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We are headed to Daytona this weekend for Saturday's night race, this is the 17th race of the season which means we are basically halfway through the schedule. This is the second time this season, we are visiting Daytona which will start the visition of several tracks. Having good data to fall back on is always a good thing, too. For me, Daytona (and Talladega) are more about luck than pure skill. Obviously if you can draft well then that makes you a better fantasy option.
The big question on everyone minds is, where is the safe place at Daytona? I can honestly can there are a lot of uncertainty about plate racing. But one thing I can be 100% certain about is there isn't a such thing as ''safe'' at Daytona. You can be riding in the back or up at the front, the ''big one'' doesn't care. With that said, I think you can improve your chances by being up front leading. So if I was making my lineups right now, I would want drivers who typically up front. Just me though. Okay let's get into today's picks!
Yahoo -
A:
Start - Denny Hamlin (9)
Bench - Dale Jr (7)
Reasons - The plan was to go with Dale Jr (like usual at Daytona), but I think JGR will be too strong for the HMS cars to dominate like we saw in the past. If Dale was starting up on the front row, then I would start him and feel good about some qualifying points. But I just feel like my chances are better with Hamlin, who been a machine at Daytona lately. You can go with Dale Jr still and get a good amount of points though. I don't think the position in the finishing order will be too much. Which also makes me lean Hamlin, because he is a good off-sequence pick.
B:
Jamie Mac (7)Kasey Kahne (7)
Austin Dillon (5), Ricky Stenhouse (7)
Reasons - Tough decision as usual in this grouping tier, all week long I planned to use Jamie Mac because I know he is a great plate racer and the majority of Yahoo have him as a pick. So he brings some safety, if he get caught up in a wreck. Then it was down to Kasey Kahne or Austin Dillon. I trust Dillon more at Daytona than Kahne, but I am down to 5 starts. So I am going gamble a bit and roll with Kasey Kahne. I also considered Stenhouse, but I would be more of a setting duck if something happens to him. So I rather play the percentages and try to limit the potential damage.
C:
Start - Regan Smith (9)
Bench - Chase Elliott (5)
Reasons - I made a change late Thursday night and that was Regan Smith for Cassill. I like Cassill a lot, as he is a proven plate racer. But I really like Smith's potential and hope that he can pull off another solid finish. Earlier this season at Daytona, he finished up at the front so maybe he can steal another top 15 finish. Maybe. Who knows though. It's Daytona!
Fantasy Live - 20,11,23,78 and 14
Reason - I am centering my lineup in Fantasy Live around the JGR (and Truex) cars. Kenseth and Hamlin have been strong this season on the plate tracks, and doubt that changes. So now I need to round out my team, so I am going with Smoke and Ragan. They both will offer up potential differential points. More so with Ragan than Smoke though.
Sleeper - Austin Dillon
Winner - Matt Kenseth
Twitter - @MattAleza
We are headed to Daytona this weekend for Saturday's night race, this is the 17th race of the season which means we are basically halfway through the schedule. This is the second time this season, we are visiting Daytona which will start the visition of several tracks. Having good data to fall back on is always a good thing, too. For me, Daytona (and Talladega) are more about luck than pure skill. Obviously if you can draft well then that makes you a better fantasy option.
The big question on everyone minds is, where is the safe place at Daytona? I can honestly can there are a lot of uncertainty about plate racing. But one thing I can be 100% certain about is there isn't a such thing as ''safe'' at Daytona. You can be riding in the back or up at the front, the ''big one'' doesn't care. With that said, I think you can improve your chances by being up front leading. So if I was making my lineups right now, I would want drivers who typically up front. Just me though. Okay let's get into today's picks!
Yahoo -
A:
Start - Denny Hamlin (9)
Bench - Dale Jr (7)
Reasons - The plan was to go with Dale Jr (like usual at Daytona), but I think JGR will be too strong for the HMS cars to dominate like we saw in the past. If Dale was starting up on the front row, then I would start him and feel good about some qualifying points. But I just feel like my chances are better with Hamlin, who been a machine at Daytona lately. You can go with Dale Jr still and get a good amount of points though. I don't think the position in the finishing order will be too much. Which also makes me lean Hamlin, because he is a good off-sequence pick.
B:
Jamie Mac (7)Kasey Kahne (7)
Austin Dillon (5), Ricky Stenhouse (7)
Reasons - Tough decision as usual in this grouping tier, all week long I planned to use Jamie Mac because I know he is a great plate racer and the majority of Yahoo have him as a pick. So he brings some safety, if he get caught up in a wreck. Then it was down to Kasey Kahne or Austin Dillon. I trust Dillon more at Daytona than Kahne, but I am down to 5 starts. So I am going gamble a bit and roll with Kasey Kahne. I also considered Stenhouse, but I would be more of a setting duck if something happens to him. So I rather play the percentages and try to limit the potential damage.
C:
Start - Regan Smith (9)
Bench - Chase Elliott (5)
Reasons - I made a change late Thursday night and that was Regan Smith for Cassill. I like Cassill a lot, as he is a proven plate racer. But I really like Smith's potential and hope that he can pull off another solid finish. Earlier this season at Daytona, he finished up at the front so maybe he can steal another top 15 finish. Maybe. Who knows though. It's Daytona!
Fantasy Live - 20,11,23,78 and 14
Reason - I am centering my lineup in Fantasy Live around the JGR (and Truex) cars. Kenseth and Hamlin have been strong this season on the plate tracks, and doubt that changes. So now I need to round out my team, so I am going with Smoke and Ragan. They both will offer up potential differential points. More so with Ragan than Smoke though.
Sleeper - Austin Dillon
Winner - Matt Kenseth
Twitter - @MattAleza