have compiled 6.5 average finish with 6.8 average running position and 113.7 driver rating. Even though he have struggled at Michigan, I expect him to be strong once again. I get the feeling it doesn't matter the racetrack for Truex.

88-Dale Jr: Dale Jr disappointed at Pocono, but he won't at Michigan. I always have considered this Dale's best track outside of Daytona and Talladega. He have knocked off 4 finishes of 7th or better in his past 6 races. Including last season finishes of 5th and 7th. Looking at results in 2015, he been one of the best drivers on this type track. He have compiled an 3.7 average finish with 7.5 average running position and 110.2 driver rating in 6 races on high-speed intermediate racetracks this season.

*All stats from DriverAverages and FantasyRacingCheatSheet

Email - JeffNathan74@yahoo.com

Twitter - @JeffNathans

Fantasy Nascar Early Rankings (Michigan)

Welcome to TimersSports

Early Rankings -

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

Twitter - @CrazyKateNascar

Fantasy Nascar RaceDay Thoughts (Pocono)

Welcome to TimersSports

Happy Raceday. Setting your fantasy team can be difficult , especially with everything being factored in. Below our group of experts give their thoughts on today race (Including their final
picks).

Kate Roswell (@CrazyKateNascar):

-Pocono is all about horsepower. Question is who supply your engine? Anyone with Hendrick powered should be fast.

-Harvick is in another zip code. Nobody will stay with him today straight up.

-I expect a few blown engines today, but I wouldn't worry too much.

-The winner of today's race could be who have the smartest crew chief.

Garry Briggs (@Garryy12):

-Harvick was real fast in practice! How fast? His Best 10-lap average was better than Kyle Larson's (P2) single fastest lap in final practice.

-I am not as high on Dale Jr as everyone else it seems. Personally I think he due for finish outside the top 5 at Pocono.

-Austin Dillon should make a super fine sleeper in today's race.

-Avoid Penske. They been off the past few weeks. This may be more of a long term problem though.

Matt Aleza (@MattAleza):

- Kasey Kahne will either deliver you to top of your league or make you drink heavily. He like the ultimate daredevil pick. Complete boom or bust lately.

- JGR have slipped a bit under the radar. Even though they all probably have top 10 cars easily.

-Martin Truex Jr is someone haven't been talked much about this week. Don't sleep on him!

-Where the hell did Clint Bowyer go? Struggled in every practice overall. Remember last week top 10? Yeah me either.

Yahoo Lineups -

Kate's Lineup: 88,41,1,33

Garry's Lineup: 4,41,42,10

Matt's Lineup: 88,19,27,33

Sleepers -

Kate's Pick: Casey Mears

Garry's Pick: Austin Dillon

Matt's Pick: Paul Menard

Race Winner -

Kate's Pick: Harvick

Garry's Pick: Harvick

Matt's Pick: Dale Jr

Fantasy Nascar Update (Pocono)

Welcome to TimersSports

We are at Pocono RaceWay this weekend. In my opinion, the most boring race on the schedule. The tire they have makes passing pretty tough! Which means two things: 1) Restarts will be little crazy. 2) Making a late race mistake will be costly. Pretty much like the past few seasons, so nothing new really.

The big storyline been the bumps. Several teams have complained about the bumps effecting their cars. Personally I am not real concerned about that. We may see a few flats, but nothing like Fontana last season. Shouldn't be too much of a problem. I would be more concerned about wrecks on the restarts and engine woes. Two things we usually see at Pocono. The cars to beat will be from the stable of Hendrick and Haas. They've shown the most muscle this weekend, but the Gibbs cars aren't terribly far behind though.

*The Overall Rankings aspect of this post isn't a finishing order measuring stick. Instead it determines the potential of a driver based on practice results, current momentum,qualifying effort, track history,etc

A:

1. Kevin Harvick - Harvick doesn't have the best record here, but he have the car to beat. Will he win? I don't know. Harvick starts from 5th and should easily be in contention all day long. I don't think Harvick have a dominating car, but he had the best car in both sessions on Saturday. Thinking back to 2014, he probably should have sweep the top 3 at Pocono. So I am not real shocked how fast he been, not to mention he was my pick to win on Monday.

My Overall Ranking: 1st

2. Denny Hamlin - Hamlin is a master of performance at Pocono. Not many drivers have the stats like Hamlin does. It helps that he have a fast car this weekend too! He qualified 8th and should be able to run inside the top 5 on Sunday. I think there a lot of risk of using Hamlin (especially with his inconsistency in 2015), but few offer more potential. I think his potential alone make him worth consideration. I also like that the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) cars have once again shown solid speed!

My Overall Ranking: 2nd

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr - Dale Jr been strong all weekend and should be a very popular pick. I don't blame you, if you jumped on the Junior bandwagon this week. He was able to back up the hype on the track. There definitely a lot to like about him, but I do think he is very beatable. I am sure he will have top 5 potential , but I am not sure if he will win though. However I wouldn't be shocked either. He sweep this racetrack in 2014 by the way!

My Overall Ranking: 3th

4. Jimmie Johnson - I am not super high on Johnson as I been in the past. I feel like he have lost his dominated touch since the repave. He was really strong in the first few races, but haven't shown he is the man here since. This weekend he been decent, but not exactly anything special compared to other races. Based on practice, I say he have an quality Top 10 car with potential upside to run top 5 on Sunday. His equipment give him the all-important horsepower advantage.

My Overall Ranking: 5th

5. Kyle Busch - My sleeper in this tier is Kyle Busch. He been a man on a mission since returning from injury. He had a car capable of finishing in the top 4 at Charlotte and Dover. Busch is no stranger to success at Pocono either. He will roll off from 10th and have shown solid speed out of his JGR Toyota since unloading. I don't think he will win, but don't be shocked to see him mixing it up for another solid run. I have across the line in 6th when the checkers wave!

My Overall Ranking: 6th

Other Options - Gordon (7th), Keselowski (11th) , Logano (13th) , Kenseth (14th) and Newman (15th)

B:

1. Kurt Busch - This overall could be a pretty competitive tier. Especially since several drivers have shown speed this weekend. Ultimately I went with Busch because he on the pole and have a very stout Pocono record. Almost every other driver in this grouping have been pretty hit or miss throughout their respected careers. I think Busch is pretty much the safe pick, but don't be surprise if he fade late in the race. Even though he have had a pretty fast car since unloading on Friday!

My Overall Ranking: 4th

2. Carl Edwards - I think Edwards have one of better cars in this tier of drivers, but unfortunately I don't really trust him to deliver. Last week I thought he turned a corner with his JGR team. I was wrong, but on the plus side the entire JGR organization have turned the corner. So not like Edwards gonna fade through the field immediately! Realistically I expect Edwards to run top 5 early on, but then he will probably fade into latter part of the top 10. He probably have a car capable of potentially finishing inside the top 5, if his crew keep up with adjustments.

My Overall Ranking: 8th

3. Kyle Larson - Larson looking real good this weekend! I wasn't overly impressed by him on Friday, but he struck back on Saturday. Posted two solid practices that looked as good as the top two driver in this tier. He starts from 15th, but I don't expect him to stay there though. The warm weather seems to agree with the young CGR driver! I have across the line overall 9th.

My Overall Ranking: 9th

4. Martin Truex Jr - Truex been good all weekend and should contend for another top 10 on Sunday. Didn't really watch him in practice, but had respectable practice results. I am not against using Truex, but I think there better tracks ahead for him. If I had the drivers listed above available, I would probably consider them first. Not because they're better, but because Truex have been so strong on the cookie cutters in 2015. Really depends on the format you play on though. In games such as Yahoo (starts limitation leagues), he probably could be left in the garage.

My Overall Ranking: 10th

5. Kasey Kahne - Honestly I am not as high on Kahne as most are. I am sure he will be fine, but I think he may find a way to disappoint at Pocono. He have a good car, but he always seems to have a good car here. Unfortunately his track in June at Pocono have been ugly since joining HMS. Personally I cannot get over that fact. Plus I think he will be more useful at upcoming tracks this summer. Of course since I am doubting him, he probably will go out and win on Sunday or something.

My Overall Ranking: 12th

Other Options - JMac (16th) , Menard (17th), Dillon (18th), Biffle (19th) and Almirola (20th)

C:

1. Danica Patrick - Patrick have been the best driver in this tier all weekend and I doubt that changes on Sunday. Honestly I wouldn't be shocked to see Danica finish +5 position ahead of everyone else. Then again it isn't saying much because of the equipment she have. This track is about horsepower and Danica have plenty of it under the hood.

My Overall Ranking: 21st

2. David Ragan - The MWR cars have sucked this weekend. I thought they would show up with a lot of speed, but instead they've looked lost. Ragan showed a little more than Clint, but I don't think either of them will finish any better than 20th. Realistically probably somewhere in the low to mid 20s.

My Overall Ranking: 24th

3. Ty Dillon - Dillon is probably the off-sequenced pick in this tier. He starting deeper in the field and looked pretty good in both practices on Saturday. Unfortunately he have never made a NSCS at Pocono. I would like him a lot more if he had more experience at this level. He should be good for least Top 25 in my opinion though.

My Overall Ranking: 25th

Email - JeffNathan74@yahoo.com

Twitter - @JeffNathans

Fantasy Nascar Final Rankings (Pocono)

Welcome to TimersSports

Final Rankings -

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

Twitter - @CrazyKateNascar

Fantasy Nascar Sleepers & Busts (Pocono)

Welcome to TimersSports

Sleepers -

Paul Menard: Paul Menard is way underrated at Pocono! He have had bad luck the past few seasons, but he is capable of being a powerful option this week. Only a few sleepers bring the upside that Menard have. Before his bad luck streak, he slapped together a 5-race Top 15 streak here. Including 3 straight inside the top 11. Not to mention, he have been consistently a top 10 guy this season since Texas. Menard is seriously being abused right now by the fantasy nascar community. No way a guy running this good should be getting ignored like he has.

Jamie McMurray: JMac is another good option to consider this week. Honestly I don't even think he can be referred as a sleeper. Especially since he been so good this season. Last time he finished worse than 20th was like Atlanta. And his Pocono record isn't shabby isn't recently. Since the repave, he have finished inside the top 17 in every race. He sweep the top 10 in 2014. There is a lot to like about Jamie as a fantasy pick.

Austin Dillon: It might be a little bold to trust Dillon to deliver, but I believe RCR is headed in the right direction. Newman continue to run well , Menard been contending for top 5s more often than not and now Austin Dillon have found some speed! Dillon showed speed at Charlotte and Dover. Didn't get the results though. Pocono and Michigan (next week race) are good tracks for him. Least they were in 2014. I believe he can run top 15 this weekend, if the 3 team can bring another quality racecar!

Busts -

Tony Stewart: I know a lot of people are convinced Smoke will turn it around at Pocono. Sorry but I just don't see it! Sure he have a long history of running well here, but I put more into the current package than track history. Earlier this season, he said this race package sucks. His performance backed up his personal feelings too. Truthfully I hope he runs well on Sunday, because I would love to use him in August. For now I am avoiding the 14.

Matt Kenseth - Kenseth is a consistent driver on most tracks. Unfortunately he is the bad type of consistent at Pocono. His best finish over the past five races at Pocono? 22nd. From career point of view, he been pretty much a teen-type driver. Kenseth value usually relies on weather or not he crawl his way into the top 5. In Kenseth case, he haven't had too many of them here recently. His last top 5 was in 2006. Since that top 5 finish, he have only 4 Top 10s to his name. Yeah save him for another week.

*All stats from DriverAverages.com

Email - briggs_garry48@yahoo.com

Twitter - @Garryy12