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Fantasy Fastlane: 2018 Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube
By RJ Kraft | Published: February 28, 2018 16
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NASCAR Digital Media
Editor's note: Fantasy Fastlane will look at each race from a fantasy perspective, examining the top plays, several under-the-radar options and a play to avoid for NASCAR Fantasy Live.
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Clint Bowyer
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 14 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Bowyer was particularly impressive at Atlanta with a third-place result at a track that hasn't been a strong one for him. He notched a 10th-place result at Las Vegas last year. A play for Bowyer is a play in the belief that the speed of the Fords is here to stay.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 14 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Bowyer was particularly impressive at Atlanta with a third-place result at a track that hasn't been a strong one for him. He notched a 10th-place result at Las Vegas last year. A play for Bowyer is a play in the belief that the speed of the Fords is here to stay.
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Joey Logano
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Logano carries two top-six finishes to open 2018. At Las Vegas, he has a 5.0 average finish in the past four races -- second-best among active drivers. I've been cautious with Logano early, but the early returns and track history say to go for it.
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Logano carries two top-six finishes to open 2018. At Las Vegas, he has a 5.0 average finish in the past four races -- second-best among active drivers. I've been cautious with Logano early, but the early returns and track history say to go for it.
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Ryan Blaney
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Blaney has two consecutive top 10s that came driving for the Wood Brothers. Now, Blaney is with Penske and his teammates are no strangers to success here. A surprisingly low qualifying spot at Atlanta helped those trying to conserve his usage early.
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Blaney has two consecutive top 10s that came driving for the Wood Brothers. Now, Blaney is with Penske and his teammates are no strangers to success here. A surprisingly low qualifying spot at Atlanta helped those trying to conserve his usage early.
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Brad Keselowski
Team Penske, No. 2 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Keselowski has two wins in this race in the last four years. During that stretch, he has a 3.5 average finish -- best among active drivers. Fresh off a runner-up finish in Atlanta and with a strong track history here, he's a strong play.
Team Penske, No. 2 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Keselowski has two wins in this race in the last four years. During that stretch, he has a 3.5 average finish -- best among active drivers. Fresh off a runner-up finish in Atlanta and with a strong track history here, he's a strong play.
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Kyle Larson
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Larson scored a runner-up finish in this race last year -- one of eight such finishes he had in 2017. 'Yung Money' excelled on the NASCAR Goes West stretch last year - with a win and two runner-ups -- and I am considering him for the entire stretch.
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Larson scored a runner-up finish in this race last year -- one of eight such finishes he had in 2017. 'Yung Money' excelled on the NASCAR Goes West stretch last year - with a win and two runner-ups -- and I am considering him for the entire stretch.
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Kyle Busch
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: The 2015 champion returns home. He won the 2009 race at Las Vegas from the pole position. While he has an average finish of 14.2 at his home track, he has 11 tracks with a better average finish. That suggests a pass.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: The 2015 champion returns home. He won the 2009 race at Las Vegas from the pole position. While he has an average finish of 14.2 at his home track, he has 11 tracks with a better average finish. That suggests a pass.
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Kevin Harvick
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Ford
Fastlane forecast: The Atlanta winner has been a stout car on intermediates since joining SHR and won this race in 2015. However, with mishaps in two of the past four races here, the usage limit has us thinking rostering 'Happy' in the garage is the ideal option to start the weekend.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Ford
Fastlane forecast: The Atlanta winner has been a stout car on intermediates since joining SHR and won this race in 2015. However, with mishaps in two of the past four races here, the usage limit has us thinking rostering 'Happy' in the garage is the ideal option to start the weekend.
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Martin Truex Jr.
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Truex is the defending race winner and led 150 laps in this race last year. His success on the intermediates in the past two years has been well documented. I have devised my usage strategy around having him for all intermediates.
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Truex is the defending race winner and led 150 laps in this race last year. His success on the intermediates in the past two years has been well documented. I have devised my usage strategy around having him for all intermediates.
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SLEEPER PICK: Erik Jones
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Jones' quiet 11th-place run at Atlanta hasn't shifted us away from him - just tempered our expectations a bit. Although he has just one start at Las Vegas, he has the fourth-best average running position.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Jones' quiet 11th-place run at Atlanta hasn't shifted us away from him - just tempered our expectations a bit. Although he has just one start at Las Vegas, he has the fourth-best average running position.
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SLEEPER PICK: Ryan Newman
Richard Childress Racing, No. 31 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Despite finishing 22nd, Newman showed speed at Atlanta leading laps early and topping final practice. He has four top-seven finishes at Las Vegas in his last seven starts and should provide a solid top 15.
Richard Childress Racing, No. 31 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Despite finishing 22nd, Newman showed speed at Atlanta leading laps early and topping final practice. He has four top-seven finishes at Las Vegas in his last seven starts and should provide a solid top 15.
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SLEEPER PICK: Daniel Suarez
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 19 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: A deep look at loop data at Atlanta shows Suarez drove better than his 15th-place position with an average running position of 9.72. He fared well in Xfinity action at Las Vegas -- making for a stealthy play.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 19 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: A deep look at loop data at Atlanta shows Suarez drove better than his 15th-place position with an average running position of 9.72. He fared well in Xfinity action at Las Vegas -- making for a stealthy play.
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SLEEPER PICK: Paul Menard
Wood Brothers Racing, No. 21 Ford
Fastlane forecast: The Fords have been fast to start 2018 and this car has notched two straight top 10s here with Ryan Blaney. In his own right, Menard has been solid at Vegas with an average finish of 11.88 in his last eight races.
Wood Brothers Racing, No. 21 Ford
Fastlane forecast: The Fords have been fast to start 2018 and this car has notched two straight top 10s here with Ryan Blaney. In his own right, Menard has been solid at Vegas with an average finish of 11.88 in his last eight races.
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STAY AWAY FROM: Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Johnson has four wins here but none since 2010. I have two reasons to stay away: His first two 2018 races have produced finishes outside the top 25. Second, the Chevrolets are lacking speed overall early on, so I want to save my usage.
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Johnson has four wins here but none since 2010. I have two reasons to stay away: His first two 2018 races have produced finishes outside the top 25. Second, the Chevrolets are lacking speed overall early on, so I want to save my usage.
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STAY AWAY FROM: Kurt Busch
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Ford
Fastlane forecast: This is the 2004 champion's home track, but he has an average finish of 21.8 with just four top-10 finishes in 16 starts here. That includes four finishes of 20th-or-worse in his last five races at Las Vegas. Simply put, there are better opportunities to use the SHR driver.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Ford
Fastlane forecast: This is the 2004 champion's home track, but he has an average finish of 21.8 with just four top-10 finishes in 16 starts here. That includes four finishes of 20th-or-worse in his last five races at Las Vegas. Simply put, there are better opportunities to use the SHR driver.
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Lineup heading into the weekend (Check back for 'Fantasy Three Up' on Saturday for the final lineup). Starting: Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Erik Jones; Garage: Kevin Harvick
Tweet at me @kraftdaddy85
with your lineups and questions ahead of Sunday's race at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
Tweet at me @kraftdaddy85
with your lineups and questions ahead of Sunday's race at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX.