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Fantasy Fastlane: 2018 Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart
By RJ Kraft | Published: July 9, 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 plays to avoid for NASCAR Fantasy Live. Garage driver will lock at end of Stage 2.
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PLAY NOW: Set your Fantasy Live lineup today
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Aric Almirola | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 10 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Almirola has put together three 30-plus point days at 1.5-mile tracks. That doesn’t include his promising Chicago run where he won a stage and led 70 laps before being derailed by two loose wheels. The veteran is steady and should yield a solid performance.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 10 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Almirola has put together three 30-plus point days at 1.5-mile tracks. That doesn’t include his promising Chicago run where he won a stage and led 70 laps before being derailed by two loose wheels. The veteran is steady and should yield a solid performance.
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Kurt Busch | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Ford
Fastlane forecast: The 2004 champion has been the seventh-best driver (based on points) in 1.5-mile races this season. He has five races (out of six) with 35 points or more on that track type. Throw in five top 12s in seven Kentucky starts and he's a good play.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Ford
Fastlane forecast: The 2004 champion has been the seventh-best driver (based on points) in 1.5-mile races this season. He has five races (out of six) with 35 points or more on that track type. Throw in five top 12s in seven Kentucky starts and he's a good play.
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Joey Logano | View stats
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Logano has scored the fifth-most points on 1.5-mile tracks and earned over 40 points in three of those six races. He should fare well at Kentucky as he has four top-nine finishes in his last five starts. Kes is the better Penske play, but Logano should be good too.
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Logano has scored the fifth-most points on 1.5-mile tracks and earned over 40 points in three of those six races. He should fare well at Kentucky as he has four top-nine finishes in his last five starts. Kes is the better Penske play, but Logano should be good too.
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Brad Keselowski | View stats
Team Penske, No. 2 Ford
Fastlane forecast: The next month should see Keselowski featured in your lineup if you have the uses. The 2012 champ has won this race three times – coincidently in every even year its been run. He's also been the sixth-best (based on points) on 1.5-milers this season.
Team Penske, No. 2 Ford
Fastlane forecast: The next month should see Keselowski featured in your lineup if you have the uses. The 2012 champ has won this race three times – coincidently in every even year its been run. He's also been the sixth-best (based on points) on 1.5-milers this season.
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Kyle Larson | View stats
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: For all the talk of the Big 3, Larson not MTJ has been the third-best driver by points on 1.5-mile tracks in 2018. He has scored over 45 points in four of the six races on this track type. The Kentucky stats aren’t good -- 24.0 average finish; I trust in how he's run in '18.
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: For all the talk of the Big 3, Larson not MTJ has been the third-best driver by points on 1.5-mile tracks in 2018. He has scored over 45 points in four of the six races on this track type. The Kentucky stats aren’t good -- 24.0 average finish; I trust in how he's run in '18.
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Martin Truex Jr. | View stats
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Truex is the defending race winner at Kentucky. In last year’s title campaign, MTJ won seven times on 1.5-mile tracks, but he has yet to win at one this year. Still, he has the fourth-most points on this track type and is a must-play if you have the uses available.
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Truex is the defending race winner at Kentucky. In last year’s title campaign, MTJ won seven times on 1.5-mile tracks, but he has yet to win at one this year. Still, he has the fourth-most points on this track type and is a must-play if you have the uses available.
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Kevin Harvick | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Ford
Fastlane forecast: For all of his 1.5-mile success with Rodney Childers and SHR, Harvick has yet to win at Kentucky or finish in the top five. But would you really bet against him? With three of his five wins at 1.5-mile tracks wins in 2018, I wouldn't risk sitting him even with limited uses.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Ford
Fastlane forecast: For all of his 1.5-mile success with Rodney Childers and SHR, Harvick has yet to win at Kentucky or finish in the top five. But would you really bet against him? With three of his five wins at 1.5-mile tracks wins in 2018, I wouldn't risk sitting him even with limited uses.
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Kyle Busch | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Busch has two wins at Kentucky and an average finish of 5.1 in seven starts. He has the most points on 1.5-mile tracks this year and three of his five wins have come on tracks of that length. The 2015 champ has to be in your lineup – sit him elsewhere.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Busch has two wins at Kentucky and an average finish of 5.1 in seven starts. He has the most points on 1.5-mile tracks this year and three of his five wins have come on tracks of that length. The 2015 champ has to be in your lineup – sit him elsewhere.
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SLEEPER PICK: Erik Jones | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Jones is fresh off his first premier series win. The young driver finished sixth at Kentucky last year and has been the ninth-best driver (based on points) on 1.5-mile tracks this season. Some sneaky value here.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Jones is fresh off his first premier series win. The young driver finished sixth at Kentucky last year and has been the ninth-best driver (based on points) on 1.5-mile tracks this season. Some sneaky value here.
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SLEEPER PICK: Alex Bowman | View stats
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 88 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Bowman has put together three straight top 10s; a run that happened at a road course, a 1.5-miler and superspeedway. It's certainly worth evaluating his performance over the weekend to see how he looks.
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 88 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Bowman has put together three straight top 10s; a run that happened at a road course, a 1.5-miler and superspeedway. It's certainly worth evaluating his performance over the weekend to see how he looks.
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SLEEPER PICK: Jamie McMurray | View stats
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 1 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: McMurray has two straight seventh-place finishes at repaved Kentucky. Despite being on pace for his worst statistical season since 2011, he has averaged 26.5 points in the past four 1.5-mile races.
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 1 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: McMurray has two straight seventh-place finishes at repaved Kentucky. Despite being on pace for his worst statistical season since 2011, he has averaged 26.5 points in the past four 1.5-mile races.
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SLEEPER PICK: Ryan Blaney | View stats
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Blaney's Xfinity success at Kentucky – two wins – hasn't translated over to the varsity level just yet. He does have a top 10 here and has speed in spades -- despite two bad finishes in a row -- at the 1.5-milers.
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Blaney's Xfinity success at Kentucky – two wins – hasn't translated over to the varsity level just yet. He does have a top 10 here and has speed in spades -- despite two bad finishes in a row -- at the 1.5-milers.
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STAY AWAY FROM: Denny Hamlin | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has seemingly been boom or bust at Kentucky with three top fives – and also two finishes of 35th-or-worse in seven starts. New Hampshire, Pocono and Darlington lurk as more advantageous plays.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has seemingly been boom or bust at Kentucky with three top fives – and also two finishes of 35th-or-worse in seven starts. New Hampshire, Pocono and Darlington lurk as more advantageous plays.
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STAY AWAY FROM: Jimmie Johnson | Stats
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Johnson is averaging just 19.8 fantasy points in the six 1.5-mile races run. The speed on those tracks has been lacking all year and it's hard to fathom that it will all of sudden come together at Kentucky.
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Johnson is averaging just 19.8 fantasy points in the six 1.5-mile races run. The speed on those tracks has been lacking all year and it's hard to fathom that it will all of sudden come together at Kentucky.
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My lineup heading into the weekend: Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, Joey Logano; Garage: Kurt Busch.Check back for our “Fantasy Update” piece on Saturday for the final lineup. Tweet at me @kraftdaddy85
with your lineups and questions ahead of Saturday’s race at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
with your lineups and questions ahead of Saturday’s race at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.