This weekend the Cup series heads to Texas Motor Speedway. Texas is a 1.5 mile track and this is the second time this season the Cup series has been here this year. This is the second race in the round of 8 heading towards the Championship race in Homestead. We will look to try to get 1-2 dominators in cash games here this weekend. There are 334 laps run in this race which means we have 83.5 laps led and 167 fastest laps dominator points available. The PJ1 has been applied top the middle lane to help improve racing and make it easier to pass. It has helped in some races and been a non factor in others. We can also look at other 1.5 tracks such as Kansas, Charlotte, Vegas and a couple others.
Kevin Harvick (DK $10,400 FD $14,000)
Harvick took the pole in qualifying on Saturday. Harvick is the top dominator option for me in cash. In the last 5 races here, he has four top 3 finishes including 1 win. He has accumulated dominator points in those four races too including leading 177 laps in last November’s race here which he won. The SHR cars unloaded fast here this weekend so it was no surprise to see Harvick qualify so well. He is on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff standings so gathering stage points would be very beneficial to him and if he could win it would lock him into the Championship race at Homestead.
Martin Truex Jr (DK $11,500 FD $15,000)
If we are at a 1.5 mile track, Martin Truex Jr is in play. Truex has been a monster on 1.5 mile track in recent years and after a slow start heated back up and has two wins on 1.5 mile tracks this season. In the last five races here he has three top tens and has led laps in three of those races. MTJ starts 17th on Sunday and has some decent pd upside to help with possible dominator points.
Ryan Blaney (DK $9,400 FD $10,500)
Ryan starts 15th on Sunday. He had top 10 speed in practice both single and consecutive lap speed. In the last five races here, Blaney has three top 10 finishes and led laps in three of those five races as well including 45 in the spring here before he had an overheating issue that took him out of the race. Blaney is also on the outside of the playoff cut off line so he will need stage points and a good finish to give him any shot at making the playoffs this year.
Clint Bowyer (DK $8,800 FD $8,500)
Clint will probably be very popular in cash games on Sunday. He was top of the charts in consecutive lap speed and top 3 in single speed in final practice. He has two top 10 finishes in the last five races here including a 2nd place finish in the spring. He has 6 top 10 finishes in 1.5 mile tracks this season. All that and Clint starts 24th on Sunday. He has top 10 upside so he has pd upside in his favor too.
Jimmie Johnson (DK $8,600 FD $8,000)
Jimmie was doing well last week til he got caught up in the Kyle Busch/Aric Almirola accident. At Texas, Jimmie has 7 career wins and in the last five races here he has three top 15 finishes including a 5th in the spring race. Jimmie for as average as he has been this season, he has done well at 1.5 mile tracks. He has seven top 15 finishes out of 11 1.5 mile races this season and has only finished outside the top 20 one time. He had top 20 speed in practice and has built in place differential starting 23rd.
Paul Menard (DK $7,300 FD $5,500)
Paul Menard comes into play here at Texas mainly because he is starting 31st. The one thing we know about Menard is that he always finishes somewhere around top 20. In the spring race, Menard finished 19th and in last Novembers race he finished 13th. Menard was 16th in 10 laps consecutive average in final practice. At his price, I will take a top 15-top 20 all day.
Any questions, feel free to message me on twitter @davidjr831 and lets finish this season off strong!
