Sunday, December 27, 2015

2016 Fantasy Nascar Preview: Brian Scott

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Brian Scott will drive the #9 car for RPM in his rookie season! Personally I am was not very shocked when this news broke that RPM have choose Scott to replace Hornish in the 9 car. I thought it made a lot of sense. Scott brings a ton load of cash and he is a enough driver who wants to proves himself. But don't get carried away with Scott potential. I view him as nothing more than a top 25 driver on a weekly basis. Since he was nothing more than a top 10 to top 15 driver in NXS. I think his equipment will hold him back often. His inexperience will also be a big factor in his limited success.

There also no real race data on Scott as last few seasons he have ran part time for 33 team (powered by RCR). Anything with RCR backing is pretty solid. But in 2016, he won't be backed by RCR. So there really no relevant data to go on. So we have no idea where he could be strong at and where he could be weak at. Therefore we will have to guess based what we already know about RPM typical performance. RPM doesn't really have the speed to contend for anything beyond top 20 finishes (sometimes top 15 finishes) and for Scott it will likely be more in the top 25 place range. Maybe worse some weekends. I think Scott will struggle the most on the intermediate racetracks. I think his equipment will make him struggle and combined with inexperience, it will hamper his fantasy value. I think he will be a mid to high-twenty driver most weekends, especially early in the season. I think as the season progress, we could see his upside rise to closer the top 20. But I wouldn't bank on it though. I think he only goes far as his equipment will take him. Young drivers tend to make more mistakes and Scott will likely have plenty of them.

On short tracks (Martinsville, Bristol and Richmond) and the smaller flat tracks (Phoenix and New Hampshire), I think he will be at his best due to this seems to be strong suits for RPM. He performed his strongest on the short tracks and small flats last season in the NXS as well. In fact, 4 of his 6 Top 5 finishes came on tracks less than a mile in length. He finished in the top 10 in all of the short tracks races and finished inside the top 11 in all of but one short flat track. In basic terms, he was pretty good last season. I think some of his best finishes will come on the short tracks and shorter flats tracks. It is hard to say what his outlook is, but I think he would be a low-twenty to high-teen driver at his best. Since we don't have any real race data on him at the cup level, I don't really know where he will be his best at. Looking at his NXS stats, I would say Richmond is his best racetrack. Over the past 3 seasons (6 races), he have managed 4 top 5 finishes and only once have he finished worse than 10th. That would probably translate into a low to mid teen like finish, if he was in better equipment. Since he is not, he more of a low twenty capable type of driver at Richmond. I think he will struggle much more on the larger flats than the shorter flats. I think the lack of horsepower will put him at a disadvantage which will not give him very much fantasy value. He have some decent Indy stats in NXS, but I think they are worthless though. Pocono is even a bigger question mark as he have never raced at Pocono at the Cup level. In fact, he have never raced at Pocono in the top three series at the Nascar level.

I think he may surprise us at the road courses in 2016. His NXS stats are not too bad at all. He haven't ever won a road course race, but he never really had a bad race either though. At the Cup level, I think he will flirt with a top 20 finish. He made three starts in NXS at Watkins Glenn. So I think that will help him with getting around that place. I think experience means a lot at road courses, so it should be beneficial for him. Sonoma is the tougher road course for young drivers it seems. I think that the track that takes more skill to run well at. So I am not as high on him at. On the plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega), I think he will have some mix results at. I think he will have good shot as anyone to finish well. I also think Scott will have a DNF or two on the plates. I personally think he will knock off a top 10 or a top 15 finish in 2016 and I willing to bet it comes at either Daytona or Talladega.

There isn't a lot to discuss regarding Brian Scott. There is a lot of guess work with him because we have basically no relevant data on him for 2016. I think that the hardest thing with a young driver switching teams. We are really going in blind and not knowing how we will do. Personally I don't have high goals for him and that's just me. I don't think he will have many quality finishes in 2016 but with more experience I think he will get better and better. I think his best days will come on the short tracks and shorter flats. I think he will not only perform his best but have his best results as well. His worse days will probably come on the intermediate and large flat racetracks. I think horsepower will put him at a disadvantage, that he will not be able to overcome. His inexperience will only hamper his fantasy value further on these type of venues.

2016 Brian Scott Fantasy Nascar Profile 

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