Fantasy NASCAR Picks 2009 – Sonoma
Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart the Drivers to Beat in Wine Country
Jun 16, 2009
Its time to turn left and right, as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads west to tackle the 1.99 mile road course at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. Like any NASCAR road-race, there will be plenty of ‘ringers’ on hand to compete with the Cup regulars, plus NASCAR’s double-file restart rule could make things pretty eventful on the tight, technical Sonoma track. Here are the best bets for your NASCAR fantasy team at Infineon:
Favorites at Infineon Raceway
1. Jeff Gordon – There are some that may argue the point, but there really is nobody in NASCAR better at road-course racing than Jeff Gordon, especially at Sonoma. Gordon has five wins in wine country, and has only finished lower than 7th twice in the past 14 years at the California track. After top-5 finishes the past two weekends at Pocono and Michigan, Gordon is looking to take back the top spot in the standings, and is a must-start for this race.
2. Tony Stewart – Stewart’s road-course record may not be as flawless as Gordon’s, but Smoke is not far behind. Stewart has two wins here, and his average finish of 10th at the 1.99 mile track is just one place behind Gordon’s. Tony has top-10 finishes in three of his last four races at Infineon, including his 2005 win, and the current point leader is riding a ton of momentum into the weekend with a streak of three top-10 finishes. There is no indication Stewart will slow down at Sonoma
3. Juan Montoya – Montoya has only run two races at Infineon, but has already established himself as a favorite every time out here. JPM followed up his 2007 win with a sixth place finish at Sonoma last year, but the biggest thing going for Montoya right now is confidence; with top-10 finishes in four of his last six NASCAR Sprint Cup series races, he’s clearly improved behind the wheel, and a good performance at Sonoma could put Montoya on the verge of breaking into the top-12 in the standings.
Safe Picks for a Solid Sonoma Finish
1. Ryan Newman – Newman is not the first NASCAR driver that comes to mind when discussing road-course racers, but his record in wine country is intriguing; While Ryan has never won at Sonoma, he has an average finish of 9.4 here over his career along with top-10 finishes in five of the seven races he has run at Infineon. Newman’s 23rd place finish at Michigan broke a streak of six-straight top-10 finishes in the Cup series, and while he may not win this weekend, he certainly is a strong bet for another top-10 finish.
2. Kyle Busch – After a lackluster debut at Sonoma back in 2005, the younger Busch has gotten better every time out at the 1.99 mile road-course, culminating with his first win here last season. Despite his average 15th place career finish here, Busch’s driver rating over the past four years is 104.8, behind only Stewart and Montoya. The only thing that is keeps Busch from being a top-pick for this weekend is his recent performance in the Cup series; the Shrub only has one top-10 in his last five races, but there is a good chance this could be the week he breaks out of that slump.
3. Clint Bowyer – Like Newman, Bowyer is not really though of as a road racer, but he has an impressive career finish of 8th here, thanks to back-to-back top-5’s at Infineon the past two years. Bowyer has struggled the past few months, but has improved quite a bit over the last three races, including a 10th place finish at Michigan, and that trend could continue this weekend.
Infineon Underdogs
1. Robby Gordon – The ‘other’ Gordon has not been terribly impressive at Sonoma the past few years – he has failed to make the top-10 in the last five races – but Gordon is a past winner at the California road-course, and is always a threat to run well here. Sitting just inside the top-35 in the point standings, Robbie needs to step up his performance to maintain a guaranteed starting spot in the race each week, so expect a strong run Sunday.
2. Marcos Ambrose – Ambrose only has one Infineon start to his credit, resulting in a 42nd place finish thanks to a broken transmission, but that is no reason to shy away from the Australian racer; last year’s Sonoma start was his first ever in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, and was in a Wood Brothers car that he had essentially no experience in. Now with a full-time ride at Michael Waltrip Racing, Ambrose has looked impressive behind the wheel, and with his vast road racing experience in the Australian stock car series, Marcos could turn more than a few heads at Infineon.
3. Boris Said – For all the hype surrounding the “road-course ringers” that show up at NASCAR events in Sonoma and Watkins Glen, they hardly ever compete for a win. More often than not, though, one of them will find their way into the top-10 by the end of the day, and Said has the best chance of any to make it there this weekend. Boris has plenty of NASCAR experience, and he taught most of the successful Cup drivers how to road-race. Plus, he’s just fun to root for. There is no reason not to consider Said for a fantasy NASCAR roster.
Road Racing in NASCAR is an art that not all Cup series drivers have mastered, so sticking with teams that have plenty of road course experience and success can help maximize the number of points your NASCAR fantasy team scores.
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