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Fantasy Fastlane: 2018 Coca-Cola 600
By RJ Kraft | Published: May 22, 2018 17
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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
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Fantasy rules to know for Coca-Cola 600:While the Coca-Cola 600 is four stages long, only Stages 1 and 2 will count towards stage points. There will be no bonus pick or stage points awarded for Stage 3. The garage driver will lock after Stage 3 – meaning that players will essentially have 75 percent of the race to evaluate their lineups – the most amount of time all year before the garage locks in a race.
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Erik Jones | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Jones is my go-to darkhorse on intermediates with four top-11 finishes and an average point total of 32 on that track type in 2018. He finished seventh in the 600 last year and is well worth keeping tabs on all weekend.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Jones is my go-to darkhorse on intermediates with four top-11 finishes and an average point total of 32 on that track type in 2018. He finished seventh in the 600 last year and is well worth keeping tabs on all weekend.
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Kurt Busch | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Look past Busch's career numbers at Charlotte and focus on his recent runs with SHR. He has finished in the top 11 in six of the past seven races and won this race in '10. He also earned the fifth-most stage points here in '17.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Look past Busch's career numbers at Charlotte and focus on his recent runs with SHR. He has finished in the top 11 in six of the past seven races and won this race in '10. He also earned the fifth-most stage points here in '17.
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Denny Hamlin | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has yet to win a points-paying race at Charlotte in 25 tries. However, he has the best average finish among drivers with more than two starts there and has 13 top 10s in his last 15 starts. A strong play to use at one his better tracks.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Hamlin has yet to win a points-paying race at Charlotte in 25 tries. However, he has the best average finish among drivers with more than two starts there and has 13 top 10s in his last 15 starts. A strong play to use at one his better tracks.
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Kyle Larson | View stats
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: The Kansas penalty takes some shine out of his result there. While the Charlotte stats aren't great, he does have two top fives on 1.5-mile tracks in 2018. Larson's been the fastest Chevy and if you've saved uses, now is the time to plug him in.
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 42 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: The Kansas penalty takes some shine out of his result there. While the Charlotte stats aren't great, he does have two top fives on 1.5-mile tracks in 2018. Larson's been the fastest Chevy and if you've saved uses, now is the time to plug him in.
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Joey Logano | View stats
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Fastlane forecast: History shows Logano to be strong at Charlotte – a 12.6 average finish. Consistency matters over 400 laps and Logano has 10 top 10s this year. On top of that, he has an average finish of 5.5 and 43.8 points in four '18 intermediate races.
Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
Fastlane forecast: History shows Logano to be strong at Charlotte – a 12.6 average finish. Consistency matters over 400 laps and Logano has 10 top 10s this year. On top of that, he has an average finish of 5.5 and 43.8 points in four '18 intermediate races.
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Kyle Busch | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Busch is 0-for-28 in Charlotte points-paying races. While that screams sit, he was the runner-up in this race last year. He also has an average finish of 5.0 and 45.5 points on intermediates this year. Worth the play, if you have 6-7 uses left.
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Busch is 0-for-28 in Charlotte points-paying races. While that screams sit, he was the runner-up in this race last year. He also has an average finish of 5.0 and 45.5 points on intermediates this year. Worth the play, if you have 6-7 uses left.
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Martin Truex Jr. | View stats
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Truex hasn't had the same 1.5-mile success; yet, there's lots to like. In the last three Coca-Cola 600s, he has a win, an average finish of 3.0 and has led 756 of 1,200 laps (63 percent). A race that goes from day to night is in the 78's wheelhouse.
Furniture Row Racing, No. 78 Toyota
Fastlane forecast: Truex hasn't had the same 1.5-mile success; yet, there's lots to like. In the last three Coca-Cola 600s, he has a win, an average finish of 3.0 and has led 756 of 1,200 laps (63 percent). A race that goes from day to night is in the 78's wheelhouse.
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Kevin Harvick | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Harvick has been the intermediate master in 2018 with three wins and a runner-up finish in four races. The '14 champ has two Coca-Cola 600 wins and an average finish of 4.4 in his last seven starts in the sport’s longest race. He's a must start.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Harvick has been the intermediate master in 2018 with three wins and a runner-up finish in four races. The '14 champ has two Coca-Cola 600 wins and an average finish of 4.4 in his last seven starts in the sport’s longest race. He's a must start.
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SLEEPER PICK: Ryan Blaney | View stats
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: With the speed he has shown at intermediate tracks like Las Vegas and Kansas, he has to be a consideration here. The one hesitation: Only one top 10 in six Charlotte starts.
Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
Fastlane forecast: With the speed he has shown at intermediate tracks like Las Vegas and Kansas, he has to be a consideration here. The one hesitation: Only one top 10 in six Charlotte starts.
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SLEEPER PICK: Aric Almirola | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 10 Ford
Fastlane forecast: In the longest race of the season, consistency matters and that has been Almirola's forte. He has been a top-12 machine – eight in 12 races – and is coming off his best points race at Kansas.
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 10 Ford
Fastlane forecast: In the longest race of the season, consistency matters and that has been Almirola's forte. He has been a top-12 machine – eight in 12 races – and is coming off his best points race at Kansas.
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SLEEPER PICK: Jamie McMurray | View stats
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 1 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: McMurray is a two-time Charlotte winner and has six top 12s in his last eight starts at the 1.5-mile track. While he sits 24th in the standings, his best result of 2018 came at a similar track – Texas.
Chip Ganassi Racing, No. 1 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: McMurray is a two-time Charlotte winner and has six top 12s in his last eight starts at the 1.5-mile track. While he sits 24th in the standings, his best result of 2018 came at a similar track – Texas.
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SLEEPER PICK: Austin Dillon | View stats
Richard Childress Racing, No. 3 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Dillon is the defending race winner of the Coca-Cola 600 – also his most recent top 10 at a 1.5-mile track -- thanks to a fuel mileage strategy. He does hold the sixth-best average running position here as well.
Richard Childress Racing, No. 3 Chevrolet
Fastlane forecast: Dillon is the defending race winner of the Coca-Cola 600 – also his most recent top 10 at a 1.5-mile track -- thanks to a fuel mileage strategy. He does hold the sixth-best average running position here as well.
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STAY AWAY FROM: Matt Kenseth | Stats
Roush Fenway Racing, No. 6 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Kenseth’s much celebrated return at Kansas didn't produce the result owners were hoping. In fact, the performance further illustrated the point that players need to be patient and give him some time.
Roush Fenway Racing, No. 6 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Kenseth’s much celebrated return at Kansas didn't produce the result owners were hoping. In fact, the performance further illustrated the point that players need to be patient and give him some time.
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STAY AWAY FROM: Paul Menard | Stats
Wood Brothers Racing, No. 21 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Menard has just two top 10s in 22 starts at Charlotte. While he is coming off his best intermediate result of the season at Kansas, the lack of consistency this year concerns me for this race.
Wood Brothers Racing, No. 21 Ford
Fastlane forecast: Menard has just two top 10s in 22 starts at Charlotte. While he is coming off his best intermediate result of the season at Kansas, the lack of consistency this year concerns me for this race.
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My lineup heading into the weekend: Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kyle Larson; Garage: Kurt Busch. Check back for our “Fantasy Update” piece later this weekend for the final lineup. Tweet at me @kraftdaddy85
with your lineups and questions ahead of Sunday’s race at 6 p.m. ET on FOX.
with your lineups and questions ahead of Sunday’s race at 6 p.m. ET on FOX.