Fantasy NASCAR: FireKeepers Casino 400

The rules I have implemented for myself are:

1.I will not pick a driver more than 10 times this season.

2.Due to #1 these are “Power Rankings” (in quotations) I’m looking for value here.

My general format for my power rankings:

•Top 2 picks will generally be the favorites, the ones who should be top 5 or top 10 finishes.

• #3 and #4 will be your riskier picks, could be top 5 or bottom 15.

• Pick #5 is the dark horse.

Race Information

Race: FireKeepers Casino 400

Laps: 200

Date: June 10^th

Venue: Michigan International Speedway

2017 Winner: Kyle Larson (2:47:24)

Broadcast: Fox (Darrel Waltrip & Jeff Gordon)

Course: Michigan International Speedway. Created in 1968, this 2 mile asphalt D-shaped Speedway has 18 degree banked turns and 12 degree banked front stretch and 5 degree back stretch. It serves as a sister track to Texas World Speedway and hosts two NASCAR races (Firekeepers Casino 400 and Pure Michigan 400). It is not a restrictor plate race and is among the faster tracks on the circuit.

Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Power Rankings

Favorites

1) Joey Logano (4^th selection this year). Third at Michigan last year, winner in 2016. He has top 10 finishes in all but three races this year.

2) Brad Keslowski (3^rd selection this year). His 16^thplace finish here last place was out of character. He finished fourth here in 2016, 6^th in 2015 and third here in 2014. He has top six finishes in three of his last four races.

High Risk/High Reward

3) Jamie McMurray (3^rd selection this year). Three consecutive top ten finishes at Michigan (more or less on a steady improvement each year culiminating n a fifth place finish last year). Hoping that can overcome just one top ten finish in his last seven races.

4) Kyle Larson (4^th selection this year). He has three straight top ten finishes and in each one he danced with wrecking with a myriad of different racers. I have a hunch I’m going to regret this as I think he will wreck at Michigan but he has a strong record there with back to back years of great top three finishes in multiple races.

Dark Horse

5) Matt Kenseth (1^st selection this year). In his fourth race of the season, the recent retiree is going to come back and have a top ten finish at Michigan where he has four consecutive top 15 finishes. He shook the rust off with a 36^th place finish at Dover, improved to 17^th at Charlotte and finished 13^th in a crazy packed finish at the Poconos last week.

Average Finish:

Favorites: avg finish 11th (28th percentile)

High Risk/High Reward: avg finish 16th (43rd percentile)

Dark Horse: avg finish 19th (49th percentile)