Key to Race: JIMMIE, JEFF, DENNY, and SMOKE
Martinsville is the start of the three race Eliminator Round. Races at Texas and Phoenix follow after-which four of the eight remaining drivers will be eliminated. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, and Denny Hamlin have combined to win 15 of the last 20 races at the track. If it isn't a member of this foursome taking the checkers we will be surprised. The remaining drivers in the Chase for the Championship are Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordan, and Brad Keselowski.
Qualifying Procedures:
43 cars will attempt to qualify for 43 spots.
Fantasy Cheat Sheet:
Top5
No. 24 Jeff Gordon: Gordon has eight career wins at Martinsville. He will crack the top five and is a great choice to win.
No. 48 Jimmie Johnson: Johnson has won seven of the past 16 races at Martinsville. We expect the No. 48 team could be headed back to Victory Lane to claim yet another one of Martinsville’s Grandfather Clocks.
No. 15 Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished second and third at M’ville last season. He has cracked the top 11 in 12 of his last 15 starts at the track. We love his chances on Sunday.
No. 2 Brad Keselowski: Keselowski has averaged a 10th place finish at M’ville during his career. We like his chances to improve on his average this trip to Virginia.
No. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior has finished in the top seven in 15 of his 29 career starts at Martinsville. With a little luck he could notch another top seven finish.
6 to 10
No. 29 Kevin Harvick: Harvick has mostly managed to avoid trouble at Martinsville during his career. He should continue to avoid the frequent accidents and crack the top 10.
No. 11 Denny Hamlin: Hamlin has been great on flat-tracks during his career. He should have the No. 11 inside the top 10 when the dust settles.
No. 99 Carl Edwards: Edwards cracked the top 10 in five of the last 12 races at Martinsville. He should be a top Roush-Fenway driver this weekend.
No. 18 Kyle Busch: Busch has had plenty of past success at short-tracks, but his lack of patience makes him the risky pick in our top 10.
No. 22 Joey Logano: Logano has been very good at M’ville during his career. He is worth using in most leagues.
11 to 20
No. 41 Kurt Busch: Busch won at Martinsville this spring. He is a great choice this weekend.
No. 31 Ryan Newman: Newman won the 2012 spring race at M’ville and has qualified inside the top 10 in 16 of his 24 Cup starts at the track. He should be near the front all day.
No. 20 Matt Kenseth: Kenseth has just three top five finishes in 28 Cup starts at Martinsville. He isn’t a tremendous option this weekend.
No. 5 Kasey Kahne: Kahne has led just 30 laps in 20 career starts at Martinsville. He isn’t a great choice this weekend.
No. 1 Jamie McMurray: McMurray has finished in the top 10 in 13 of his 23 career Martinsville starts. This is a nice weekend to use the No. 1 car.
No. 42 Kyle Larson: Larson has been when of the top drivers in the series the past two months. We will see if he can continue to ride the momentum this weekend.
No. 43 Aric Almirola: A-Dub has run strong at M’ville in the past. He is an option in all leagues.
No. 14 Tony Stewart: Smoke was captured the Martinsville Clock three times in his career, but obviously he is a risky pick this visit.
No. 16 Greg Biffle: Biffle has just five top 10 finishes in 22 career starts at Martinsville. There are far better weekends to use The Biff.
No. 9 Marcos Ambrose: Ambrose has been great on short-tracks during his career. This is a good opportunity to use the Terrific Tasmanian.
21 to 30
No. 47 A.J. Allmendinger: Allmendinger is another driver that has been decent at M’ville in the past. He is worth rounding using to round-out your roster.
No. 78 Martin Truex Jr.: Truex Jr. has run well at Martinsville in three of the last nine races. He is a just a decent fourth driver in most leagues.
No. 3 Austin Dillon: The No. 3 drove well at M’ville earlier this season. He isn’t a bad choice.
No. 55 Brian Vickers: Vickers has driven very well at Martinsville in the past. A top 20 finish won’t shock us.
No. 27 Paul Menard: Menard has averaged a 22nd place finish at Martinsville during his career. He is definitely worth using only in the deepest leagues.
No. 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Stenhouse has struggled in his first Cup visits to Martinsville. He isn’t an option this visit to the track.
No. 34 David Ragan: Ragan has cracked the top 27 in 12 of his 15 career starts at Martinsville. He will do it again this weekend.
No. 13 Casey Mears: Mears has averaged a 21st place finish at Martinsville during his career. We like him as a sleeper only this week.
No. 10 Danica Patrick: Patrick will struggle this weekend.
No. 41 Justin Allgaier: Allgaier could make a little noise. Just not much.
