Fantasy NASCAR Picks 2009 - Watkins Glen
Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin are Road Race Favorites
Aug 5, 2009
With only five races left until the Chase, time is running out for the drivers on the bubble, and as if it were not hard enough to make up ground on the frontrunners, they have to do it at one of the most difficult tracks in NASCAR, the 2.45 mile road course at Watkins Glen. Here are the best bets for your NASCAR fantasy team at The Glen:
Favorites at Watkins Glen
1. Tony Stewart – There are a lot of good road racers in NASCAR, but when it comes to Watkins Glen, nobody has been as dominant as Stewart. Smoke has four career wins in upstate New York, an average finish of 5.7 and has finished either first or second in the past five races. Smoke came from the back of the field last weekend at Pocono to finish 10th – his ninth straight top-10 finish – and should have no problem extending that streak Sunday. Stewart is a must-start for fantasy NASCAR owners.
2. Denny Hamlin – Hamlin may not readily come to mind as an A-list road racer in the Sprint Cup series, but he has already established himself as a perennial contender at The Glen. Denny has scored top-10 finishes in all three of his races at the 2.45 mile road course, including a second-place finish in 2007. Coming off an emotional win at Pocono, Hamlin looks to have finally left behind the bad luck that has plagued him all season, making the No.11 car a favorite this weekend.
3. Jimmie Johnson – It is amazing to think that Johnson has never won a road course race in the Cup series, especially considering his record at Watkins Glen; Johnson has top-10 finishes in four of his last six races here, and his 106.8 driver rating over the past four years is second only to Stewart. Having taken over second place in the standings from teammate Jeff Gordon, Johnson is poised to make his late season push for the championship, and it would be no surprise to see him up front at The Glen.
Safe Picks for a Solid Finish at The Glen
1. Juan Montoya – Everyone knows that he is an excellent road racer, but this season Montoya has added another weapon to his arsenal – consistency. Instead of the all-or-nothing approach that he brought with him from F1, a kinder, gentler Montoya has taken the track recently, and it has paid huge dividends – instead of a rolling caution, Montoya has established himself as a top-10 driver and a Chase contender with a series of strong finishes. Now that he has himself securely in the top-12, Montoya should be able to open things up a bit at The Glen and go for a win.
2. Jeff Gordon – Gordon is still widely regarded as one of the best road racers in the sport, but he has had his share of struggled at Watkins Glen in recent years. Despite leading the second-highest number of laps over the past four years, Gordon’s average finish during the span was just 16.3, and the four-time champ only has one top-10 in his last seven races at The Glen. Still, Gordon has four career wins here, and is always a threat for a good finish.
3. Kevin Harvick – It has not been a banner year for Harvick, but Watkins Glen provides the opportunity to continue his recent upswing that started two races ago at Indy. Kevin has finished sixth of better in four of his last six races at the New York road course, including a win in 2006, and coming off top-12 finishes in his last two weeks, Harvick could be turning things around.
Watkins Glen Underdogs
1. Robby Gordon – For as good of a road racer as Robby is, he always seems to run into back luck, suffering everything from mechanical failures to poor fuel mileage. When he has a good car, though, there are few people better on a road course, and Gordon is particularly good navigating the fast corners at The Glen; Robby has one win here, plus top-5 finishes in five of his last seven races. After fuel mileage took away the chance for a win at Sonoma, Robby will be looking to get back on track this weekend.
2. Marcos Ambrose – Ambrose has certainly been a surprise driver this season, and with a solid road racing background, he could end up having a big weekend. Ambrose finished third in his first-ever Cup race at Watkins Glen last season, and that was with a new car and a new team. With a year of experience and a well sorted-out car, Marcos could stun everyone by capturing his first Cup series win.
3. Martin Truex, Jr. – Truex is another driver that is not really thought of as a road racer, but his track record the past two years has been impressive, with sixth and fifth place finishes in 2007 and 2008. It has been a disappointing season for Truex, but The Glen provides the opportunity to salvage something from the season and end his time with Earnhardt-Ganassi on a high note before heading off to Waltrip Racing next year.
With tough competition and the possibility of fuel mileage coming into play, picking a winning fantasy NASCAR team at Watkins Glen can be difficult, but these drivers should help maximize the number of points your NASCAR fantasy team scores.
 |
