Welcome to TimersSports
We are headed to Martinsville for the 32nd race of the 2015 season, which means there only 4 races left in this season. Crazy how fast this season have gone, isn't it? Martinsville is one of my favorite tracks to watch and undoubtedly one of the tracks every fan needs to go to! There is not no other track on the schedule that I consider similar to this place. Even though there are other short-flat racetracks on the scheudle, I don't view them as the same though. So we will solely look at past stats from Martinsville. Also we will focus in on the first race here and try to spot who will be a great fantasy pick!
Let get started!
1-Jamie McMurray: JMac is my personal favorite sleeper for Martinsville! He is one of the best drivers in the business at completing laps here and running well. He is one of the drivers that is usually overlooked because he doesn't have a win here, but trust me he can run very well here! Earlier this season, he ran very well and finished 10th. For that race that exactly where he ran around for most of the afternoon. Over the past 5 races here, he have compiled 17.0 average finish, 9.8 average start, 13.4 average running position and 95.0 driver rating. His overall stats are very good here. His 17.0 average finishing position isn't very impressive, however he did wreck in one of those races. He would have 10.8 average finish outside of that race. In fact, minus that one wreck in Spring 2014 he have finished 3 of the past 4 races in the top 10.
2-Brad Keselowski: Keselowski have been one of the most consistent top 10 finishers this season and should continue his solid season at a very good track for him. Earlier this season, he finished to JGR's Denny Hamlin! He led 18 laps in that race and held an 114.9 driver rating and 8.0 average running position for that event. Both of those stats says he was a legit top 10 contender and beyond. Over the past 5 races here, he have compiled 16.2 average finish, 10.0 average start, 15.8 average running position and 88.4 driver rating. Keselowski have never won here, but this is one of his best tracks from a career standpoint. In 11 career starts, he have only twice failed to finish worse than 19th. In 7 of his 11 starts, he have finished inside the top 12. Including 6 Top 10 finishes which is over half. In fact, he have finished 5 of the past 7 races inside the top 10. Yeah I would say he been pretty reliable here!
3-Austin Dillon: Dillon is having a pretty nice season overall and could continue having success at Martinsville. This is not his best track, but he did finish 15th and 12th last season though. Earlier this season he finished 41st due to a electrical issue. There obviously not a lot to go on with Dillon, but he have proven he can finish well on any type track. Before Talladega, he was one of the hottest drivers in terms of performances. It hard to not like Dillon this weekend, if he qualifies well and practice well. But there is a lot of ''IF'' that needs to go right. For now, he is nothing more than a top 20 fantasy option.
4-Kevin Harvick: Harvick is coming off a ugly race at Talladega, but he is still alive in the championship hunt. Can he find victory lane this week though? I don't know, but he was pretty strong earlier this season though. He started 17th, but he had the car to beat for the event. Held an 4.0 average running position and 129.0 driver rating. Not to mention, he also led the most laps at 154. Can he repeat it? Maybe, but I wouldn't doubt it things goes his way. Over the past 5 races here, he have compiled 13.4 average finish, 19.8 average start, 12.6 average running position and 97.6 driver rating. His lone win came in spring 2011 race. That was in a mist of a 3-race top 4 span from October 2010 to October 2011. Since he been inconsistent. However most recently he have turned a corner in the right direction again. Over the past 5 races here (dating back to April 2013), he have 4 Top 13 finishes. Including 3 Top 8 finishes in the past 4 races.
5-Kasey Kahne: With Kahne it's always do you trust him and get burned or do you not trust him and still get burned. He always seems to knock out a solid finish when you don't expect him to! He finished 11th earlier this season, but he haven't had much success since his first few starts with HMS though. Over the past 5 races here, he have compiled 20.8 average finish, 18.0 average start, 18.2 average running position and 81.9 driver rating. During that 5-race span, he have recorded 1 top 10 finish and only twice recorded a finish better than 20th. In 7 starts with HMS (since 2012), KK have finished 22nd or worse in 4 of 7 races. Even though he have 2 top 5 finishes as well. Hit or miss type guy really.
11-Denny Hamlin: Like teammate Kyle Busch in 2014, Hamlin was eliminated from the chase after having misfortune at Talladega. Funny how that works. Same track, different Gibbs driver. He won earlier this season at Martinsville, but it hard to believe that he will have the best equipment among the Gibbs drivers. Over the past 4 races here, he have compiled 8.8 average finish, 5.8 average start, 7.5 average running position and 110.7 driver rating. In that 5-race span, he have 3 top 10 finishes and the other finish was 19th. From career point of view this been one of Denny's best tracks on the schedules! He had one of the best stenches of finishes that I could remember in his career from 2006 to 2010 (9 races). In those 9 races, his stats were quite impressive: 4 wins, 8 Top 5 finishes and 9 Top 6 finishes. The final four races of that streak of finishes, he finished 1st or 2nd. In fact 4 of the final 6 races of that 9 race streak ended in wins. Since he have became inconsistent, but he can still be that driver though. Especially when HMS is down on power like they have been this season. His biggest competition is the HMS duo of Johnson and Gordon.
18-Kyle Busch: Kyle Busch is in the best position of his career to make a run for a championship and he have three great tracks in this round of the chase. One of them just make send him to Homestead! Kyle isn't considered a great Martinsville driver, but he really should be. He is the best driver to never win here and the stats say so too. Over the past 4 races here, he have compiled 11.3 average finish, 5.8 average start, 8.8 average running position and 99.7 driver rating. Kyle have not finished worse than 15th over the past few season here and that a good sign of reliability. Dating back to 2010 (9 races ago), he have finished 7 of 9 races inside the top 15. Including 4 Top 5 finishes. Looking at his track record, Kyle have more of a top 5 or miss record here. JGR was very strong earlier this season. They should have placed all 4 cars in the top 5 and I think they are miles better now. And Kyle Busch didn't race this race. Trust me Kyle Busch is a much much more talented driver than David Ragan. If Ragan can finish in the top 5, then what do you think Kyle can do?
19-Carl Edwards: Edwards joined teammate Kyle Busch in the next round of the 2015 Nascar chase and will have a chance to advance himself at Martinsville! He was strong earlier this season and probably should have finished inside the top 5 but he had late race issues that costed him. Over the past 5 races here, he have compiled 15.4 average finish, 10.6 average start, 13.8 average running position and 84.8 driver rating. This has not been a great track for Edwards, but he have ran majority of his races with RFR. Don't get wrong, he have had some quality finishes, but his last top 10 finish was in 2010. On the flip side, Edwards last finish outside of the top 20 was the 2009 season. So he been a consistent driver and at JGR he should have major upside. I like him a lot headed into this race. JGR shown they are the guys to beat on this type track all season long.
20-Matt Kenseth: If payback is coming then it will be at Martinsville! Not sure why people thought Kenseth would wreck Logano at Talladega. That would be idiotic and potentially costly. We rarely see payback on tracks longer than a mile. Martinsville is only a half-mile. Based on Matt's latest comments, I would not be shocked to see him wreck the 22 of Logano. But I don't see it happening unless Logano anger him further, which probably wouldn't take too much at this point. Earlier this season, Matt had a strong car and finished inside the top 5 with two of his JGR teammates. Matt have never been known to be a top driver here, but since joining JGR that have changed big time! Over the past 5 races here, he have compiled 6.4 average finish, 5.8 average start, 7.4 average running position and 111.2 driver rating. All 5 of those races have been with JGR and only once have he finished worse than 6th and that was his debut with the 20 team. He should have finished much better as he had one of the best cars in that race and led 96 laps with 114.2 driver rating for the event. He also been a strong qualifier and a reliable driver to lead laps at Martinsville. He have qualified 8th or better in 6 straight races and have led in 8 straight races.
22-Joey Logano: No driver is hotter than Joey Logano as he have wheeled off 3 straight wins and sweep the last round in the chase, including a strange Talladega race. However as I mentioned above, he have angered a certain driver. I wouldn't worry about that though. As fantasy players, we must pick the best drivers each and every week. Regardless of what could and could not happen! Logano been a stud at Martinsville since joining Penske and I expect him to continue it! Earlier this season, he was probably the second-best driver to only Kevin Harvick and led the 2nd-most laps at 108. Only other driver to lead more than 100 in that event. Over the past 5 races here, he have compiled 9.8 average finish, 3.2 average start, 8.6 average running position and 105.3 driver rating. In that 5-race span, he have not qualified worse than 6th and his worst starting position was in his debut. In fact, he have qualified 1st, 2nd and 3rd in his last three races at Martinsville. He struggled to finish well here in 2013 with 23rd and 14th, but he was just settling in the 22 car. In 2014, Logano kicked it into another gear with finishes of 5th and 4th. How does he out-do that? He finished 3rd back in the spring. I love positive trends, don't you?
24-Jeff Gordon: I got to him credit to Jeff Gordon and his fans, as I didn't see Gordon or Junior making it past this last round. Well Gordon proved me wrong. He might be this year's Ryan Newman. However this weekend is his best shot at going to victory lane. If you watched the spring race, then you realized that Gordon had a very good car. However a late pit stop screwed over and had to finish 9th instead of winning. If I remember correctly, Gordon was caught for speeding on pit road while leading under caution. Over the past 5 races here, he have compiled 5.4 average finish, 7.4 average start, 8.0 average running position and 113.2 driver rating. Gordon will go down as one of the greatest ever to race at Martinsville and he will always be famous for his success here. In 20 years, we look back and say, ''Damn what Gordon did at Martinsville was truly special.'' In 45 career starts, he have put together a stunning 6.9 average finish with 28 Top 5 finishes, 36 Top 10 finishes and 42 Top 20 finishes. Another impressive stat is that Gordon have never recorded a DNF at this place. Are you kidding me? That's insane! Speaking of insane, he have finished inside the top 10 in 22 of the past 25 races at Martinsville!
27-Paul Menard: Menard is a tricky driver to get a read on sometimes! At this point in the season, I don't trust him at all as he proven few weeks ago at Kansas. Menard have found little success at this half-mile racetrack. Earlier this season he struggled to run well and finished 23rd. Over the past 5 races here, he have compiled 17.6 average finish, 17.4 average start, 18.4 average running position and 72.6 driver rating. He have not found much success on short-flat tracks over the past few years anyhow. Martinsville itself have not been too kind to Menard either. Since joining RCR in 2011 (9 races ago), he have put together 3 top 15 finishes but that is about it. All three top 15 have came in the past 6 races, but he also have finished 19th-23rd three times as well.
41-Kurt Busch: Kurt was one of 8 drivers to advance to the next round after Talladega. This have not been a very good track for Kurt overall, but he is having a very good season so I am not too worried. Earlier this season he finished 14th but he had a top 10 (probably top 5) car before having some setbacks during the race. Over the past 5 races here, he have compiled 21.2 average finish, 19.2 average start, 15.0 average running position and 84.8 driver rating. He won here in 2014, but that the only bright spot for him though. That have been his only top 10 finish since the 2005 season. Seems strange, but he have struggled at this place for most of his career now.
42-Kyle Larson: Larson is not having a great season, but he have obviously turned it during the case. But now he starting to fall back off again. Not because he have done anything wrong to say, but it seems like the 42 bad luck have set back in with recent finishes at Dover (missed the setup), Charlotte (spun out) , Talladega (wrecked). Martinsville won't do him any favors either though. He missed this race earlier this season after passing out, but he haven't had much success here anyhow. He actually was pretty impressive in his cup debut in the 51 car. Drove up into the top 15 before the engine let go. Last season he just wasn't very good here. Hard to like Larson this week to be honest. No momentum and a lackluster track record at a reasonable tough place to run well as a young driver.
48-Jimmie Johnson: Johnson was once a dominating force at Martinsville, but I haven't seen the same Jimmie Johnson in months. Honestly I don't think HMS have the horse power to even get Gordon up to the front and dominate. Let alone a non-championship contender like Johnson. For months, I haven't considered Johnson a legit fantasy option. That not gonna change, even at his best rack. Over the past 5 races here, he have compiled 15.0 average finish, 3.8 average start, 13.4 average running position and 110.5 driver rating. Back in the 2012, he was probably a lock to finish in the top 2 in my books. But the 48 team just haven't performed too well and during the chase it seems to be getting worse. If he looks dominant in practice, then I will probably change my mind. For now I am waiting on him.
78-Martin Truex Jr: Truex may be the underdog in this chase, but he finds way to finish well and should continue to find success in this round. Truex finished 6th earlier this season, but that was his first top 10 at this track since the 2012 season. Over the past 5 races here, he have compiled 24.2 average finish, 17.4 average start, 20.8 average running position and 71.6 driver rating. He only have 4 top 10s in 19 career starts, but he is having a career year with the 78 team. I would not be shocked if he makes it 5 in 20 races. In fact, I actually expect him to. If I have learned anything from the 78 team this season, it is that they always find a way to finish out tough races.
88-Dale Jr: Dale Jr is no longer contending for the championship, but that does not mean he won't try to win every single race left on the schedule. Remember last season? He went to victory lane here, however he struggled on the shorter-flat tracks this season. They have been bad luck to him all season. He wrecked here back in the spring and had to finish near back of the field. Over the past 5 races here, he have compiled 14.4 average finish, 18.4 average start, 13.2 average running position and 98.2 driver rating. Since joining HMS, Dale Jr been pretty inconsistent at Martinsville with mix of solid finishes and poor finishes. In 15 races, he have finished 10 of those inside the top 10. The other five races have ended 15th or worse. I don't think there a lot of upside to selecting Dale Jr, but I felt the same way last season. And that worked out well for him.
***All stats are from DriverAverages.com and FantasyRacingCheatSheet
Email - JeffNathan74@yahoo.com
Twitter - @JeffNathans
