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Fantasy Nascar Update -
1. Kevin Harvick - I am not saying that Kevin is on the level that he has been in recent years at Phoenix, but it is hard to pick against him right now though. He is at his best track and he is coming off a win at Texas. His consistency at Phoenix is unmatched by any other driver recently. Also, his momentum is something that I really love. His speed this weekend isn't bad either, probably right where it need to be for him to be a contender.
2. Martin Truex Jr - You cannot bet against Truex Jr, regardless of the track we are headed to. He's that damn good and he has been in the nix this weekend. Obviously not quite as good as those intermediate tracks, but he's shown top 5 speed since unloading at Phoenix. You can pretty much expect him to be a threat to win once again. There isn't a lot to say about the 78 team. They are consistent front runners and that won't change on Sunday afternoon.
3. Kyle Busch - Kyle has already advanced to the championship race at Homstead, but he will try to win again this weekend though. He's really good here at Phoenix and is a former winner at this track. He has solid speed (as usual) and should be able to mix it up for another possible win on Sunday afternoon. I wouldn't say that he has the car to beat (I think the top 4 or 5 are under a blanket), but you be sure he will be in the conversation. Track position will be the ultimate deciding factor.
4. Denny Hamlin - Hamlin is having an incredible second half of the season (much like the past couple seasons) and can punch his ticket to Homestead with a really strong finish on Sunday afternoon. He more than likely need to win to advance though. Hamlin has a fast car this weekend once again. He is starting from 2nd (again - he started 2nd last week too) and could possibly lead some laps early on. He was ranked 3rd in the best-ten lap average during final practice on Saturday afternoon.
5. Ryan Blaney - Blaney is starting on the pole, but I don't really trust him to stay up there in the top 2 or 3 though. He's a good driver, no doubt, but I don't think he has the speed to stay up there on the long run. It may be a bit much for me ranking him in 5th, too. But I think he will hover from about 5th-9th area for much of this race. A lot like last weekend's race. He stood his ground for long as he could, before he faded to just outside of the top 5. I am expecting something similar to happen to him.
6. Chase Elliott - Elliott has shown speed in recent weeks and showing it once again, but I don't think he has enough to win though. He will need to win to advance to the next round, but it will be tough for it to happen. Elliott is probably top 10 good this weekend, but nothing beyond that 6th-9th range. I wouldn't call this a great track for Elliott, either. He's just good at Phoenix. I also have a fear that he will gamble to try to win at some point. I think that could hurt him in the end, too. But what other choice does he have?
7. Jimmie Johnson - I been tough on Johnson all season long, but it has been for good reason. Johnson has been pretty much average for much of the season. His top 5 total is big reason for it, too. He won't win at Phoenix (based on what I have seen), but he may have the most upside of the drivers in bottom half of my rankings. Phoenix use to be a great track for him. He was nearly unstoppable before the repave, but he haven't been the same since. He is getting closer to returning to his old self, but still not what he was though. Like most of the playoffs, he will be top 10 good and that's about it. I will say that he has enough upside to sneak into the top 5, if things play out correctly for him.
8. Matt Kenseth - Kenseth announced that he will not be returning to Cup full-time next season and that wasn't shocking to me. Like former teammate Greg Biffle, he rather be out of the sport than run competitively. Simply put, there isn't a ride out there where he would be a championship contender. He will be a good top 10 contender with obvious upside to challenge for a possible top 5 finish. For whatever reason, I don't have a good feeling about that happening. I think the usual top 10 is where he will spend most of his day. Phoenix haven't been a memorable place for him recently. Two years ago, he wasn't able to race because he was supsended. And last year, he was contending for a championship and was wrecked with less than 10 to go. He was leading at that moment, too. Brutal couple years, wouldn't you say?
9. Kyle Larson - Kyle Larson has three straight bad finishes in a row, even though he had the car to beat early at Texas last week. He just never seemed to himself late in the race and then of course he wrecked it eventually. It has been a tough ending for Larson here in 2017 and things haven't exactly been great at Phoenix for him. Other than his 2nd place earlier this season, he has been a pretty average driver at this track. I would call it one of his worst tracks. He been good here, just not good enough for extended period of time during races. I would set his likely running range in the top 10 or top 12. As always, Larson has that phenomenal ceiling to take the checkers flag. But I say that more likely at Homestead!
10. Brad Keselowski - Much like most of the season, I am not really on board with Keselowski overall. He will be good in the race and more than likely move up and challenge for a solid finish. But he won't be able to challenge for the win or even a top 5 finish. At least, not without some track position which isn't crazy. When you think about it, this is Keselowski best shot of the three races in this round to win. Phoenix is a track position game, you need a smart man on top of the pit box. Paul Wolfe might whip something up and shock everyone. Who knows though. As of right now, he is in the latter part of the top 10 entering the race.
Twitter - @JeffNathans18
Fantasy Nascar Update -
1. Kevin Harvick - I am not saying that Kevin is on the level that he has been in recent years at Phoenix, but it is hard to pick against him right now though. He is at his best track and he is coming off a win at Texas. His consistency at Phoenix is unmatched by any other driver recently. Also, his momentum is something that I really love. His speed this weekend isn't bad either, probably right where it need to be for him to be a contender.
2. Martin Truex Jr - You cannot bet against Truex Jr, regardless of the track we are headed to. He's that damn good and he has been in the nix this weekend. Obviously not quite as good as those intermediate tracks, but he's shown top 5 speed since unloading at Phoenix. You can pretty much expect him to be a threat to win once again. There isn't a lot to say about the 78 team. They are consistent front runners and that won't change on Sunday afternoon.
3. Kyle Busch - Kyle has already advanced to the championship race at Homstead, but he will try to win again this weekend though. He's really good here at Phoenix and is a former winner at this track. He has solid speed (as usual) and should be able to mix it up for another possible win on Sunday afternoon. I wouldn't say that he has the car to beat (I think the top 4 or 5 are under a blanket), but you be sure he will be in the conversation. Track position will be the ultimate deciding factor.
4. Denny Hamlin - Hamlin is having an incredible second half of the season (much like the past couple seasons) and can punch his ticket to Homestead with a really strong finish on Sunday afternoon. He more than likely need to win to advance though. Hamlin has a fast car this weekend once again. He is starting from 2nd (again - he started 2nd last week too) and could possibly lead some laps early on. He was ranked 3rd in the best-ten lap average during final practice on Saturday afternoon.
5. Ryan Blaney - Blaney is starting on the pole, but I don't really trust him to stay up there in the top 2 or 3 though. He's a good driver, no doubt, but I don't think he has the speed to stay up there on the long run. It may be a bit much for me ranking him in 5th, too. But I think he will hover from about 5th-9th area for much of this race. A lot like last weekend's race. He stood his ground for long as he could, before he faded to just outside of the top 5. I am expecting something similar to happen to him.
6. Chase Elliott - Elliott has shown speed in recent weeks and showing it once again, but I don't think he has enough to win though. He will need to win to advance to the next round, but it will be tough for it to happen. Elliott is probably top 10 good this weekend, but nothing beyond that 6th-9th range. I wouldn't call this a great track for Elliott, either. He's just good at Phoenix. I also have a fear that he will gamble to try to win at some point. I think that could hurt him in the end, too. But what other choice does he have?
7. Jimmie Johnson - I been tough on Johnson all season long, but it has been for good reason. Johnson has been pretty much average for much of the season. His top 5 total is big reason for it, too. He won't win at Phoenix (based on what I have seen), but he may have the most upside of the drivers in bottom half of my rankings. Phoenix use to be a great track for him. He was nearly unstoppable before the repave, but he haven't been the same since. He is getting closer to returning to his old self, but still not what he was though. Like most of the playoffs, he will be top 10 good and that's about it. I will say that he has enough upside to sneak into the top 5, if things play out correctly for him.
8. Matt Kenseth - Kenseth announced that he will not be returning to Cup full-time next season and that wasn't shocking to me. Like former teammate Greg Biffle, he rather be out of the sport than run competitively. Simply put, there isn't a ride out there where he would be a championship contender. He will be a good top 10 contender with obvious upside to challenge for a possible top 5 finish. For whatever reason, I don't have a good feeling about that happening. I think the usual top 10 is where he will spend most of his day. Phoenix haven't been a memorable place for him recently. Two years ago, he wasn't able to race because he was supsended. And last year, he was contending for a championship and was wrecked with less than 10 to go. He was leading at that moment, too. Brutal couple years, wouldn't you say?
9. Kyle Larson - Kyle Larson has three straight bad finishes in a row, even though he had the car to beat early at Texas last week. He just never seemed to himself late in the race and then of course he wrecked it eventually. It has been a tough ending for Larson here in 2017 and things haven't exactly been great at Phoenix for him. Other than his 2nd place earlier this season, he has been a pretty average driver at this track. I would call it one of his worst tracks. He been good here, just not good enough for extended period of time during races. I would set his likely running range in the top 10 or top 12. As always, Larson has that phenomenal ceiling to take the checkers flag. But I say that more likely at Homestead!
10. Brad Keselowski - Much like most of the season, I am not really on board with Keselowski overall. He will be good in the race and more than likely move up and challenge for a solid finish. But he won't be able to challenge for the win or even a top 5 finish. At least, not without some track position which isn't crazy. When you think about it, this is Keselowski best shot of the three races in this round to win. Phoenix is a track position game, you need a smart man on top of the pit box. Paul Wolfe might whip something up and shock everyone. Who knows though. As of right now, he is in the latter part of the top 10 entering the race.
Twitter - @JeffNathans18
