2 years agoDaniel Suarez enjoyed a car that improved late last year at New Hampshire. He started 31st in 2021, got into the top-20, and held late for a 20th place result. Can Suarez improve on that in 2022? He starts 19th for TrackHouse Racing on Sunday. Both Suarez and Ross Chastain have benefitted with faster Chevy cars. The Next-Gen has been kind and the teammates qualified together even. How much can Suarez move up at the "Magic Mile" is the question? Some suggest the driver could sneak up near the top-ten. Either way, positive place differential is very possible.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com
2 years agoRoss Chastain had a better time of it last year at the Ambetter 301. He finished eighth for Chip Ganassi Racing. This year, he starts 18th for TrackHouse Racing but has carried speed late in longer runs on several intermediates this season. The Next-Gen car has been a big benefit for the Chevy #1 driver who remains near the top of the NASCAR points standings. Chastain could benefit from the 75-110-116 laps setup for the stages much like he did last year. Place differential will help Chastain be owned a bit more when it comes to DFS lineups as well.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com
2 years agoKyle Busch unexpectedly starts 17th on Sunday for the Ambetter 301. He as a solid 0.368 seconds shy of the pole but has some bad history on his side in New Hampshire. Last year was the disaster of the rain before the start of the race. Busch had a "moment" and needless to say the race ended before it ever began. On most intermediate 1-mile tracks, the #18 Toyota has been excellent. He has 11 top-tens in his last 17 races at this distance including a win and five top-fives. Busch is determined to improve at the "Magic Mile".
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com
2 years agoOne never knows but even Chris Buescher has admitted that his Ford has not had the best of time at the Ambetter 301. New Hampshire has seen some unfortunate incidents mar his runs the last few times out. A 29th and 25th despite running in the top 15 late is troubling to say the least for Buescher. Again, that final stage seems to hurt some of the slower running Ford's. That being said, he qualified a bit better which offers some hope. But those practice intervals suggest a drop-off.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com
2 years agoMichael McDowell surprised a few experts qualifying 15th for the Ambetter 301. McDowell has not finished in the top-15 three years in a row with a best of 17th and a worst of 25th. Position wise, the Ford driver has not improved much either. So, expecting much movement might be a tough sell. With a driver rating hovering around 50, McDowell has been pretty much below average performance-wise. Expecting a lot out of the Ford on Sunday may be problematic on longer runs especially that 116 lap final stage.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com
2 years agoDenny Hamlin figured to be in the final qualifying group on Saturday for the Ambetter 301. However, that was not the case. Hamlin wound up 14th instead but did have a run just 0.223 seconds off the pole sitter, Martin Truex Jr. Again, rules are rules when it comes to qualifying. It will be interesting to see how the Toyota's perform later in the race on Sunday. Last year, they did begin to fade some. Only Christopher Bell truly contended last year as even Hamlin fell back to tenth. Hamlin finished in the top-five the two previous appearances. The final stage may see the No. 11 drop positions again.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com
2 years agoTyler Reddick is with Richard Childress Racing for at least the rest of the year. He starts 13th for the Ambetter 301 on Sunday as his #8 Chevy finished just outside of the final qualifying round. Reddick has only raced a couple of times at the top level and does have a top-ten under his belt. Reddick has come nowhere close to leading any portion of either race he was in. The expectation on Sunday is that Reddick may have a difficult time maintaining speed on longer runs. His car did begin to tail on the final stage last year. Losing tenths of a second per lap is less than optimal.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com
2 years agoJoey Logano, Ryan Blaney's teammate, begins the Ambetter 301 on Sunday from the 12th position. Logano and his #22 Ford qualified at the tail end of a four car Ford run. Logano has been remarkably consistent on the 1.058-mile track. He has finished in the top-ten the past three consecutive races (including two top-fives). Despite a 5.7 average finish, Logano oddly enough has just led a single lap. His Ford does not seem to quite have the push in the final stage of races to contend for the win. Even in practice, there did not seem to be an improvement in that regard.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com
2 years agoRyan Blaney has been so close to winning a race this year and yet has not done so. For Sunday's race in New Hampshire, the Team Penske driver will start 11th. The strange thing is only one Ford qualified among the top seven (Aric Almirola). Ford's were pretty strong in testing and have won the past four "Magic Miles". Perhaps the Next-Gen car is an equalizer of sorts. Either way, Blaney has two top-five results in his last three races at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It does seem to go with a theme for the #12 Ford where Blaney comes close but does not quite win.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com
2 years agoKevin Harvick needs a win this weekend, and he'll be starting in 10th place at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday. If the playoffs were to start right now, Harvick would be the first driver out, as he currently sits in 17th place in the standings. Harvick has stats of zero wins, four top-fives and 10 top-10 finishes this year. It's no secret that Harvick has started to decline in production. However, it will be interesting to see if he has any magic left to make the playoffs and make a run. In the spring race at Atlanta, Harvick fished in 21st, which isn't the greatest finish in the world, but there is hope. Harvick did get his first career win at Atlanta, so there is some history here. Harvick is worth a look.
--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR
2 years agoMartin Truex Jr. will look for his first win of the season when he starts in ninth place at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday. Truex, who has been dominant the past couple of seasons, has finally slowed down and is still searching for his first win of the season. With stats of zero wins, two top-fives and seven top-10 finishes, he finds himself in 15th place in the standings. If Truex were to win in Atlanta, it would lock him into the playoffs, but he's currently very close to the cut line. Truex's last race at Atlanta came in the spring race, where he finished in eighth place. Truex should be worth a look in fantasy.
--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR
2 years agoAlex Bowman will be starting in eighth place at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday. In the spring race at Atlanta, Bowman finished in 10th place, showing that he can have strong finishes at the new Atlanta track. With stats of one win, three top-fives and nine top-10 finishes, he is currently in eighth place in the standings. Bowman will be looking for his second win of the season and will also be looking to make a deep run in the playoffs, so a win would boost his confidence. It is also important to note that Bowman has only led 18 laps this season, which shows that he might not be ready to contend for a championship. Bowman is nothing more than a risky look.
--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR
2 years agoDaniel Suarez will be starting in seventh place at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday. Suarez will be searching for his second career win at Atlanta. In the spring race at the track, he finished in fourth place. We all know Suarez would love to get the win at Atlanta, and he looks to have the talent at the new Atlanta track. Suarez has stats of one win, four top-fives and six top-10 finishes this season. Team Trackhouse has two very good drivers, as Suarez and Ross Chastain will both be searching for the win on Sunday. Suarez will be worth a look on Sunday in fantasy.
--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR
2 years agoOn Sunday, Ryan Blaney will be starting in sixth place at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Blaney needs to win a race because he keeps falling closer and closer to the cut line as more and more divers keep winning their first race of the season. Blaney has stats of zero wins, six top-fives, nine top-10 finishes and has had three poles on the year. These stats put Blaney in 14th place in the standings. It is also important to note that Blaney has the second-most points on the season with 591. Blaney will need to win now to show he can earn a spot in the playoffs and make a deep push for a championship. Blaney is a great look for Sunday.
--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR
2 years agoAustin Cindric will be starting in the fifth position at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday. After slumping after his Daytona 500 win, Cindric has snapped out of the slump. In the last three races, Cindric has had three top-10s and a top-five finish, which shows he is getting better. With stats of one win, two top-fives and five top-10 finishes, Cindric is currently in 10th place in the standings. In the spring race at Atlanta, Cindric finished in 32nd place because he was wrecked out of the race. Cindric will be looking to finish the race and extend his top-10 streak to four races. Cindric should be worth a look in fantasy.
--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR
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