Fantasy Report: Ford 400

We're down to the last race of the 2008 season and I speak for both Fantasy bloggers when I say "thank goodness!" After falling back to 11th in our league, and Erik in 22nd, it's a relief that this is the end. My only hope is that I can climb into the top 10 but it gets harder to post a lot of points at the end of the season when your top drivers are used up. I guess I'll just make do with who I have and wish for the best.

My picks for this week:

• Jeff Gordon✔ and Kurt Busch

• David Ragan✔, Juan Pablo Montoya✔, Jamie McMurray and Kasey Kahne

• David Reutimann✔ and AJ Allmendinger

Different motives: There's a lot of things happening this weekend. Jimmy Johnson can take home his third consecutive championship by finishing 36th or better, 37th and leading one lap or 39th and leading the most laps. Jeff Gordon is trying one last time to post his first win of the season or other Chase drivers trying to finish higher in the standings. Also, you have teams looking to stay in the top 35 in owner points which might be the recipe for a big wreck before the checkered flag is dropped. It's hard to say whether or not Johnson will lay back and try to post a top 20 or so finish or put it out front like he did last weekend. I would imagine he might not finish extremely high in the running order so he might not be a good pick this weekend. I'm going with Gordon for my A driver and although he finished badly last weekend he'll be going all out in Miami.

Decisions, decisions: If you're within striking distance of the top spot in your league you can either play it safe and hope for the best or gamble for that extra surge in points. I decided to do a little of both. All the drivers on my roster have had some amount of success at Homestead or just throughout the season. However, drivers like Kasey Kahne and AJ Allmendinger who have had up-and-down years could really shine this weekend. The only driver I'm confident I'll leave in is Ragan, who's had a phenominal year for such a green driver.

Parting shot: I hope that if you've read this blog throughout the 2008 season that you've been able to take away the better advice we've given you. Stats and trends can only tell you so much and it can be painfully obvious sometimes that the nature of racing is unpredictable. It has been a fun year, I was up to second at one point and Erik was in first and it looked like we were both going to finish very well and then once you have a few bad weeks there's no way to recover. I would say my biggest accomplishment this year was picking so many race winners. I went on 7-week streak at one point and that's the stuff that makes Fantasy fun even if you don't come in first at the end. Good luck in the final race and stay out of the wall!

Fantasy Report: Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500

There are only two races left in The Chase for the Cup and Jimmie Johnson has a commanding lead over Carl Edwards. Edwards will try to gain some ground this week at Phoenix but there's a good chance Johnson will clinch The Cup.

Our picks ...

Erik's picks:
Jeff Burton✔, Carl Edwards, Mark Martin✔, Martin Truex Jr.✔, David Ragan, Juan Pablo Montoya, Paul Menard✔ and David Reutimann.

Brandon's picks:
Jeff Gordon✔, Kevin Harvick, Mark Martin✔, Martin Truex Jr.✔, David Ragan, Jamie McMurray, David Reutimann✔ and Michael Waltrip.

If you are looking for a possible sleeper this week consider putting Jeff Burton on your roster. In 15 races at this track Burton has stared at an average position of 23 but his strong runs here have left him with an average finish of 7th.

If you are looking for a few extra pole points Jeff Burton and Ryan Newman could be a good pick to have on your roster. They are the only two drivers to have won consecutive poles at Phoenix.

If you have a driver on your roster that is starting towards the back it might not be a bad move to start them. Only eleven drivers out of 24 races have won from a top ten starting position.

One last thing: if you have Jimmie Johnson use him. I mean it seems like the guy is having really good luck right now.

Well this will be my last fantasy blog for the season. For those of you who have kept up with this and actually used any of my advise my hat is off to you. More importantly I hope you had a fantastic fantasy racing season. Good luck and see you next year!

Fantasy Report: Dickies 500

There's only three races left in the 2008 season and Carl Edwards isn't going out without a fight. While Johnson still has the edge, Edwards has to really capitalize in the last few races to have a shot at the championship — and hope that Johnson finishes terribly. We'll all know soon enough. Onto the picks:

Brandon's picks:

Jeff Burton✔, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr.✔, Mark Martin✔, David Ragan, Ryan Newman, Travis Kvapil✔ and AJ Allmendinger.

Erik's picks:

Jeff Burton✔, Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman✔, Jamie McMurray✔, David Ragan, Bobby Labonte, Paul Menard✔ and David Reutimann.

Use 'em, if you got 'em: If you still have Johnson and Edwards available put at least one of them in this weekend. Johnson has the best average here but only has one win to Carl Edwards' two. I would still think that Johnson is the favorite but if Edwards' ride is anything like it was this past weekend then he'll be hard to beat. Of course, I give this advice and I can't use either driver — I'm putting in Jeff Burton.

Honorable mentions: Burton has 2 wins and 7 top tens at Texas and could be an excellent pick this weekend. Matt Kenseth has also done very well here in the past with a win and 5 top five finishes and after looking strong in Atlanta he might have a shot at the checkered flag this weekend. Don't ever count Mark Martin out either. Even though he's heading to Hendrick Motorsports in 2009 the veteran is still looking to post his first win of 2008.

The unpredictable: What can you say? This stuff is hard. We've said time and time again that what might seem like a lock can quickly deteriorate into a 40th or worse finish. I had a pretty bad week in Atlanta and dropped to 6th spot. I'm hoping to have a solid finish this weekend even though I'm going to have to pick my drivers well before any practice or qualifying since your humble narrator will be spending the weekend in New Orleans.

Good luck race fans!

Fantasy Report: Pep Boys Auto 500

The action is heating up as 'The Chase for the Cup' draws closer to an end. In race seven of the Chase drivers will handle the high speeds of Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Pep Boys Auto 500.

Here are the picks ...

Erik's picks:

Jeff Burton✔, Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman✔, Jamie McMurray✔, David Ragan, Bobby Labonte, Paul Menard✔ and David Reutimann.

Brandon's picks:

Tony Stewart✔, Carl Edwards, Juan Pablo Montoya✔, Mark Martin✔, Kasey Kahne, Elliot Sadler, Paul Menard✔ and Michael Waltrip.

Jimmie Johnson all the way: I think its safe to say Johnson might have the Cup locked up — unless he gets lost on the way to every track for the rest of the season. Even then I think he might find a way to win. If you have him left on your fantasy roster this is a great time to use him. There have been seven season sweeps at Atlanta and one of those by Johnson in 2007. He also has an average finish of 9th at Atlanta. If weather becomes a factor at Atlanta this could play in Johnson's favor once again. If qualifying gets rained out he would sit the pole and 55 races have been won from the first five starting positions.

Long shot: This week my long shot is Bobby Labonte. He leads the active list of drivers with six career victories at Atlanta. He also holds the track record. If he qualifies well then I will put him in. Being out of contention for a top five finish in the fantasy standings I don’t think it will really hurt me that much.

Good luck this week!

Fantasy Report: Tums QuikPak 500

With my hopes for at least a second place finish in our Fantasy league quashed by last weekend's dismal showing from my drivers I have no choice but to keep on truckin' and see how well I can finish. It's pretty funny to think that I was really trying last week and ended up getting fewer points than Erik who was trying to pick losers. Just goes to show how much of a roll of the dice this thing truly is. Well, we're in Martinsville this week ... onto the picks:

Brandon's picks:

Jeff Gordon✔, Denny Hamlin, David Ragan✔, Kasey Kahne✔, Ryan Newman, Juan Pablo Montoya, David Reutimann✔ and Aric Almirola.

Erik's picks:

Jeff Gordon✔, Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman✔, Jamie McMurray✔, David Ragan, Juan Pablo Montoya, Paul Menard✔ and David Reutimann.

Better than most: Look to Hendrick Motorsports for this week's locks. With 8 poles and 7 wins at Martinsville, Jeff Gordon will likely have a strong showing. His teammate Jimmie Johnson has one pole and 4 wins here. While Gordon's team has been getting better recently, if I had to bet I would say that Johnson might have the better shot at winning this weekend. Mark Martin has also been a top finisher and winner here but he won't be racing this weekend — Aric Almirola will be in the driver's seat.

High expectations: I have high hopes that my B drivers can do well this weekend. They were really my only sources of points last week. I think that David Ragan will continue his hot streak and Kasey Kahne will be able to capitalize on his second-place finish at Lowe's coming into this weekend. I'll likely start which ever one of my C drivers does better overall during practice and qualifying, which is usually the case.

Good luck!

Fantasy Report: Bank of America 500

Lowe's Motor Speedway is where NASCAR heads this week as The Chase for the Cup draws closer to the end. After my horrendous fantasy showing at Talladega this past weekend I am going to try something a little different. I figure I am already out of winning so why not have some fun.

During the Kansas race Brandon and I were talking about how much fun reversing the rules of fantasy racing would be. To pick the drivers who are going to finish closest to the back. It would give racing fans a chance to cheer on some of the other guys who don’t always make it to victory lane. In honor of my total debacle that is fantasy racing 2008 I am going to pay homage to the racers I believe will finish in the rear of the pack this week at Lowe's. It is going to be fun to root for the underdog. Who knows — they might even win!

Onto our picks …

Erik's picks:

Kurt Busch✔, Clint Bowyer, Dave Blaney✔, Robby Gordon✔, David Gilliland, Reed Sorenson, Michael Waltrip✔ and Paul Menard.

Brandon's picks:

Carl Edwards✔, Jeff Gordon, David Ragan✔, Kasey Kahne✔, Mark Martin, Elliot Sadler, Travis Kvapil✔ and David Reuitmann.

SMART MOVES: If you are looking to get points this week Kasey Kahne is a great move. He has won three of the last five races at Lowe's. If you still have him left on your roster, Jimmie Johnson is a powerhouse as this track. Since 2003, he has had five wins at Charlotte. I think Brandon has selected great drivers for this week and has a great opportunity to move into the second place spot in our fantasy league. Good luck to you B! Watch out for my underdogs though.

Fantasy Report: Camping World RV 400

NASCAR makes its third stop of the Chase for the Cup this week at Kansas Speedway. This week could define Kyle Busch's chances for a rebound to the top or if he'll be 'dust in the wind.' I could also be in the dust if I continue to have bad runs week after week. Lets hope this time around I will rebound on my fantasy position. Lets take a look at our picks for the week.

Erik's picks:

Jeff Gordon✔, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman✔, Jamie McMurray✔, Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr., Travis Kvapil✔ and Scott Riggs.

Brandon's picks:

Carl Edwards✔, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle✔, Mark Martin✔, Martin Truex Jr., David Ragan, David Reutimann✔ and Joey Logano.

HENDRICK TRACK: If you still have them as active drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson might not be a bad move. Johnson has held the pole position twice at Kansas. Gordon has two wins in his career at this young track. The first Sprint Cup race was ran here in 2001.

BOWYER: Clint Bowyer is on my roster this week for one reason: his stats at Kansas Speedway. Although, he only has two starts at the track he has an average start of 8th and an average finish of 5th. That seems like pretty good odds and I need a gamble to try to move myself up in the fantasy standings.

NOT IN THE CHASE: If history repeats itself, look to move some drivers on your roster that are not in the Chase this year. Since NASCAR has started running Chase races at Kansas (four of them to be exact) three of the winners were not competing for the Cup.

That's it for this week … Good luck!

Fantasy Report: Camping World RV 400 presented by AAA

This week NASCAR rolls into Dover for the second race of the Chase. The Monster Mile is a tricky track for most but some drivers are historically good and bad here and that's advantageous to Fantasy team owners. Our picks for this week:

Brandon’s picks:
Carl Edwards✔, Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin✔, Greg Biffle✔, David Ragan, Martin Truex Jr., Travis Kvapil✔ and David Reutimann.

Erik’s picks:
Jimmie Johnson✔, Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman✔, Jamie McMurray✔, Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr., David Reutimann✔ and Travis Kvapil.

Safe bets: Two names come to mind this week: Concrete Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch. After a dismal finish at Louden you can bet that Busch will be coming to Dover with something to prove. Busch won the Dover race earlier this year. Also, Edwards didn't get the nickname Concrete Carl from being bad on concrete tracks. I think he'll cruise into victory lane this weekend if he can stay out of trouble.

Worth a shot: Truex is also very good at Dover. He has an avg. finish of 9.6 for the last 5 years there and this weekend should be no different. Kvapil finished 11th there earlier this year and he's about as good of a C pick as you can get this weekend. Also, Martin steps back into the #8 this weekend and has been strong here in the past with 4 wins.

Battle of the bloggers: Things are heating up in the battle between your two humble narrators. After a great weekend at Louden I've pulled ahead of Team Clorox Disinfecting Wipes by 6 points. Since the first place team in our league is 355 points ahead of me, and we've all but come to the conclusion that he can't lose, it's turned into more of a fight between everyone else in the top 10. I'm currently in 4th and Erik is in 5th. One thing's for sure: regardless of the fact that neither Erik or I most likely won't win the league there are still bragging rights up for grabs as to who finishes best. Break a leg Erik!

Fantasy Report: Sylvania 300

It is finally here. The Chase for the Cup starts this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to crown the next NASCAR champion. Anything is possible but I don’t see the trophy going to anyone other than Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards or Jimmie Johnson. With Busch being strong at almost every track it is going to be hard to take the top spot away from him. Enough with speculation let's look at our picks.

Erik's picks:

Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr., David Reutimann and Scott Riggs.

Brandon's picks:

Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, David Ragan, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano and David Reutimann

Every point counts: It is late in the fantasy season and every point counts. Even a few points from qualifying can move closer to the competitor ahead of you. If you want some possible qualifying points consider putting Ryan Newman on your roster. He has a total of four poles and holds the qualifying record at New Hampshire.

Where they start: I try to stick with the drivers I believe are strongest at a particular track regardless of there starting position. I might look at that differently this week. Fourteen of the last twenty-seven victories have been won from a top ten starting position. If you have a driver that qualifies high it might be wise to stick with them even if they might not be high in the standings.

Fantasy Report: Chevy Rock & Roll 400

Saturday night will determine those who make the Chase. You can bet that those right outside the top 12 will be on a mission. Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Burton have already clinched a spot in the Chase. It will be interesting to see how far some, specifically Clint Bowyer, David Ragan and Kasey Kahne, will be willing to push it to get a shot at a championship. Our picks:

Brandon’s picks:
Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards✔, David Ragan✔, Greg Biffle✔, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, AJ Allmendinger✔ and Joey Logano.

Erik’s picks:
Jimmie Johnson✔, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle✔, Jamie McMurray✔, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Travis Kvapil✔ and Scott Riggs.

Good finishers: Busch has the best overall finish of any driver at Richmond — you can bet that he'll be one to watch Saturday even though he's never been to victory lane here. Johnson, who swept both races last year, and Denny Hamlin, who led most of the laps this spring and has 2 wins here, could really give Kyle a run for his money. Don't forget how well Carl Edwards has done this year. Jeff Gordon has 3 wins here but I'm reluctant to put him in these days. He's had 5 poles and 2 wins here in the past but has been awfully unpredictable this year. Don't forget that you can put Martin in this weekend. He's had lots of success at Richmond.

Play it safe: Don't forget that we're getting closer and closer to the end of the season. Don't take any wild chances at this point unless you're like the first place guy in our league and have a commanding lead. The only chance I'm taking is possibly putting Ragan in. He's a young relative-newcomer and trying desperately to get into the Chase. However, he seems seasoned beyond his years and I think that he can handle the pressure ... assuming he doesn't start racing with Bowyer, who won in the spring.

Of note: The Chevy Rock & Roll 400 will mark Joey Logano's first Cup race — assuming he qualifies. I didn't notice him when first picking my drivers because he was at the very bottom of the C list. I decided to replace Reutimann with him. There's no telling how he'll do but if he qualifies well I'm going to give him a shot. This goes against my idea of 'playing it safe' but this kid has proven himself in other series. Keep an eye out for Joey in the #02 Home Depot car to shake things up.

Good luck and stay out of the wall!

Fantasy Report: Pepsi 500

In week two of the 2008 season Carl Edwards found victory lane at Auto Club Speedway. He did it again last week with an exciting bump and run finish at Bristol. With Edwards in the spotlight there are a few questions that will soon be answered. Can Edwards keep building on his solid late season run with a third straight win? What of the newly formed Busch/Edwards rivalry? Only time will tell but it makes NASCAR even more compelling at this point of the season.

Erik’s picks:
Jimmie Johnson✔, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle ✔, Jamie McMurray ✔, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Travis Kvapil✔ and Scott Riggs.

Brandon’s picks:
Carl Edwards✔, Jimmie Johnson, David Ragan✔, Martin Truex Jr.✔, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, AJ Allmendinger✔ and Aric Almirola.

IN THE CHASE?: After last week's disappointing finish at Bristol Dale Earnhardt Jr. seems even more motivated to make a statement this week at Fontana. With a strong finish Jr. will be able to lock up his spot in The Chase. Look for a strong run from the 88 team in order to secure that spot and tie up some loose ends in order to make a run for his first championship.

ROUSH AND HENDRICK: Consider putting in any of the Roush or Hendrick teams. Both of these teams have each won six races at Fontana. That is more than any of the other organizations in NASCAR. Also keep an eye on Jeff Burton. He has some experience being one of the few drivers to drive in all of the sixteen races at Auto Club Speedway.

Fantasy Report: Sharpie 500

Are you looking forward to watching Bristol under the lights Saturday night? It's one of my favorites ... at least the restarts. This race gets strung out pretty fast which can be a little boring at times but there's also a lot of beatin' and bangin' so it doesn't stay green for long. If you're like me and you're getting down to the last few starts for particular drivers this race could hurt your points standings if you take too many risks. More on that in a moment ... onto the picks:

Brandon’s picks:
Carl Edwards✔, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle✔, David Ragan, Kasey Kahne✔, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Aric Almirola and David Reutimann✔.

Erik’s picks:
Jimmie Johnson✔, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch✔, Kasey Kahne✔, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Travis Kvapil✔ and Scott Riggs.

Anybody's guess: Let's be honest — any Cup Series race is up for grabs by almost any driver and Bristol is one of best examples for races that can go in any direction. This is problematic for Fantasy players. Consider this: 78 of 95 races at Bristol have been won from a top-10 starting position but the deepest in the field that a Bristol race winner has started was 38th, by Elliott Sadler in 2001. Richard Childress and Jack Roush have more wins here than any other owners with 9 apiece so you can't go wrong with any of their teams. With that being said, I'm going to have a hard time not putting Edwards and Biffle in for sure this weekend.

Play it safe: As I alluded to earlier, you might want to sit on some of your drivers you've used a lot this year. I still have Junior on my roster just in case but since I can only use him one more time I hope to save him for Talladega. I'll only put him in if he's on the front row. Otherwise, I'll have to decide between Ragan, who has done great for me this year, or Kahne, who I've just been nominal with two times I've used him. I put Busch on my roster because he's won 5 races at Bristol in the past 10 years and this could be the weekend he lets loose.

Good luck!

Fantasy Report: 3M Performance 400

After my ghastly fantasy performance last week I look to be on the rebound this week at Michigan International Speedway. It is getting close to the end so now is time for desperate measures. Lets take a look at our picks …

Erik’s picks:

Jimmie Johnson✔, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch✔, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, Marcos Ambrose✔ and Travis Kvapil.

Brandon’s picks:

Tony Stewart✔, Carl Edwards, Mark Martin✔, Kasey Kahne✔, Dale Earnhardt Jr., David Ragan, Paul Menard✔, and AJ Allmendinger.

Hint: If your team is low in the standings or has taken a hard hit like I did last week now is the time to make a move. I only have one more start with Kyle Busch and Dale Jr. but now is the best time to use them. Do what it takes to give yourself some space between your competitors. If you wait to long to use them it could already be to late to make that end of the season push.

Kahne you believe it?: Kasey has had several top fives at Michigan over the years. I am keeping him on the list in case he looks strong this week in practice. If not based on his past performance I might take a gamble on him. Don’t rule out Jimmie Johnson either. He is looking for another championship and with the Chase close you can bet he will be on his A game.

Fantasy Report: Centurion Boats at the Glen

NASCAR goes north to Watkins Glen, N.Y., this weekend for the second and last road course race of 2008. This 90-mile race is just about anybody's to win but some are much better than others — however, anything can happen. Remember what happened to two of the better road course drivers last year? Maybe this will jog your memory.

Our picks:

Brandon’s picks:
Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon✔, Ryan Newman, Robby Gordon✔, Jamie McMurray, Juan Pablo Montoya✔, Patrick Carpentier and Ron Fellows✔.

Erik’s picks:
Jeff Gordon✔, Jimmie Johnson, Jamie McMurray✔, Elliott Sadler✔, Juan Pablo Montoya, Greg Biffle, Travis Kvapil✔ and Scott Riggs.

Hints: This is a good week to put in road course ringers. As you can see I have Carpentier and Fellows. It will be hard to choose which driver to put in of the two but I'm leaning toward Fellows who proved his prowess in Montreal last weekend. Another noteworthy ringer is Boris Said. Don't put Mark Martin in because he's not racing this week. Oh and Jeff Gordon and Stewart are the safest bets for A drivers ... put in at least one of the two.

Race facts: Here are a couple of nuggets on info about the Glen that could benefit you this weekend. There have been 14 pole winners out of 25 races at the 2.45-mile track and Jeff Gordon is the only repeat pole sitter in the last ten years with 2. Also, 18 of 25 races at Watkins Glen have been won from a top-10 starting position.

I'll admit: I'm a bigger fan of the road course races than circular tracks. I don't know why but there's just something intriguing about seeing stock cars made for ovals put on a road course and maneuvering through chicanes and up and down hills. With that being said, you bet I'll be parked in front of the TV Sunday sipping on Milwaukee's finest suds hoping I can gain a couple spots through wise Fantasy picks (and secretly wishing ill on my opponents).

Fantasy Report: Pennsylvania 500

Pocono Raceway is a relatively flat, 2.5-mile triangular track in the scenic Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania. This is the second race there this year. The spring race saw Kasey Kahne cruise into Victory Lane. Does he have what it takes to make it 2 wins this year? This blogger says no, but it's often brutally obvious that the unexpected can be expected.

Our picks:

Brandon’s picks:
Jimmie Johnson✔, Denny Hamlin, Mark Martin✔, Kasey Kahne✔, Martin Truex Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., AJ Allmendinger✔ and David Reutimann.

Erik’s picks:
Denny Hamlin✔, Carl Edwards, Mark Martin✔, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Scott Riggs✔ and Brian Vickers.

Hints: There have been 21 pole winners in the last 25 races here so look for drivers up front to have a good run. Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne (two each) are the only repeat pole winners there since 1995 and you can bet that these three will be the ones to watch. I would also add that Jimmie Johnson's team is really strong right now and I'm going to put him in unless Hamlin looks better in practice and qualifying. For some reason I'm reluctant to put Gordon in this week — just call it a gut feeling. Also, don't ever count Rousch Fenway out ... they're typically top teams at any track with Pocono being no different.

Be smart: Since the season is more than halfway over it's a good time to put some real thought into your picks. Since I'm almost 200 points out of first place I can't afford to gamble like I have the past few weeks. My angle, at least for the next handful of races, is to put in drivers that have proven themselves to be great at a certain track as well as ones that are having positive seasons. My reluctance to put Gordon in is a gamble of sorts since he's the highest-rated driver for this track, but then again he finished 14th at Pocono earlier this year. Johnson has a pretty good history at Pocono, as does Hamlin. Hamlin is more consistant at finishing well than Johnson here, but the #48 is really starting to get hot.

Fantasy Report: Allstate 400 at The Brickyard

The Brickyard is home to victories from Indy drivers such as Mario Andretti, Al Unser Jr. and Emerson Fittipaldi. A storied history of open wheels that always makes any racing on this track exciting to watch. This week the track will take a different look as it hosts its annual NASCAR race. Look for some intense racing as the "Chase for the Cup" draws nearer.

Erik’s picks:
Jeff Gordon✔, Tony Stewart, Mark Martin✔, Juan Pablo Montoya✔, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Scott Riggs✔ and Brian Vickers.

Brandon’s picks:
Kevin Harvick✔, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin✔, Juan Pablo Montoya✔, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, Brian Vickers✔ and Paul Menard.

Fantasy hint: When you think of Indy from a NASCAR point of view two drivers seem to come to mind: Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. They have six combined wins since 1994. Don’t look at current standings because these two always seem to make their way to the front at Indy.

Fantasy Report: LifeLock.com 400

Did you get a chance to see the Daytona race? If so you may have noticed great examples of 2008 trends: Kyle Busch dominating and coming from behind, fishtails that would have been wrecks in previous years and large packs of cars. I can't see how any of these trends would end before the next race, the LifeLock.com 400 at the 1.5-mile tri-oval that is Chicagoland Speedway. This weekend is another chance to pull out your good drivers because the better teams really shine here.

Brandon's picks:

Tony Stewart✔, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Ryan Newman, Mark Martin✔, David Ragan, Brian Vickers✔ and Patrick Carpentier.

Erik's picks:

Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards✔, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne✔, Kyle Busch✔, Jamie McMurray, Scott Riggs✔ and Brian Vickers.

Hints: A quick review of previous results will bring your attention to two names: Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart. While both drivers are having only decent seasons you should pick one of the two for your roster. Jeff Gordon is also another A driver with a good record here. He has a pole, a win and 4 top 5's out of 6 races in Chicago (just overlook his only DNF here).

Others to watch out for would be Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has a win at Chicago and has been up at the front all year, and Jimmie Johnson who has a pole here and 2 top 5 finishes. Keep an eye on David Ragan to continue his remarkable season but I'm reluctant to say he'll be in the top 5 this week. I'll only consider putting him in if he qualifies as well as he did at Daytona. One more thing: don't think that Carl Edwards was overly satisfied with his 2nd place finish at Daytona. Although he hasn't been terribly great at Chicagoland in the past you can bet he'll be gunning for victory lane this week.

Fantasy Report: Coke Zero 400

It's Fourth of July weekend and that means racing at Daytona. The Sprint Cup Series returns to NASCAR's most famous track for the second time this season. February's race showcased an exciting win by Ryan Newman. This weekend's race under the lights could exhibit some exciting fireworks. Onto our picks:

Erik's picks:

Tony Stewart✔, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Kyle Busch✔, Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray, Brian Vickers✔ and Michael Waltrip.

Brandon's picks:

Tony Stewart✔, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Ryan Newman✔, Kasey Kahne, David Ragan, Brian Vickers✔ and Joe Nemechek.

Fantasy Hint: Like any superspeedway one mistake and your driver could be sitting in the garage. Try to select drivers who have consistent top qualifying positions at Daytona. If there is a wreck your driver might be able to avoid getting knocked out.

Head's Up: Dario Franchitti's team has been shut down by Ganassi Racing and will not be racing, at least with that company, for the rest of the year. He will not be racing in the Coke Zero 400 even though as of Wednesday evening his name was still on the Yahoo! Fantasy NASCAR roster. The Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway will be the third impound race of 2008, there are five impound races in 2008, both Talladega and Richmond races as well as this race. Look for the go-or-go-homers to be toward the front ... but at a marked disadvantage once the race starts until pit stops.

Going For It: Let it be noted that I am currently in second place in our fantasy standings. I figure not being to far out of first this would be a good chance to go for the top spot. With that said I am going to use Dale Earnhardt Jr. (excellent on superspeedways) and Kyle Busch (hottest driver this season). Good luck!

Quick Coke Zero 400 Race Facts

Practice: Thurs. 4 p.m. — Speed TV
Final Practice: Thurs. 6:30 p.m. — Speed TV
Qualifying: Fri. 4 p.m. — Speed TV
Race: Sat. 6:30 p.m. — TNT

Active drivers with most wins: Jeff Gordon (6), Michael Waltrip (3), Tony Stewart & Dale Earnhardt Jr (2)

Fantasy Report: Lenox Industrial Tools 301

After spending the week road racing in sunny California, the teams head to New England this weekend for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H. This is the first of two Sprint Cup races at the 1.058-mile oval superspeedway. If you're like me and had a terrible fantasy day at Sonoma then this could be the place to turn it around.

Brandon's picks:

Matt Kenseth✔, Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne✔, Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr.✔, Travis Kvapil✔ and Aric Almirola.

Erik's picks:

Jeff Gordon✔, Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr.✔, Casey Mears✔, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardth Jr., Paul Menard✔ and Travis Kvapil.

Fantasy Hints: I'm going to throw some love toward Rousch Fenway Racing this week. These teams have been strong all year long and the #17 of Matt Kenseth has been on fire as of late. Look for him to have a good showing this weekend. I expect Martin Truex Jr. to have an exceptional race — one that will mirror his performance at this track last year (2 top 5 finishes). I'm also going to mention Aric Almirola. He handled his ride pretty well at the beginning of the season and if he's been studying the driver he shares the car with, Mark Martin, then we could see big things out of him.

Have you, the reader, been having a good year with your fantasy team? How would you rate our picks so far this year? We would love to hear from you!

Fantasy Report: Toyota/Save Mart 350

If you avoid NASCAR because of all the left turns, this Sunday will be one of your few chances to see them drive right. The Sprint Cup Series is back on the west coast for some road course bumpin' and grindin' at the 1.99-miles Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calf.

Erik's picks:

Jeff Gordon✔, Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya✔, Jamie McMurray✔, Ryan Newman, Robby Gordon, Boris Said✔ and Michael Waltrip.

Brandon's picks:

Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon✔, Juan Pablo Montoya✔, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Robby Gordon✔, Boris Said✔ and Sam Hornish Jr.

Fantasy Hint: This week is a good chance to use drivers that will not get much action on your fantasy team on a normal basis. Certain drivers appear more comfortable to drive at tracks like Infineon. More importantly this can save your drivers in the B and C lists that don’t run well on road courses. You might want to give these drivers a try: Robby Gordon and Boris Said or Michael Waltrip.