DFS NASCAR DraftKings Lineup Advice: Pocono Raceway 6/11/17
This week, the Monster Energy Cup travels to Pennsylvania, to race in what is called, “The Tricky Triangle” for its unique track shape. The AAA 400 Drive for Autism will run at Pocono Raceway located in Long Pond, PA. This track is a 2.5 mile tri-oval and is one of the longer tracks on the circuit, so fuel strategy is important here. As you can visualize from its nickname, this track has three corners and long straightaways. Teams must build and adjust the cars to handle these unique corners. Each corner is unique and a team’s car won’t be optimally adjusted for all of them. Like Dover, pay attention to practice sessions to see what teams have built and tweaked a high performing Pocono vehicle that works well into the corners.
My Top 5 Drivers for the AAA 400 Drive for Autism
Kyle Larson($9,900): Larson is a must start every week. He should have won last week at Dover, but fell short to the reigning champion, Jimmie Johnson. He was the fastest car in the first practice, and has a good performing car to handle the corners. In his six races at Pocono, his highest finish is 5th, and worst finish is 12th.
Martin Truex Jr.($10,300): Truex is a pricey option this week but he is the top driver in the Monster Energy Cup series right now. He is on top of the Championship Points standings, as well as having the highest driver rating. He finished 3rd last week at Dover, and has won this Pocono Spring race in 2015. Although Laps Lead this week isn’t as important at this race with only 160 laps, Truex Jr. starts 2nd and could be the Laps leader this week.
Kevin Harvick($9,600): Harvick is quietly having a great season sitting 3rd in the Championship Points standings. He has not won a race yet this year, and has not led a lot of laps since the 2nd race in the season at Atlanta. However, he finished in the Top 10 in the last six out of seven races. Harvick has never won at Pocono Raceway, but has eight Top 5’s, and thirteen Top 10’s at the Tricky Triangle.
Kyle Busch($9,700): Kyle Busch won the pole position this week and had the 2nd best car in the first practice. Joe Gibbs Racing has provided Busch with a decent car this week. As I have said in previous articles, he is on the cusp of a big win, as he has come close many times this year. Pocono is not one if his best tracks, and has four Top 5’s, and nine Top 10’s.
Matt Kenseth($9,000): Like his teammate Kyle Busch, Kenseth has had a great car this week in practice and qualifying. Kenseth is a crafty veteran at this unique track with one win, four Top 5’s, and nine Top 10’s. After a slow start to the season, Kenseth has upped his game with a 8.35 average finish in his last four races. At $9,000, he is a great price to use for both Cash and GPP lineups.
Value Picks
Ryan Newman($7,600): Newman has had a decent career at Pocono with an average finish of 12.73. He has one win, nine Top 5’s, and fourteen Top 10’s at the Tricky Triangle. He is a great price at $7,600, and he could easily fit in many lineup constructions. He starts 10th and could slide in the Top 5 with his experience at this track.
Kurt Busch($8200): Kurt Busch could win this race on any given Sunday. His has an outstanding record at Pocono with three Wins, thirteen Top 5’s, and eighteen Top 10’s. His last win was recent as he won last year’s Pocono Spring race. He is surprisingly at the top of the Driver Ratings for Pocono.
Sleeper Pick
Ryan Blaney($8400): Blaney was 7th in my rankings this week and is a great price at $8,400. He has shown that he is a factor every week for a young driver. In his two starts at Pocono, he has finished 10th and 11th in 2016, and could easily get another Top 10 in this race. He starts in the 4th position, and had a Top 10 car in the first practice.
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