NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR Fantasy Picks: Talladega Superspeedway

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

NASCAR is headed to Talladega Superspeedway for the Hellmann’s 500. This is the final race of the Round of 12 of the Chase for the Sprint Cup. With championship hopes on the line for a majority of the drivers, fantasy racing rosters will be more tricky than usual to choose.

Start with Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch

Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch are the only two drivers who have an average finish inside the top ten in the last four races. At most tracks on the NASCAR schedule, a handful of drivers find themselves within that statistic but at Talladega, the unpredictable nature can cause havoc.

The winner of the Talladega race in May, Keselowski has two wins, three top-tens and has led 58 laps in his last four starts. Keselowski is in a must-win situation this weekend at Talladega, making him a strong candidate to run up front.

Busch has three top-tens in his last four starts at Talladega and despite only leading two laps, he has found a way to run up front. With help already promised from Tony Stewart, Busch could find more success this weekend.

Choose drivers outside the top ten

Seven of the top ten finishers from the Talladega race in May finished outside the top ten. Choosing drivers selectively from outside the top ten will provide extra points if those driers finish inside the top ten.

Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray, Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch are just a handful of the drivers who finished better than they started by at least eight positions or more.

But it is Talladega and anything can happen at anytime, even on the last lap, to ruin a good run.

Ryan Newman and Clint Bowyer are non-Chase drivers to choose

Clint Bowyer has finished inside the top-ten in three of his last four Talladega races while Ryan Newman has finished inside the top 12 in three of his last four races.

Bowyer and Newman haven’t been in the mix a lot this season, but with Newman’s teammate Austin Dillon still in the Chase and Bowyer’s future teammate Kurt Busch needing some help, both drivers could find themselves in positions towards the front.