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Fantasy Fastlane: 2019 GEICO 500
By RJ Kraft | Published: April 26, 2019 17
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Editor's note: Fantasy Fastlane will look at each race from a fantasy perspective, examining the top plays, sleepers and plays to avoid for NASCAR Fantasy Live. Garage driver will lock at end of Stage 2. Odds come from Westgate Sports Book.
PLAY NOW: Set your Fantasy Live lineup today
PLAY NOW: Set your Fantasy Live lineup today
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
Joey Logano | View stats
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Odds: 8-1
Fastlane forecast: Logano has three wins at Talladega and five top fives in his past seven starts. In the stage point era, he has the most points here. The biggest reason to sit is simply that he's so good elsewhere. He will be my race winner pick though.
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Odds: 8-1
Fastlane forecast: Logano has three wins at Talladega and five top fives in his past seven starts. In the stage point era, he has the most points here. The biggest reason to sit is simply that he's so good elsewhere. He will be my race winner pick though.
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
Brad Keselowski | View stats
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Odds: 8-1
Fastlane forecast: Keselowski's five wins at Talladega are the most among active drivers. His recent record at this track shows how feast and famine it can be for a driver with three finishes outside the top 25 in his past five races there. Still looking to save all three at Penske.
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Odds: 8-1
Fastlane forecast: Keselowski's five wins at Talladega are the most among active drivers. His recent record at this track shows how feast and famine it can be for a driver with three finishes outside the top 25 in his past five races there. Still looking to save all three at Penske.
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
Aric Almirola | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 10 Ford
Odds: 14-1
Fastlane forecast: Almirola has five straight top 10s at Talladega -- the longest active streak. He is also the most recent winner here and both of his victories have come on superspeedways. His results this season make a compelling argument to sit, but he'll be in my lineup.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 10 Ford
Odds: 14-1
Fastlane forecast: Almirola has five straight top 10s at Talladega -- the longest active streak. He is also the most recent winner here and both of his victories have come on superspeedways. His results this season make a compelling argument to sit, but he'll be in my lineup.
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Denny Hamlin | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Odds: 10-1
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has the third-most points at Talladega over the past two seasons and won this race in 2014. Of the Gibbs camp, the Virginia native has the best record at the superspeedways. The thing to weigh, though, is how strong a start he has had to 2019.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Odds: 10-1
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has the third-most points at Talladega over the past two seasons and won this race in 2014. Of the Gibbs camp, the Virginia native has the best record at the superspeedways. The thing to weigh, though, is how strong a start he has had to 2019.
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
Kurt Busch | View stats
Chio Ganassi Racing, No. 1 Chevrolet
Odds: 18-1
Fastlane forecast: Busch has yet to win at Talladega, but he has come pretty close in the past. He led 108 laps last fall here and scored the fourth-most stage points in last year's 'Dega races. He also has 19 top 10s at this track -- most among active drivers.
Chio Ganassi Racing, No. 1 Chevrolet
Odds: 18-1
Fastlane forecast: Busch has yet to win at Talladega, but he has come pretty close in the past. He led 108 laps last fall here and scored the fourth-most stage points in last year's 'Dega races. He also has 19 top 10s at this track -- most among active drivers.
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
Clint Bowyer | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 14 Ford
Odds: 10-1
Fastlane forecast: Bowyer was the runner-up here in the most recent race at Talladega in October. He has top 10s in half of his 26 starts at the 2.66-mile track and two wins to boot. Given his ups and downs with the new package, this is not a bad spot for the play.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 14 Ford
Odds: 10-1
Fastlane forecast: Bowyer was the runner-up here in the most recent race at Talladega in October. He has top 10s in half of his 26 starts at the 2.66-mile track and two wins to boot. Given his ups and downs with the new package, this is not a bad spot for the play.
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Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | View stats
Roush Fenway Racing, No. 17 Ford
Odds: 18-1
Fastlane forecast: Stenhouse has seven top 10s in 11 starts here and the best average finish in the field. He won this race in 2017 and scored the second-most points there in the last two years. One warning: Aggression is a double-edged sword to be wary of.
Roush Fenway Racing, No. 17 Ford
Odds: 18-1
Fastlane forecast: Stenhouse has seven top 10s in 11 starts here and the best average finish in the field. He won this race in 2017 and scored the second-most points there in the last two years. One warning: Aggression is a double-edged sword to be wary of.
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Paul Menard | View stats
Wood Brother Racing, No. 21 Ford
Odds: 18-1
Fastlane forecast: The 'Nard dog is on the upswing at Talladega. He's had six top 10s in his last 11 starts there; only one top 10 in his first 14 starts. He had a stage win here last year. Don't overlook the Team Penske alliance as a factor for drafting help.
Wood Brother Racing, No. 21 Ford
Odds: 18-1
Fastlane forecast: The 'Nard dog is on the upswing at Talladega. He's had six top 10s in his last 11 starts there; only one top 10 in his first 14 starts. He had a stage win here last year. Don't overlook the Team Penske alliance as a factor for drafting help.
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SLEEPER PICK: Alex Bowman | View stats
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 88 Chevrolet Odds: 30-1
Fastlane forecast: Bowman finished eighth in this race last year and has been solid at superspeedways with Hendrick. His 2019 (no top 10s and an 18.3 avg. finish) is concerning but means you have uses available.
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 88 Chevrolet Odds: 30-1
Fastlane forecast: Bowman finished eighth in this race last year and has been solid at superspeedways with Hendrick. His 2019 (no top 10s and an 18.3 avg. finish) is concerning but means you have uses available.
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SLEEPER PICK: Daniel Suarez | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Ford
Odds: 18-1
Fastlane forecast: Suarez has one top 10 in four Talladega starts and notched 10 stage points in the Daytona 500. He has been on a surge in 2019 averaging 32.5 points in the last four races.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Ford
Odds: 18-1
Fastlane forecast: Suarez has one top 10 in four Talladega starts and notched 10 stage points in the Daytona 500. He has been on a surge in 2019 averaging 32.5 points in the last four races.
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SLEEPER PICK: David Ragan | View stats
Front Row Motorsports, No. 38 Ford
Odds: 100-1
Fastlane forecast: Ragan's two Cup wins have come at superspeedways with one at Talladega. The Georgia native has top 10s in three of the past four races here and Front Row fares well at this type of racing.
Front Row Motorsports, No. 38 Ford
Odds: 100-1
Fastlane forecast: Ragan's two Cup wins have come at superspeedways with one at Talladega. The Georgia native has top 10s in three of the past four races here and Front Row fares well at this type of racing.
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SLEEPER PICK: Ty Dillon | View stats
German Racing, No. 13 Chevrolet Odds: 80-1
Fastlane forecast: Dillon has finished no worse than 15th in four Talladega starts and averaged nearly 24 points a race in that span. He has a knack for this racing with two straight sixths at Daytona.
German Racing, No. 13 Chevrolet Odds: 80-1
Fastlane forecast: Dillon has finished no worse than 15th in four Talladega starts and averaged nearly 24 points a race in that span. He has a knack for this racing with two straight sixths at Daytona.
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Chris Graythen | Getty Images
SLEEPER PICK: Matt DiBenedetto | View stats
Levine Family Racing, No. 95 Toyota
Odds: 30-1
Fastlane forecast: Talladega isn't Daytona but it's hard to forget about Matty D leading the most laps in the Daytona 500 when evaluating fantasy plays. That said, his best finish at 'Dega is 18th in eight starts.
Levine Family Racing, No. 95 Toyota
Odds: 30-1
Fastlane forecast: Talladega isn't Daytona but it's hard to forget about Matty D leading the most laps in the Daytona 500 when evaluating fantasy plays. That said, his best finish at 'Dega is 18th in eight starts.
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STAY AWAY FROM: Harvick, Kyle Busch and Truex Jr.
Odds: Harvick: 10-1; Kyle Busch: 10-1; Truex: 18-1
Fastlane forecast: Busch has top 10s in seven of 27 starts; Truex has eight in 28 races. Harvick is respectable here. This game is about maximizing uses and I want these three at tracks where pure speed is a bigger factor and the "Big One" isn't lurking.
Odds: Harvick: 10-1; Kyle Busch: 10-1; Truex: 18-1
Fastlane forecast: Busch has top 10s in seven of 27 starts; Truex has eight in 28 races. Harvick is respectable here. This game is about maximizing uses and I want these three at tracks where pure speed is a bigger factor and the "Big One" isn't lurking.
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
STAY AWAY FROM: Ryan Blaney | View stats
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Odds: 14-1
Fastlane forecast: Blaney is the only driver to score points in every stage here. However, he hasn't finished better than 18th in the past four races there. He's been up and down but a use here is too valuable to waste.
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Odds: 14-1
Fastlane forecast: Blaney is the only driver to score points in every stage here. However, he hasn't finished better than 18th in the past four races there. He's been up and down but a use here is too valuable to waste.
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Chris Graythen | Getty Images
My lineup heading into the weekend: Aric Almirola, Kurt Busch, Paul Menard, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Alex Bowman; Garage: Ty Dillon. 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 p.m. ET on FOX.
with your lineups and questions ahead of Sunday's race at 2 p.m. ET on FOX.