2 years agoChris Buescher is another driver with high aspirations at Nashville for the Ally 400. He starts in the top-15 after a runner-up finish at Sonoma. Also, the RFK Racing driver had a top-ten result at Dover (eighth) and even third on the dirt at Bristol. The Dover result is a bit more significant here. He started from the pole there, led 18 laps, and caught a few bad breaks from poor drafting late in the race. If not for that, Buescher may have had a shot to even win that race. Gradually, the #17 Ford is showing more consistency and could be one to finish in the top-ten or even top-five.--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoKyle Larson will be starting in third place on Sunday at Nashville Superspeedway. Larson will be looking to go back-to-back after he won last year's race at Nashville, and he is in an excellent position to do it again this year. Larson took a step back from his championship run last year, but that was expected as he had one of the greatest seasons ever. This season, Larson has stats of one win, six top-fives and eight top-10 finishes. Once again, a win will be great for Larson because he is a driver who can get hot and rattle off a couple of wins in a row. Larson is the favorite to win this race and should be worth a look in fantasy.--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR

2 years agoTyler Reddick starts 16th on Sunday for the Ally 400. The No. 8 Chevy has had some problems lately. It seems ever since Bristol (dirt), the driver has not quite enjoyed the same consistency or results for that matter. Despite mostly good qualifying numbers, Reddick has finished outside the top-30 three times with two DNF's (engine, accident). Several issues have plagued the Richard Childress Racing driver. Aside from the runner-up at Darlington, again Reddick just has not maintained his speed on race day. Longer runs could be an issue for Reddick this evening.--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoMichael McDowell finished in third at Sonoma before the NASCAR break. The Front Row Motorsports driver does have five top-ten results in his last nine races. Even at Gateway, McDowell led a total of 34 laps before problems set him knocking the driver back to 18th. He ironically begins 18th this week from Nashville as the No. 34 Ford tries to find ways to maintain speed. That was a problem on the track last year along with his attempts to conserve fuel. McDowell has a knack for placing well unexpectedly this season.--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoKurt Busch has had one wild ride this season, but one thing has been consistent over the last couple of the months: his inconsistency. The elder Busch has not finished in the top 15 twice in a row since late March. Part of that issue has been course construction, but part of that has also just been a lack of, well, everything. Understandably, some external forces have played a role. However, the No. 45 car was pretty good at Sonoma but wound up in 18th place. Now, his third car at Gateway could bode well along with the win at Kansas. Sunday may be a better day, even though the elder Busch starts 19th.--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoRicky Stenhouse Jr. begins Sunday's Ally 400 from the 25th position. That may not be good for the Chevy but he will likely not be on many radars for this race. He was able to finish in the top-ten last year and has had some success on similar tracks. The JTG Daugherty Racing driver was sixth and seventh after the first two stages last year as well. He could carry a bit more speed in longer runs. Though his qualifying lap was far from impressive, practice was better as expected (some top-ten runs). The No. 47 car could enjoy more good place differential this evening. --Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoJoey Logano will be starting on the first row in second place at Nashville Superspeedway. It will be interesting to see what happens to Logano, because he has had an exciting stretch, to say the least, as he has been all over the place when it comes to finishing the race. However, despite his finishing positions being all over the place, Logano is in second place in the standings with two wins, five top-fives and seven top-10 finishes. In last year's race at Nashville, Logano got 10th place, which is not bad, but he will be looking for the win on Sunday. Logano should be worth a look in fantasy.--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR

2 years agoKyle Busch cannot be a happy camper after having to start 36th for Sunday's Ally 400 in Nashville. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver had some bad luck in last year's race. He was in the top ten for good stretches and then fuel conservation became an issue. Most forget he was running third before that became a problem. Also, Busch finished in the top-five after the initial two stages. The expectation is that the No. 18 car charges up to the front gradually at first then quickly after Stage 1. Either way, place differential is ridiculous with a car that could carry top-three speed.--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com

2 years agoThanks to rain, Denny Hamlin will be on the pole for Sunday's race at Nashville Superspeedway. This will be Hamlin's second pole of the season, and he will look for his third win. The other time Hamlin was on the pole, it resulted in a win at Charlotte. With stats of two wins, three top-fives and three top-10 finishes, this puts Hamlin in fourth place in the standings. Hamlin will be looking for a better finish than in last season's race, where he finished in 21st place. If Hamlin were to win this, it would make him the first driver to reach three wins this season. Hamlin should be one of the favorites in the Music City.--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR

2 years agoBubba Wallace will be starting in 27th place for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday. It seems like Wallace will never put the pieces together despite recently showing flashes at Kansas and Charlotte. But Wallace has zero wins, one top-five and two top-10 finishes, which is good enough for only 22nd in the standings. Road courses are also not for Wallace, so he likely will not get back on track at Sonoma. Wallace does not have much time left in the season to win a race before the playoffs start, as there are only 10 races left before the playoffs begin. Wallace should be off the fantasy radar at Sonoma.--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR

2 years agoAustin Cindric will be starting in 25th place at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday. After getting a stage win at Gateway, Cindric still did not snap his top-10 streak, as he finished in 11th place. However, there is a chance it could end Sunday, as his last top-10 finish came at the Circuit of America, which is a road course. It will be difficult, though, as Cindric will be starting from the 25th spot, so he will need to do a lot of work to snap the streak. With stats of one win, one top-five and two top-10 finishes, Cindric sits in 11th place in the standings. If Cindric doesn't show anything soon, he will be a first-round exit in the playoffs. Cindric isn't worth a look on Sunday.--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR

2 years agoAric Almirola will be starting in 21st place at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday. Coming off a top-five finish at Gateway, Almirola will be looking for another good result on Sunday as he tries to pull away from Tyler Reddick in the playoff race. Almirola is now in 15th in the standings and has a little breathing room. But if he lets his foot off the gas, he can fall out of the playoff hunt. Almirola has stats of zero wins, two top-fives and five top-10 finishes. If Almirola can get a top-10 at Sonoma, it would help him gain on Reddick. There are better options than Almirola on Sunday in fantasy.--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR

2 years agoWilliam Byron will have some work to do on Sunday as he will start in 20th place at Sonoma Raceway. It is no secret that Byron has been struggling of late, as he hasn't had a top-10 finish since his win at Martinsville, which was around two months ago. Even with his struggles, Bryon has stats of two wins, four top-fives and four top-10 finishes, which have him in third place in the standings. If Byron can avoid wrecks and make his way to a top-10 finish, that will snap him out of his slump. Byron should be a perilous play at Sonoma.--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR

2 years agoAlex Bowman will be starting in 19th place at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday. Bowman will need to do some work to get towards the front. On the only road-course race of the season, which was at Circuit of America, he finished in second place, so he has that going for him. Bowman sits in eighth place in the standings with stats of one win, three top-fives and nine top-10 finishes. This could be the year Bowman makes a deep run into the playoffs, as he has an average finish of 11.1. If Bowman can put some more wins together, it could make him a force in the playoffs. Bowman would be a risky play just off his starting position for this weekend's race.--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR

2 years agoOn Sunday, Justin Haley will be starting in 18th place for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma. In his young career, Haley is putting together a solid season for his age. In his first full-time season, Haley has zero wins, one top-five and one top-10 finish, which is good for 23rd place in the standings. If Haley can pull off a miracle and win at Sonoma, this will throw him into the playoff picture. Haley's only NASCAR Cup series win was a fluke, as he won the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona due to a rain delay. On Sunday, Haley will look for his second Cup series win, and hopefully it won't be a fluke if it comes.--Maison MaerzSource: NASCAR