Fantasy NASCAR Preview: Charlotte

by Eric McGuire , Tuesday, May 20, 2008

With three races this season on 1.5 mile track configurations, races from prior seasons should figure less into your fantasy selections this week. These races were all run in the COT and also give a strong sample of which teams (and drivers) are performing best at this point in the season. Don't put too much stock in the All Star Race - history indicates that the results aren't always the same. Two races couldn't be more different than the All Star Race and the 600 mile Spring race at Charlotte. One is a sprint, the other is the marathon of the NASCAR schedule. Car setups differ, although the cars that finish stronger at the end of the All Star Race are typically better suited for the 600, regardless of how they finished in the exhibition.

On to the rankings:

1. Carl Edwards, #99 Office Depot Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing

Edwards ran better than anyone en route to winning at Las Vegas and led 33 laps before a mechanical failure in Atlanta (where he has won twice). His win in Texas, a track where he previously only had one top 10, cemented his status as the top pick on all 1.5 mile tracks right now.

2. Kyle Busch, #18 M & M's Toyota, Gibbs Racing

Busch led 173 laps in Atlanta and scored his first win with Joe Gibbs Racing. He was 4th in Fontana and 3rd in Texas. He was wicked fast in the All Star race before an engine failure. If you haven't used him too much in your fantasy league he should be on your roster this weekend.

3. Jimmie Johnson, #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, Hendrick Motor Sports

Lets not forget that Charlotte is Jimmie Johnson's track (5 wins in 13 starts). He struggled in Las Vegas and in Atlanta, where he finished 13th; but turned it all around with a 2nd place run in Texas. This weekend, expect Johnson to contend for the win (as there is no team better at adjusting on a car from start to finish, a skill paramount for a race like the 600).

4. Matt Kenseth, #17 DeWalt Tools Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing

Kenseth was 8th at Atlanta and in contention for the win in Las Vegas before his late get together with Jeff Gordon. After another top 10 at Texas and a strong 3rd place finish in the All Star race, Kenseth looks like a strong class A selection. Last season, he was 2nd at Texas in the fall, 4th in Atlanta, and led 32 laps in Charlotte before being involved in a crash. He has a win and 5 top 5's on the North Carolina track.

5. Tony Stewart, #20 Home Depot Toyota, Gibbs Racing

Smoke drove to a 2nd place run in Atlanta to finish well a week after a hard crash in Las Vegas, then followed that up with a 7th place run at Texas. Last season, he was 7th in Vegas, 2nd in Atlanta, won at Chicago, and finished 7th in Charlotte. He is best used elsewhere, but nonetheless is a solid pick if you don't want to go with Edwards or Johnson.

6. Greg Biffle, #16 3M Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing

Like teammates Edwards and Kenseth, Biffle was strong in Las Vegas and Atlanta. He had finishes of 3rd and 4th, and simply had bad luck in Texas. He led 9 laps in Fontana and won at Kansas last season and was very strong in the All Star race. He is a great class B option.

7. Dale Earnhardt Jr, #88 AMP/National Guard Chevrolet, Hendrick MotorSports

Earnhardt led 62 laps and finished 3rd in Atlanta after losing the handling in the middle portion of the race. He was 2nd in Las Vegas (though he probably should have finished around 5th) and 12th in Texas after leading early in the event. He is a strong class B selection again after leading a portion of the All Star race this past weekend. Typically, his team struggles in races where a lot of adjustments need to be made during the race, so you may want to keep that in the back of your mind this weekend.

8. Jeff Burton, #31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

Burton was 5th in Vegas, 10th in Atlanta, and 6th in Texas. He has been unbelievably consistent on the 1.5 mile tracks over the past year, as evidenced by his 4th at Charlotte, 5th at Atlanta, and 6th at Texas. He has two career victories at Charlotte and although once again he is under the radar, he could be a sleeper in the class A group.

9. Jeff Gordon, #24 DuPont Chevrolet, Hendrick Motor Sports

Gordon crashed in Las Vegas (where he was running strong) and also crashed in Texas. He was 5th in Atlanta and has 5 career wins at Charlotte. Still, there are better class A options this weekend.

10. Denny Hamlin, #11 FedEx Toyota, Gibbs Racing

Hamlin had a nice top 5 run at Texas, but shouldn't be your class A pick this week. He is best used elsewhere and has been inconsistent on the 1.5 mile tracks (for an A driver). He was 9th in Las Vegas and 15th in Atlanta.

11. Clint Bowyer, #07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

Bowyer was 6th in Atlanta after leading 52 laps, turning it around after his 28th place finish in Vegas. He was 10th in Texas and last season he was 6th in Atlanta, 10th in Chicago, 2nd in Kansas (and should have won), 2nd at Charlotte, and 6th in the second race at Atlanta. However, the class A group is too stacked to use him this weekend.

12. Kevin Harvick, #29 Shell/Reeses/GM Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

Harvick was 4th in Las Vegas, 7th in Atlanta, 8th in Fontana, and 9th in Texas. He wasn't good on the intermediate tracks in 2007, but it's pretty obvious the team has improved its performance. Still, he is in the class A group and there are probably better options.

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