Fantasy NASCAR Picks 2009 – Michigan
Roush-Fenway Racing the team to beat in the Motor City
Jun 10, 2009
Michigan International Speedway is everything one would expect from an intermediate track in NASCAR; it is big, wide and fast. But while horsepower and handling rule at the 2-mile oval, the winner will be the driver that does the best job of adjusting their line into and out of the corners as the track changes during the race. With the headquarters of the Big Three just a few miles away, everyone will be working extra hard to grab a checkered flag for the corporate brass: here are the best bets for your NASCAR fantasy team at Pocono:
Favorites at Michigan International Speedway
1. Carl Edwards – Ever since Edwards first hit the track at Michigan in 2004, nobody in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series has been better there. Edwards has an average finish of 6.6 at the 2-mile oval, and has only landed outside the top-10 once in his entire career there. His two Michigan victories have come over the past four races, and Carl is on a roll heading into the weekend, riding a streak of three consecutive top-10’s, including a second-place finish last weekend at Pocono. Edwards is in the perfect position to rack up a lot of points for your fantasy NASCAR team.
2. Matt Kenseth – Roush –Fenway Racing has dominated at Michigan over the past few years, and while Edwards has led the way for the Blue Oval contingent, Kenseth has been right on his heels. The No.17 car has top-5 finishes in four of his last five races in the Wolverine State, and Matt averages a 9th place finish here. While Kenseth has failed to get back to victory lane after winning the first two races of the 2009 NASCAR season, he has been strong of late, with top-10 finishes three of the last four events, and should be a factor again this weekend.
3. Jimmie Johnson – It is difficult to believe that Johnson has never won a race at Michigan, especially considering his recent performance there; Johnson’s 106.9 driver rating over the past four seasons at the 2-mile oval is second only to Edwards (115.7), and Johnson has finished sixth or better in two of the last three Michigan races. Jimmie backed up his Dover win with a seventh at Pocono, and should be on his way to another strong finish Sunday.
Safe Picks for a Solid Michigan Finish
1. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – While it certainly has not been a stellar year for Dale Junior, there is plenty of reason to be optimistic about his chances this weekend. Not only is Earnhardt, Jr. the defending race winner, but he’s finished sixth of better in four of the last six races at the Brooklyn, MI track. After a few weeks to get used to interim crew chief Lance McGrew, it is time for Junior to start showing some improvement, and with Michigan being one of his better tracks, it could be a breakthrough weekend for the No. 88 team.
2. Greg Biffle – Like Roush Racing teammates Edwards and Kenseth, Biffle is always a strong contender at Michigan, and truth be told – he is probably better suited for this track than any of his Ford teammates. Luck is the only thing that is keeping The Biff from being a top-pick this weekend; after a string of top-10’s from 2004 – 2006, Biffle has struggled the past few years, with only one top-10 in the past four races. Biff is far from an underdog, though, and if he can avoid mistakes, should be battling for the lead late in the race.
3. Tony Stewart – There is no driver in NASCAR right now hotter than Stewart, and while he does not have the same kind of track record at Michigan that the Roush drivers own, Smoke still represents a strong pick this weekend. Stewart averages a 12th place finish at the two mile oval, and sports a top-10 result in six of the past nine races there. He is riding an incredible hot streak heading into Sunday’s race, with a finish of fourth or better in seven of his past nine Sprint Cup races, and if you don’t want to pick too many Roush drivers for your fantasy NASCAR roster, Stewart provides the perfect alternative.
Michigan Underdogs
1. Jamie McMurray – Sure, McMurray is another Roush driver, but that is only part of the reason he makes an intriguing fantasy NASCAR pick; Jamie has top-10 finishes in three of his last four Michigan races, and coming off of strong runs at both Dover and Pocono, there is no reason to think McMurray can’t crack the top-10 once again this weekend.
2. Martin Truex, Jr. – Truex does not get a lot of recognition for it, but Michigan is one of his better tracks. Truex has an average finish of 13.8 at the 2-mile oval, including back-to-back second-place finishes in 2007. It has not been a terribly good season for the No.1 team, but with Truex looking to become a free agent next season, he’ll undoubtedly try to step up his performance at Michigan to attract the attention of more owners.
3. Elliott Sadler – Elliott is not the first driver someone would mention as a possible top-10 candidate, well…anywhere, really. But Michigan was a strong track for Sadler last season, where he finished 9th in both events. Dodge’s new R6 motor has shown a lot of promise, and if one of the new power plants shows up under Sadler’s hood this weekend, he could be a pleasant surprise.
Winning at Michigan International Speedway takes a little bit of strategy, a little bit of finesse and a ton of horsepower. Carefully picking your roster for Michigan can help maximize the number of points your NASCAR fantasy team scores.
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