Subway Fresh Fit 500 Practice Recap: 5 Drivers to Watch
Subway Fresh Fit 500 Practice Recap: 5 Drivers to Watch
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When analyzing the practice data for Sunday's Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, it is important to take into account both short and long run speeds. After all, Phoenix is essentially a flat track, and as with most flat tracks, passing can be difficult. As a result, drivers that are quick on short runs tend to be in good shape because even if their speeds tail off a bit over the course of a run, other drivers still have a tough time getting by. On the flip side, drivers that can maintain their speed over the course of several laps have an advantage when it comes to strategy on pit road because they can afford to take just two tires or fuel only and gain track position that way. It is a nice reminder that two completely different methods can be used to achieve the same results, and when looking at the drivers that shined in practice at Phoenix Saturday, I took into account both the single-lap standouts and the drivers that posted strong average speeds.
1. Mark Martin: It has been pretty much a perfect weekend for Martin thus far. After winning the pole at Phoenix Friday, he put down the fastest lap in both of Saturday's practice sessions. With a 9.1 average finish at the track and 31 top-20 finishes in 32 starts, the veteran was already a solid fantasy option heading into the weekend because of his reliability. After topping the charts in a pair of practices, Martin has to be considered a top five fantasy option with a serious shot at going to Victory Lane Sunday.
2. Kyle Busch: Busch put on a powerhouse performance in the practice sessions Saturday. After putting down the second-fastest lap in the opening session, he backed it up with the second-fastest lap in Happy Hour. In addition, he posted the best 10-lap average speed in the final session. Busch is a former winner at Phoenix, and he has finished sixth or better in three of his last four starts. After the speed he showed on both the short and long runs Saturday, a return trip to Victory Lane could definitely be on tap. Busch tends to be boom or bust as a fantasy option, but from everything he has shown thus far, owners should be very confident inserting him into their lineups.
3. Clint Bowyer: One of the bigger surprises during Saturday's practices was Bowyer. He notched the third-fastest lap in the first practice of the afternoon, and he followed up with the fifth-fastest lap in Happy Hour. Bowyer also showed plenty of consistency over multiple laps, posting the second-best 10-lap average speed in the early session. His overall record at Phoenix is sketchy at best, and in addition to his modest 17.7 average finish, he has finished outside the top 20 in four of his last five starts at the track. Still, Bowyer was a rocket on the stopwatch during both practices, and owners willing to overlook his career numbers and take a chance on him could gain some ground on the rest of the competition.
4. Tony Stewart: Although he didn't crack the top five in either practice Saturday, Stewart did show plenty of consistency. "Smoke" ranked eighth in the first session of the afternoon and jumped one spot to seventh in Happy Hour. Along the way, he also notched the fourth-best 10-lap average speed in the first practice. Stewart is in the middle of a rough stretch at Phoenix, having finished outside the top 15 in five of his last seven starts, including both starts in 2012. However, he is also a former winner at the track, and after the solid showing he put on during practice, he looks poised to bust out of his slump. At the very least, Stewart should be able to log a top-10 for fantasy owners.
5. Kurt Busch: Owners that wrote off Busch after he wrecked his primary car in qualifying Friday need to think again. After taking time to get his backup dialed in during Saturday's first practice, he flexed some serious muscle in Happy Hour. Busch put down the sixth-fastest lap and third-best 10-lap average speed of the final session. The downside is that he will have to come from the back of the field, and while that may kill his chances of winning, it won't prevent him from getting back into the top 15. After all, Busch has seven top-15s in his last nine starts at Phoenix, and he appears to have a fast car once again.
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