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Fantasy Fastlane: 2018 Hollywood Casino 400
By RJ Kraft | Published: October 19, 2018 14
Chris Trotman | Getty Images
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NASCAR Digital Media
Editor's note: Fantasy Fastlane will look at each race from a fantasy perspective, examining the top playoff drivers, non-playoff drivers and plays to avoid for NASCAR Fantasy Live. Garage driver will lock at end of Stage 2.
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Robert Laberge | Getty Images
Joey Logano (P) | View stats
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Logano has scored the sixth-most points on 1.5-milers this season with four races of at least 40 points. He has won this race twice and has all seven of his top-five finishes at Kansas in the past 10 races there. Given his playoff position, you can expect a solid points day.
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Logano has scored the sixth-most points on 1.5-milers this season with four races of at least 40 points. He has won this race twice and has all seven of his top-five finishes at Kansas in the past 10 races there. Given his playoff position, you can expect a solid points day.
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Josh Hedges | Getty Images
Kyle Larson (P) | View stats
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Kansas is the site of Larson's 2017 playoff heartbreak. This year, he comes in 11th in the standings with a win the only sure way for him to advance. He ran fourth in the spring and led a race-high 101 laps. He has scored at least 35 points in seven of eight 1.5-mile races in 2018.
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Kansas is the site of Larson's 2017 playoff heartbreak. This year, he comes in 11th in the standings with a win the only sure way for him to advance. He ran fourth in the spring and led a race-high 101 laps. He has scored at least 35 points in seven of eight 1.5-mile races in 2018.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
Ryan Blaney (P) | View stats
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Blaney has three top fives in his past five Kansas starts and was running top five in the spring before a wreck with Kyle Larson. YRB is 22 points on the wrong side of the cutline, which makes him risky. However, this is one of his best tracks if you are looking to go against the "Big 3."
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Blaney has three top fives in his past five Kansas starts and was running top five in the spring before a wreck with Kyle Larson. YRB is 22 points on the wrong side of the cutline, which makes him risky. However, this is one of his best tracks if you are looking to go against the "Big 3."
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
Kyle Busch (P) | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: It's been a tale of two Kansases for the 2015 champion. In his first 14 starts there, he had just two top 10s. In the past seven starts, he has a win, all five of his top fives at the track and seven top 10s. Considering his three wins on 1.5-milers in 2018, we trust in the recent results.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: It's been a tale of two Kansases for the 2015 champion. In his first 14 starts there, he had just two top 10s. In the past seven starts, he has a win, all five of his top fives at the track and seven top 10s. Considering his three wins on 1.5-milers in 2018, we trust in the recent results.
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Josh Hedges | Getty Images
Martin Truex Jr. (P) | View stats
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Truex swept the 2017 races at Kansas and has a run of three straight top-two finishes there. While he is the last driver on the right side of the cutline, he should certainly be a factor here. He has the second-most points on 1.5-milers this year with an average of 42 points.
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Truex swept the 2017 races at Kansas and has a run of three straight top-two finishes there. While he is the last driver on the right side of the cutline, he should certainly be a factor here. He has the second-most points on 1.5-milers this year with an average of 42 points.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
Kevin Harvick (P) | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Harvick is the most recent winner at Kansas and has three Cup wins there in his career. He has also earned the most points in the past five Kansas races. On top of that, he has been stout all year on 1.5-milers with six 40-plus point days in eight races. Your lineup starts here.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Harvick is the most recent winner at Kansas and has three Cup wins there in his career. He has also earned the most points in the past five Kansas races. On top of that, he has been stout all year on 1.5-milers with six 40-plus point days in eight races. Your lineup starts here.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
Denny Hamlin | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has rediscovered his mojo after an early playoff exit. He is coming off back-to-back top fives for the first time since May and comes into Kansas with two straight fifth-place finishes there, too.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has rediscovered his mojo after an early playoff exit. He is coming off back-to-back top fives for the first time since May and comes into Kansas with two straight fifth-place finishes there, too.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
Erik Jones | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Jones' lone top 10 at Kansas came in the spring race this year. However, he's been solid on 1.5-milers as a whole in 2018; averaging 28.1 points. If you remove a last-place Vegas finish, that mark is 30.1 points.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Jones' lone top 10 at Kansas came in the spring race this year. However, he's been solid on 1.5-milers as a whole in 2018; averaging 28.1 points. If you remove a last-place Vegas finish, that mark is 30.1 points.
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Josh Hedges | Getty Images
Paul Menard | View stats
Wood Brothers Racing, No. 21 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Did you know that Menard has outscored Jimmie Johnson on 1.5-milers? He has done that by nearly four points per race. With back-to-back top 12s at Kansas and a top 10 at the last 1.5-miler, that's a play worth making.
Wood Brothers Racing, No. 21 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Did you know that Menard has outscored Jimmie Johnson on 1.5-milers? He has done that by nearly four points per race. With back-to-back top 12s at Kansas and a top 10 at the last 1.5-miler, that's a play worth making.
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
Austin Dillon | View stats
Richard Childress Racing, No. 3 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Among non-playoff drivers, only Denny Hamlin has earned more points in the last five Kansas races than Dillon. His 11th-place result at Las Vegas last month is his best finish on a 1.5-miler this season and bodes well for the weekend.
Richard Childress Racing, No. 3 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Among non-playoff drivers, only Denny Hamlin has earned more points in the last five Kansas races than Dillon. His 11th-place result at Las Vegas last month is his best finish on a 1.5-miler this season and bodes well for the weekend.
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Chris Trotman | Getty Images
STAY AWAY FROM: Clint Bowyer (P) | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 14 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Kansas is Bowyer's home track but he has just two top fives in 20 starts at the 1.5-mile track. His 2018 results on intermediates have been a mixed bag and to be frank, I expect top fives out of my playoff plays.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 14 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Kansas is Bowyer's home track but he has just two top fives in 20 starts at the 1.5-mile track. His 2018 results on intermediates have been a mixed bag and to be frank, I expect top fives out of my playoff plays.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
STAY AWAY FROM: Alex Bowman (P) | View stats
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 88 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Bowman enters Kansas in need of a win to advance into the Round of 8. A driver in full desperation mode is quite the risky proposition in fantasy especially when that driver averages 18.8 points on 1.5-milers in 2018.
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 88 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Bowman enters Kansas in need of a win to advance into the Round of 8. A driver in full desperation mode is quite the risky proposition in fantasy especially when that driver averages 18.8 points on 1.5-milers in 2018.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
My lineup heading into the weekend: Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones; Garage: Kyle 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 Sunday's race at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
with your lineups and questions ahead of Sunday's race at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.