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Fantasy Fastlane: 2018 Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard
By RJ Kraft | Published: September 5, 2018 17
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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 plays to avoid for NASCAR Fantasy Live. Garage driver will lock at end of Stage 2. Indianapolis marks the last race of the regular season.
PLAY NOW: Set your Fantasy Live lineup today
PLAY NOW: Set your Fantasy Live lineup today
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Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch & Martin Truex Jr.
Busch’s stats | Harvick’s stats | Truex’s stats
Fastlane forecast: With Indianapolis being the last race of the regular season, it’s pretty simple. If you have any uses left for Harvick, Busch and Truex, you HAVE to play them this weekend. You can't leave those uses on the table.
Busch’s stats | Harvick’s stats | Truex’s stats
Fastlane forecast: With Indianapolis being the last race of the regular season, it’s pretty simple. If you have any uses left for Harvick, Busch and Truex, you HAVE to play them this weekend. You can't leave those uses on the table.
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Ryan Blaney | View stats
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: We are going to chalk Darlington up to a lost weekend. While Blaney has no top 10s in three Indianapolis starts, he did earn the third-most stage points in last year’s race. With four races of over 35 points in the past seven, a bounce back is expected.
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: We are going to chalk Darlington up to a lost weekend. While Blaney has no top 10s in three Indianapolis starts, he did earn the third-most stage points in last year’s race. With four races of over 35 points in the past seven, a bounce back is expected.
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Kurt Busch | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Ford
Fastlane forecast: One top 10 in the past seven Indianapolis races is cause to avoid the play. Yet, it’s hard to ignore how good Busch has been this summer. He has seven straight top 10s and has averaged 38.4 points per race in that stretch. Recent stats outweigh the track history for me.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Ford
Fastlane forecast: One top 10 in the past seven Indianapolis races is cause to avoid the play. Yet, it’s hard to ignore how good Busch has been this summer. He has seven straight top 10s and has averaged 38.4 points per race in that stretch. Recent stats outweigh the track history for me.
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Erik Jones | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Jones crashed out of his lone Indianapolis start but his average running position of 9.547 is the best in the loop data era. The second-year driver has come on strong in the second half with eight top 10s in the past 10 races – he had just five top 10s in the first 15.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Jones crashed out of his lone Indianapolis start but his average running position of 9.547 is the best in the loop data era. The second-year driver has come on strong in the second half with eight top 10s in the past 10 races – he had just five top 10s in the first 15.
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Chase Elliott | View stats
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 9 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Elliott is on such a roll of late that you have to look past his struggles at Indianapolis – no top 10s in three starts. The third-year driver has six straight top-nine finishes in 2018 with an average of 44.7 points in that stretch. Ride the wave with the young star.
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 9 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Elliott is on such a roll of late that you have to look past his struggles at Indianapolis – no top 10s in three starts. The third-year driver has six straight top-nine finishes in 2018 with an average of 44.7 points in that stretch. Ride the wave with the young star.
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Brad Keselowski | View stats
Team Penske, No. 2 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Keselowski is fresh off a weekend sweep at Darlington that included his first Monster Energy Series win of the season. The 2012 champion was the runner up at Indianapolis last year and has four top 10s in his last seven starts at the 2.5-mile track.
Team Penske, No. 2 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Keselowski is fresh off a weekend sweep at Darlington that included his first Monster Energy Series win of the season. The 2012 champion was the runner up at Indianapolis last year and has four top 10s in his last seven starts at the 2.5-mile track.
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Denny Hamlin | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has been hard to figure out. After six top fives in the first 13 races, he has none in the past 12 – yet, has three poles in that stretch so the speed is there. With three top-five finishes in his past four Indianapolis starts, this is a good place for Hamlin to get some mojo.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has been hard to figure out. After six top fives in the first 13 races, he has none in the past 12 – yet, has three poles in that stretch so the speed is there. With three top-five finishes in his past four Indianapolis starts, this is a good place for Hamlin to get some mojo.
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Kyle Larson | View stats
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Larson dominated at Darlington to the tune of leading 284 of the 367 laps – however, he did not come away with the victory. Still, the show of speed out front was a welcome sight. Indianapolis represents another solid track with three top 10s in four starts.
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Larson dominated at Darlington to the tune of leading 284 of the 367 laps – however, he did not come away with the victory. Still, the show of speed out front was a welcome sight. Indianapolis represents another solid track with three top 10s in four starts.
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Joey Logano | View stats
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Logano has five straight top-eight finishes at Indianapolis with a 5.2 average finish during that stretch. Perhaps even more important, Logano has bounced back from a late summer malaise with three straight top 10s and an average of 42.3 points in those races.
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Logano has five straight top-eight finishes at Indianapolis with a 5.2 average finish during that stretch. Perhaps even more important, Logano has bounced back from a late summer malaise with three straight top 10s and an average of 42.3 points in those races.
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SLEEPER PICK: Daniel Suarez | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 19 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: In his lone Indianapolis start in the sport's top series, Suarez finished seventh. In three national series starts at Indy, he has never finished outside the top 10. There is a bit of upside here for a driver in a must-win spot.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 19 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: In his lone Indianapolis start in the sport's top series, Suarez finished seventh. In three national series starts at Indy, he has never finished outside the top 10. There is a bit of upside here for a driver in a must-win spot.
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SLEEPER PICK: Jimmie Johnson | View stats
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Johnson is a four-time winner at the Brickyard. While the last of those came in 2012, he has two top-three finishes since. 'Seven-Time' is not locked into the playoffs and scored just one point at Darlington.
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Johnson is a four-time winner at the Brickyard. While the last of those came in 2012, he has two top-three finishes since. 'Seven-Time' is not locked into the playoffs and scored just one point at Darlington.
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SLEEPER PICK: Chris Buescher | View stats
JTG Daugherty Racing, No. 37 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Buescher's best track based on average finish is Indianapolis – he has a 11.5 mark in two starts with a top 10 there last year. Coming off a solid Darlington race, the Texas native is on the upswing.
JTG Daugherty Racing, No. 37 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Buescher's best track based on average finish is Indianapolis – he has a 11.5 mark in two starts with a top 10 there last year. Coming off a solid Darlington race, the Texas native is on the upswing.
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SLEEPER PICK: Matt Kenseth | View stats
Roush Fenway Racing, No. 6 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Kenseth has a streak of five straight top 10s -- all during his JGR tenure -- at Indianapolis. In 13 starts with Roush there, he has seven top 10s as well. With just two top 15s this season, there is risk with the 2003 champ.
Roush Fenway Racing, No. 6 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Kenseth has a streak of five straight top 10s -- all during his JGR tenure -- at Indianapolis. In 13 starts with Roush there, he has seven top 10s as well. With just two top 15s this season, there is risk with the 2003 champ.
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STAY AWAY FROM: Aric Almirola | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 10 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Almirola is playoff bound but that comes largely on the heels on the work he did in the first 20 races. The past five races tell a different story: one top 10 and just 21.2 points per race in that stretch.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 10 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Almirola is playoff bound but that comes largely on the heels on the work he did in the first 20 races. The past five races tell a different story: one top 10 and just 21.2 points per race in that stretch.
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STAY AWAY FROM: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Stats
Roush Fenway Racing, No. 17 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Stenhouse has finished inside the top 15 just once at Indianapolis and has an average finish of 26.2 here. That is his third-worst average finish among all tracks -- far from ideal for fantasy consideration this weekend.
Roush Fenway Racing, No. 17 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Stenhouse has finished inside the top 15 just once at Indianapolis and has an average finish of 26.2 here. That is his third-worst average finish among all tracks -- far from ideal for fantasy consideration this weekend.
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My lineup heading into the weekend: Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones; Garage: Kurt Busch. Check back for our “Fantasy Update” piece this weekend for the final lineup. Tweet at me @kraftdaddy85
with your lineups and questions ahead of Monday's race at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
with your lineups and questions ahead of Monday's race at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN.