Fantasy Fastlane: Keep it simple for Richmond

It doesn’t matter whether the Cup Series races at Richmond Raceway in the spring, summer or fall, the usual suspects come to play. Such was the case back on Easter. The six available drivers I had in my fantasy lineup placed first through sixth in the race and was ranked ninth among all fantasy players with 272 points. That’s the best fantasy day I’ve ever had. My lineup will look quite familiar entering this weekend, similar to March, with one exception. 

RELATED: Richmond schedule | How to get notified for 2025 schedule release

Fantasy players will earn 10 Fan Rewards points each time they set their lineup in NASCAR Fantasy Live. Fan Rewards is a way for registered users on NASCAR.com to earn points toward things like NASCAR tickets, NASCAR merchandise and more. Learn more about Fan Rewards.

MUST START: 

Denny Hamlin | View stats

Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota

Odds: 6-1

With five victories at Richmond, Hamlin ranks second of active drivers in the win column, trailing only Kyle Busch (six). The No. 11 car was in line for a solid top-five night earlier this year, but a late caution allowed Hamlin’s pit crew to shine on pit road. The young, hungry team got out of the pits first and held on to win in overtime. Hamlin has 12 top-five finishes in the last 15 Richmond races.

MUST START: 

Martin Truex Jr. | View stats

Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 19 Toyota

Odds: 9-2

Truex has witnessed multiple bitter defeats at Richmond, including earlier this season. The No. 19 car paced the field for 228 laps and could limp to the start/finish line and still be out front. But a caution flew with a couple laps remaining. The No. 19 team exited the pits in second, miscalculated the restart and finished fourth. After the race, Truex showed his displeasure with multiple drivers, including Hamlin. The good news is that Truex is always in contention at Richmond, leading at least 80 laps in 10 of the last 15 races. 

MUST START: 

Joey Logano | View stats

Team Penske, No. 22 Ford

Odds: 11-1

Before the recent surge within Team Penske, winning four of the last eight races, the team primarily contended for wins on short tracks. Logano has always pointed out that is the No. 22 team’s strong suit. Logano finished runner-up to Hamlin in the spring, but his 49 points scored is by far the most points he’s tallied in a single race this season. In 22 starts at Richmond under the Team Penske banner, Logano has a pair of victories and 18 top-10 finishes. 

MUST START: 

Christopher Bell | View stats

Joe Gibbs Racing, No, 20 Toyota

Odds: 9-2

While Bell has yet to visit Victory Lane in the Cup Series at Richmond, he’s been the model of consistency at the 0.75-mile track since taking over the No. 20 car in 2021. In those seven Richmond starts, Bell has six finishes of sixth or better, including a sixth-place effort in March. The lone concern this weekend is his crew chief Adam Stevens will be fully engaged with the team remotely after injuring both knees while on vacation with his family during the two-week break. The No. 20 car chief Chris Sherwood will be the substitute crew chief on the pit box.

SLEEPER PICK: 

Chris Buescher | View stats

RFK Racing, No. 17 Ford

Odds: 16-1

In the last two summer races at Richmond, no driver has been better than Buescher. He surprised the field with a third-place effort in 2022, only to better that by visiting the Winner’s Circle last year despite starting 26th. All three of Buescher’s Richmond top 10s have come in the last four races, and RFK typically excels on short tracks. 

SLEEPER PICK: 

Bubba Wallace | View stats

23XI Racing, No. 23 Toyota

Odds: 35-1

If you haven’t noticed based on the must-start picks, Richmond lends itself to the Toyotas. Wallace had a top-five run going in the spring until he spun Kyle Larson in the waning laps, setting up the overtime finish. With a disappointing pit stop, he dropped to 13th in the finishing order. The No. 23 bunch was hitting its stride leading into the two-week break. In the last four races, Wallace has three top-10 finishes and an average finish of 8.75. Wallace has a goose egg in the top 10 column at Richmond in 12 starts.

SLEEPER PICK: 

Josh Berry | View stats

Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Ford

Odds: 25-1

With an option tire at play this weekend, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Berry, a short-track standout, run up front. The No. 4 team has had admirable performances on shorter tracks this season, whether it be a third-place finish at New Hampshire, leading 25 laps at Bristol or charging through the field early at Richmond in April. In two Richmond starts, Berry has an average finish of 6.5, including a runner-up finish last year while driving in place of Chase Elliott. 

STAY AWAY FROM:

Tyler Reddick | View stats

23XI Racing, No. 45 Toyota

Odds: 18-1

Over the last two months, Reddick has turned into the most consistent driver in the garage, posting eight finishes of eighth or better over the last nine events. Richmond, however, has always been a struggle for the two-time Xfinity Series champion, dating back to his time in that series. In eight Cup starts, his lone top 10 was a 10th in the spring. He won the pole and led 81 laps in this race last year but relinquished his track position and finished 16th.

STAY AWAY FROM: 

Ryan Blaney | View stats

Team Penske, No. 12 Ford

Odds: 12-1

If Reddick is the most consistent driver in NASCAR over the last two months, Blaney is the hottest. With a pair of victories -- and in contention to win a few more -- in the last six races, the No. 12 team has soared to fifth in the regular season championship standings. Richmond has been Blaney’s kryptonite, though, with three top-10 efforts in 16 starts. He has a best finish of seventh and an average finish of 20th. 

STAY AWAY FROM: 

Ross Chastain | View stats

Trackhouse Racing, No. 1 Chevrolet

Odds: 25-1

While Chastain will allude to not being a points racer, the margin of error is getting slimmer by the week for the No. 1 team. Outside of a bold strategy call at Nashville, the No. 1 team hasn’t sniffed Victory Lane for months. Chastain enters Richmond with a seven-point buffer over Wallace for the final playoff spot, with Buescher only 10 markers ahead of Chastain. In seven Richmond starts for contending race teams, Chastain has a pair of top 10s. However, four of his five finishes in the Next Gen car at the 0.75-mile short track have been 15th or worse. 

FEATURED MATCHUP: 

Kyle Larson vs. William Byron

Richmond has been a hindrance for Hendrick Motorsports in recent years, and Larson actually refers to Richmond as being the place he hasn’t figured out yet. He has a pair of wins at the track, most recently coming in the spring of 2023. Richmond hasn’t been kind to Byron, who has just three top-10 finishes in 12 starts. Rolling with the No. 5 car this weekend.

FEATURED MATCHUP: 

Denny Hamlin vs. Martin Truex Jr.

Here is the heavyweight bout we’ve been waiting for. Hamlin has race-winning speed more times than not, leading the series with 772 laps led through 22 races. Truex led nearly half of his 461 laps for the season at Richmond, four months ago. Yet the No. 19 team hasn’t had a top-five finish since the first weekend of May at Kansas. Leaning toward giving Hamlin the nod, though this could change after practice and qualifying. 

FEATURED MATCHUP: 

Chase Elliott vs. Joey Logano

Richmond has been feast or famine for Elliott. He has six top-five finishes in 16 starts, with only one other finish cracking the top 10. We spilled Logano’s impressive Richmond data earlier. That leads me to believe that the No. 9 car could have a solid run, while the No. 22 car will have a better run. 

FEATURED MATCHUP: 

Ryan Blaney vs. Alex Bowman

While neither driver has reigned supreme at Richmond, Bowman has the leg up virtue of his 2021 victory. His numbers are slightly better than Blaney’s across the board as he has the edge in top 10s (four to three) and average finish (18.6 to 20.0). With an average finish of 14.1 thus far in 2024, Bowman is also having his most consistent season to date.

MY LINEUP: Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, Chris Buescher

GARAGE: Chase Elliott