Fantasy Preview: Darlington Raceway (cont'd)

Ryan Newman has finished sixth or better in three of the last four Darlington races and he is the only active driver who scored a top-five in his first attempt on this rough old track. Like Biffle, this could be a watershed moment for him after finishing in the top 10 for consecutive races for the first time in a year. Prior to his ninth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway and his sixth at Richmond, the last time he finished in the top 10 twice in a row was last year at Richmond and Darlington. The last time Newman had three consecutive top-10s was at the end of 2005, so this week will tell how much Penske Racing has turned its program around.

Too Tough
While Darlington can be occasionally kind to dark horses, it is almost never kind to rookies. Of the 43 active drivers who have already made at least one start on this track, only six earned a top-10 in their first outing. Last year, Denny Hamlin joined that exclusive list while Reed Sorenson in 11th and Martin Truex Jr. in 14th came close. But the Class of 2007 has not shown anywhere near the strength of last year's rookies.

After a tire test this spring, Montoya called this track the "darndest place" he'd ever seen, and that was while running by himself. Once 42 other competitors get up to full song, it's going to be like swatting angry bees while running through a pit of vipers. Any of the six drivers attempting to make their first start this week, who finish in the top 20, should be lauded -- but they shouldn't be on your fantasy roster.

Kevin Harvick is one veteran to avoid this week. He hasn't finished in the top 10 at Darlington in three years, and two of his last three attempts ended in 30-something finishes. In fact, with four results of 32nd or worse compared to four Darlington top-10s, he is just as likely to finish well back in the pack as he is to earn maximum points, and at his current salary cap, he is not worth the risk.