Fantasy Preview: M'ville (cont'd)

Watch practice closely not only for the average speeds, but for those drivers who can stay on the bottom of the track. This will allow them to protect their advantage once they obtain it with a strong pit stop or through tire strategy

Bobby Labonte might be the most compelling dark horse this week. In the Bank of America 500 at Lowe's, he raced with the leaders all day and might have finished in the top five if not for a late-race pit stop. Instead, he finished respectably in 12th but is still hungry for a top-10. He'll close the deal this week if history is an accurate predictor. Despite struggling in the spring, his last two fall races have ended in top-fives and the preponderance of results since the start of 2000 have been in the top 10 regardless of whether he was racing for the highly funded Gibbs organization or the lightly funded Petty Enterprises.

Jamie McMurray is another driver to keep a close eye on at Martinsville. He has been tempting and tormenting fantasy owners for the second half of the season with several strong runs but far fewer strong finishes. He should be able to control his fate on this short track, however. Six of his nine career races on this track have ended in top-10 finishes -- including his ninth-place result there in the spring -- and with a modest salary cap, he is going to be a good value.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is less of a sure thing than he should be at Martinsville, but that is due in large part to his lame-duck status. While we don't subscribe to the notion that the Dale Earnhardt Inc. management is sabotaging his efforts, something is going on in the engine department that is not in his favor. Still, Earnhardt was in the top five on this track during the last two spring events and he once strung five such results together from 2002 through 2004.