(Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)
When Talladega appears on the schedule, there’s always a mix of emotions for Fantasy NASCAR participants. The events are always thrilling to watch, because of the high-intensity restrictor plate action. Yet the tight racing at the track has historically led to the “Big One” – A major multi-car accident that can wreak havoc on fantasy results for the week and put hurtful dents in the standings.
Fantasy owners simply have to set their best possible lineup and then hope their top drivers can avoid trouble. As usual, past results at the track and recent overall trends dictate who you should start, and the unpredictability of the event is something fantasy leaguers will simply have to live with. Ignore the pitfalls of Talladega when setting your lineups, and realize your selections can compensate for any rotten luck at less treacherous tracks in the weeks ahead.
In fact, Talladega may actually produce another happy ending for a driver who seems due for a win. Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin have all enjoyed trips to Victory Lane that have renewed the confidence of their owners for at least brief periods. Kenseth has fallen off recently, but the other two should continue to be strong choices moving forward. Now, it appears to be time for Tony Stewart to take his place among the inspiring early-season winners.
Stewart’s first season as a driver/owner has been more successful than expected so far, and he has been very reliable for fantasy purposes. Stewart is fourth in the Sprint Cup standings and is coming off his best outing of 2009 so far, a second-place showing at Phoenix. He has reeled off three consecutive Top 5 finishes and has six Top 10 finishes in eight starts so far in 2009.
“This is the best start to the season that I’ve ever had in my career,” Stewart said. “The last three weeks have just been amazing. I mean, it’s been so much fun. We’ve been in contention. We’ve led laps. We’re doing everything right. It’s just a matter of time. We are consistent now and that’s the way you’ve got to be.”
Consistency is what fantasy owners look for foremost in a driver, and those who have rode with Stewart so far may get a great reward this week. Stewart’s last win came in the second Talladega race of 2008. In the past eight races at the site dating back to 2005, Stewart leads all drivers in Driver Rating (95.9), Average Running Position (12.3) and Laps in the Top 15 (981, or 64.6 percent). He has nine Top 5s and 12 Top 10s in 20 Talladega starts.
Denny Hamlin was caught up in a wreck in the second Talladega race of ’08, after he had delivered a pair of Top 5 finishes in his previous two races at the site. Hamlin’s DR of 93.2 since 2006 is second to Stewart among all drivers having participated in events at the site dating as far back as ’05. He also ranks second in ARP (14.2). Expect a good run from Stewart’s former teammate this week.
Gordon, however, can be the strongest bet to keep Stewart out of Victory Lane. He has six wins, 16 Top 10s and 13 Top 5s in 32 Talladega starts. Of course, he also has eight DNFs at the site, so obviously he has to steer clear of bad luck first. Gordon is the perfect example of how a fantasy driver can be all-or-nothing at Talladega. Gordon is well-known for his restrictor plate prowess and h
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