Johnson, Harvick our two main picks at Darlington

DARLINGTON, SC – NASCAR Throwback Weekend is about to happen for the second year in a row this weekend at Darlington Raceway. Fans will get to see drivers race some of the greatest and most famous and historical paint schemes in NASCAR history.

Fantasy is tough at the track that is 'Too Tough To Tame' because it is so unpredictable.

But the two drivers we're looking at for this weekend to boost your team are Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick.

Harvick may only have one win at Darlington, which was back in 2014. But in the past two races at Darlington, he has an average finish of third and an average starting position on second. He led of 282 the 741 laps in those two races, leading 238 in the 2014 win and 44 at Darlington in 2015.

Jimmie Johnson has won at Darlington three times in his career. He won the May race in 2012, and won both races at the track in 2004. He has a career average finish of 9.06 and a career average starting position of 13.1 at the South Carolina track.

Kevin Harvick at Darlington Raceway

Race ▴ Finish Start Car #  Team Make Laps Led  Status Rating * 1 25 Sep 6, 2015 5 3 #4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 367 of 367 44 Running 123.6 2 8 Apr 12, 2014 1 1 #4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 374 of 374 238 Running 148.9 3 11 May 11, 2013 5 10 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 367 of 367 0 Running 106.6 4 11 May 12, 2012 16 23 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 368 of 368 0 Running 85.1 5 10 May 7, 2011 17 13 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 370 of 370 47 Running 110.6 6 11 May 8, 2010 6 35 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 367 of 367 2 Running 95.3 7 11 May 9, 2009 11 24 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 367 of 367 0 Running 86.3 8 11 May 10, 2008 39 11 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 265 of 367 0 Running 71.7 9 11 May 13, 2007 17 9 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 367 of 367 0 Running 75.5 10 11 May 13, 2006 37 14 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 350 of 367 0 Running 61.4 11 10 May 7, 2005 14 24 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 370 of 370 0 Running 89.5 12 35 Nov 14, 2004 32 14 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 354 of 367 0 Running 13 5 Mar 21, 2004 8 23 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 293 of 293 0 Running 14 25 Aug 31, 2003 2 18 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 367 of 367 14 Running 15 5 Mar 16, 2003 36 33 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 283 of 293 0 Running 16 25 Sep 1, 2002 40 17 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 193 of 367 0 accident 17 5 Mar 17, 2002 3 16 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 293 of 293 0 Running 18 25 Sep 2, 2001 8 5 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 367 of 367 0 Running 19 5 Mar 18, 2001 14 3 #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 293 of 293 0 Running Average 16.37 15.6

Jimmie Johnson at Darlington Raceway

Race Finish Start Car #  Team Make Laps Led  Status Rating * 1 25 Sep 6, 2015 19 19 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 of 367 0 Running 80.3 2 8 Apr 12, 2014 3 26 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 374 of 374 8 Running 101.2 3 11 May 11, 2013 4 2 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 of 367 0 Running 121.7 4 11 May 12, 2012 1 2 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 368 of 368 134 Running 141.1 5 10 May 7, 2011 15 19 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 370 of 370 0 Running 87.8 6 11 May 8, 2010 36 22 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 179 of 367 0 accident 55.8 7 11 May 9, 2009 2 42 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 of 367 2 Running 96.6 8 11 May 10, 2008 13 3 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 of 367 0 Running 98.0 9 11 May 13, 2007 3 12 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 of 367 44 Running 125.5 10 11 May 13, 2006 4 25 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 of 367 81 Running 122.2 11 10 May 7, 2005 7 9 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 370 of 370 55 Running 118.4 12 35 Nov 14, 2004 1 4 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 of 367 124 Running 13 5 Mar 21, 2004 1 11 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 293 of 293 69 Running 14 25 Aug 31, 2003 3 2 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 of 367 17 Running 15 5 Mar 16, 2003 27 14 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 291 of 293 0 Running 16 25 Sep 1, 2002 9 5 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 of 367 17 Running 17 5 Mar 17, 2002 6 5 #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 293 of 293 0 Running Average 9.06 13.1

Data via DriverAverages.com.

Who to pick at the 'Tricky Triangle'

LONG POND, PA — The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is headed to Pocono Raceway for the Pennsylvania 400 on Sunday.

In terms of fantasy, Pocono is tough when it comes to picking drivers because many drivers have had past success there but not too much recent success.

Below are some notes to consider when picking your drivers. The notes are based on past Pocono performances.

SIX-TIME, THREE-TIME

Take Jimmie Johnson. He has three-career Cup wins at the 'Tricky Triangle', but the most recent of those three wins was in 2013.

SUBBING IN

Jeff Gordon, who is filling for Dale Earnhardt Jr. this weekend, has won at Pocono six times. Earnhardt swept the two Pocono races in 2014 by winning both of them. But Gordon's last Pocono win was in 2012.

2015 AT POCONO

Martin Truex Jr. won the June 2015 race at the track., but Matt Kenseth won the August Pocono race.

THIS YEAR AT POCONO

Kurt Busch is the reigning winner at Pocono, having won in June 2016. Earnhardt, Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott and Joey Logano rounded out the Top-5.

POCONO RACE NOTES/FACTS

· June 2016 Race Winner: Kurt Busch, 125.490mph, started 9th

· August 2015 Race Winner: Matt Kenseth, 132.159mph, started 7th

· Oldest Winner: Harry Gant, 50 years, 5 months, 7 days, 6/17/1990

· Youngest Winner: Joey Logano, 22 years, 0 months, 7 days, 6/10/2012

· 1st Race 400 mile Record: Jeff Gordon, 6/12/2011, 145.384mph

· 1st Race 500 mile Record: Alan Kulwicki, June 1992, 144.023mph

· 2nd Race Record: Rusty Wallace, July 1996, 144.892

· Slowest Race Record: Jimmie Johnson, June 2004, 112.129mph

· Worst Starting Spot to Win: Carl Edwards, June 2005, started 29th

· Different Race Winners: 34

· June 2016 Pole Winner: Brad Keselowski, 181.726mph, finished 3rd

· August 2015 Pole Winner: Kyle Busch, 178.416mph, finished 21st

· Track Qualifying Record: Kyle Larson, August 1, 2014, 183.438mph

· Oldest Pole Winner: David Pearson, 49 years, 5 months, 19 days, 6/10/1984

· Youngest Pole Winner: Joey Logano, 21 years, 2 months, 13 days, 8/6/2011

· Different Pole Winners: 40

POCONO POLE NOTES/FACTS

· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Pocono Raceway five times; most recently the spring of 2013.

· 41 drivers have posted Coors Light poles at Pocono, led by Bill Elliott and Ken Schrader with five each; Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin lead all active drivers with three each.

· Buddy Baker won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Pocono in 1974 with a speed of 144.122 mph.

· Five drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono. Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive poles at Pocono with three; fall 1984 and both races in 1985.

· Two active drivers have posted consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono: Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep) and Joey Logano (fall 2011 and spring 2012).

· Three drivers have posted their first-career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Pocono Raceway: Harry Gant (1979), Casey Mears (2004) and Kyle Larson (2014).

· Eight different manufacturers have won a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole at Pocono; led by Chevrolet with 33, followed by Ford (16), Dodge (8), Pontiac (6), Toyota (5), Buick (2), American Motors Company and Oldsmobile (each have one).

· 13 of the 77 (16.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Joey Logano (June, 2012).

· 15 of the 77 (19.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the first starting position; the most recent was Jimmie Johnson (June, 2013).

· The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Pocono Raceway.

· 24 of the 77 (31.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the front row: 15 from the first starting position and nine from second-place.

· 55 of the 77 (71.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been won from a top-10 starting position.

· Five of the 77 (6.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Pocono is 29th, by Carl Edwards in the spring of 2005.

POCONO TRACK NOTES/HISTORY

· Opened in 1968 as a three-quarter-mile track, Pocono Raceway held the first race on the 2.5-mile track in 1971.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was in 1974 - won by Richard Petty, Dodge, 115.593 mph, 08/04/1974.

· The 2.5-mile track was repaved during the fall of 2011.

· 2012 marked the first season the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono were scheduled for 400 miles. Prior to 2012 all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races were 500 miles at Pocono Raceway.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. makes a good pick for Daytona

This weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series goes restrictor-plate racing at the Daytona International Speedway for a 400-mile race, the Coke Zero 400.

Obviously when you think if drivers who have been dominant at restrictor plate tracks, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. comes to mind.

But in his last restrictor plate race, which was at Talladega earlier this season, Earnhardt had car issues that caused him to finish 39th out of 40th in the pack.

But just think. Earnhardt won that exact Talladega race in 2015. Plus, Daytona is one of Earnhardt's better tracks, where he has won two Daytona 500s  (2004 and 2014), along with two Coke Zero 400 victories (2001 and 2015).

The 2001 victory (The race was sponsored by Pepsi back then, called the Pepsi 400) is possibly one of Earnhardt's most memorable victories to date, where his father, Dale Earnhardt passed away in a wreck in the last lap of the Daytona 500 that February.

The win was a great one for the Earnhardt family, as it was evident of how emotional Earnhardt was in victory lane at the same track his father lost his life at earlier in the year.

But Earnhardt's 2015 Coke Zero 400 victory was a bit scary, as a huge wreck occured behind the leaders that caused Austin Dillon's No. 3 Chevrolet to fly off the race course and into the catchfence.

Dillon exited the car unhurt after many people rushed to the car to make sure he was okay.

But let's get into our analysis of what we're trying to say.

Earnhardt has four-career Sprint Cup wins at Daytona, and he is definitely one of the drivers that we wouldn't hesitate to pick for our fantasy NASCAR team for any restrictor-plate race.

Elliott's good XFINITY road course stats apply for Sonoma? Let's analyze

This weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Sonoma Raceway for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 on Sunday.

Picking drivers for fantasy NASCAR can be tough at road courses because of the fact that certain drivers don't run as well on road courses than they do on oval tracks.

But we're looking at one rookie that may be able to help you.

That would be Chase Elliott.

Elliott has yet to run a road course in Sprint Cup, but his XFINITY road record is impressive. He has Top-10s in all six starts and four top fives in the series at road courses.

None of those were Sonoma,but that still can be applied in saying that those road course experiences can help Elliott at Sonoma this weekend.

We called Elliott an "optional" pick in the title of this piece because this is his first start at Sonoma in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, but tie will only tell how he performs in that start.

Fantasy Notebook: XFINITY Series heads to Iowa

By @GucciardoJoey.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series heads to Newton, Iowa's
Iowa Speedway this weekend.

NEWTON, IA – This Sunday, the NASCAR XFINITY Series stars will battle it out in the American Ethanol E15 250 at Iowa Speedway. I am here to give you the best fantasy NASCAR advice for the XFINITY Series for that race.

Although flagship daily fantasy sports sites like DraftKings and FanDuel only offer NASCAR in the Sprint Cup Series, I am here to give you some notes that you can use for the the XFINITY Series on a site that does offer XFINITY Series fantasy, like the games on NASCAR's official website.

KESELOWSKI TIME IN NEWTON?

Brad Keselowski has been very dominant at Iowa in the past two years. Although in that span he has only ran in one NXS race at the track, he did win it. His driver average at Iowa since then has been 149.5. In that race, he led 146 laps and started second.

Keselowski is entered for the race at Iowa this weekend, so expect him to have an affect on the winner of this race.

TIFFT OUT, HORNISH IN

Joe Gibbs Racing announced Tuesday a driver change for the race. 

Under recommendations from his doctor, Matt Tifft will sit out for the event as he undergoes treatment for a disc condition in his back, as reported via a team release from the organization.


Instead, Sam Hornish Jr. will sit in the driver's seat of the No. 18 Toyota for the 250-lap event.

In that same two-year span I referenced with Keselowski above, Hornish had ran two races at Iowa and won one of them. His average finish at the track in that span has been 137.2.

JONES WITH THE TOP-10'S

Once again, in that same two year span at Iowa, Erik Jones has one Top-5 and one Top-10 finish at Iowa. He also had one pole in those two years.