Skip to content

Top Nav

    • NASCAR Cup Series Landing Page
    • NASCAR Xfinity Series Landing Page
    • NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Landing Page
  • NASCAR Fan Rewards logo
    points0
    status
    Join today to start earning!
    DASHBOARD JOIN NOW
      • Tickets
      • Shop
  • Official Site Of NASCAR
    • News
      • NASCAR SERIES NEWS
        Click to view NASCAR Cup Series News Cup Series Click to view NASCAR Xfinity News Xfinity Series Click to view NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series News TRUCK SERIES INTERNATIONAL SERIES Click to view NASCAR Roots ROOTS SERIES
        Latest NASCAR News
        More News
        article presentation image Talladega is always a wild card for playoff contenders
        article presentation image Advance Through the Playoffs: Blaney, Busch look to bounce back at Talladega
        article presentation image Spire bolsters Truck Series operations, purchases Kyle Busch Motorsports
        article presentation image Ryan Preece, Chase Briscoe ready to shake and bake at Talladega
        More News
    • Videos
    • Galleries
    • Schedule
      • William Byron driver page

        Previous Race

        AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400
        Sunday, Sep. 24 - Texas Motor Speedway
        William Byron car number logo
        WINNER
        William Byron
        Race Results
        Race Recap

        Next Race

        Sunday, Oct. 1 - 2:00 PM ET
        YellaWood 500
        Talladega Superspeedway
        Catch the race on
        NBC logo
        MRN logo
        SiriusXM logo
        Buy Tickets
        Weekend Schedule

        Upcoming Races

        10/8
        Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course
        10/15
        Las Vegas Motor Speedway
        10/22
        Homestead-Miami Speedway
        View Full Schedule
    • Standings
      • Standings

        Driver Standings Playoff Standings Manufacturer Standings Owner Standings
        View Full Standings
        William Byron driver page

        Current Driver Standings

        1
        William Byron
        2
        Denny Hamlin
        3
        Chris Buescher
        4
        Christopher Bell
        5
        Martin Truex Jr.
        View Full Standings

        Current Playoff Standings

        1
        William Byron
        2
        Denny Hamlin
        3
        Chris Buescher
        4
        Christopher Bell
        5
        Martin Truex Jr.
        View Playoff Standings

        Manufacturer Leader

         logo

        Owner Leader

    • Gaming
      • Fantasy Live
        Fantasy Live
        It's not too late to sign up for a chance to win cash prizes
        Play Now
        Playoffs Grid Challenge
        Playoffs Grid Challenge
        Play now for a chance to win $10,000!
        Play Now
        eNASCAR
        eNASCAR
        Visit eNASCAR for latest event schedule
        Learn More
        BetCenter
        BetCenter
        Visit NASCAR Bet center for latest odds
        Visit Now
    • More
      • Drivers
      • NASCAR Classics
      • NASCAR 75
      • Podcasts
      • NASCAR International
      • Shop
      • Racing Reference
      • Jayski
      • Speed Sport
  • Quick Links:

  • Playoffs Grid Challenge
  • Playoff Standings
  • Fantasy Live
  • Schedule
  • NASCAR on TV
  • Talladega Entry List
  • Talladega Schedule
  • Texas Results
  • Fan Rewards
  • Buy Tickets
  • Shop
denny hamlin climbs into his car
BACK TO GALLERIES

Fantasy Fastlane: Martinsville master Denny Hamlin needs points this weekend

By Dustin Albino | Published: 28 Oct, 2022 16
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
BACK TO GALLERIES

1 of 16

denny hamlin climbs into his car

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Fantasy Fastlane will look at each race from a fantasy perspective, examining the top plays and sleepers as well as plays to avoid for NASCAR Fantasy Live. Garage driver will lock at end of Stage 2. Odds come from BetMGM (as of Thursday).

2 of 16

Denny Hamlin waves during driver intros

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

MUST START:
Denny Hamlin | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
Odds: 7-1
For more than a decade, Hamlin has been one of the top handful of drivers who you know will always be competitive at Martinsville. Now, he has to be. The five-time Martinsville winner enters the Championship 4 elimination off race five points below the elimination line. Points will be valuable this weekend but winning solves everything and Hamlin has done that at Martinsville as much as the other seven playoff drivers combined. One cause for concern is that the No. 11 car struggled with handling in the spring, finishing three laps down in 28th.

3 of 16

Chase Elliott peeks out above his car wearing Hooters hat and firesuit

Logan Riely | Getty Images

MUST START:
Chase Elliott | View stats
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 9 Chevrolet
Odds: 6-1
While Elliott has just one win at the southern Virginia track, it’s among his best circuits on the schedule. In 14 starts at NASCAR’s shortest track, he’s led 903 laps, the most he’s led at any track. His recent success of leading 185-plus laps in three of the last four starts there bodes well for Sunday. A clean race will propel Elliott to the Championship 4 at Phoenix.

4 of 16

William Byron looks to his left at the 2022 Coca-Cola 600

Buda Mendes | Getty Images

MUST START:
William Byron | View stats
Hendrick Motorsports, No. 24 Chevrolet
Odds: 8-1
This is where it gets interesting. Not many expected Byron to make it this far in the playoffs, and here he is, one standout performance away from battling for a championship at Phoenix. And Martinsville is arguably his best track on the schedule, including his victory in the spring when he led 212 laps. The potential Elliott-Byron-Hamlin battle this weekend will be a triple threat heavyweight match of who gets to Phoenix.

5 of 16

Martin Truex Jr. gives a thumbs-up at Las Vegas driver intros

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

MUST START:
Martin Truex Jr. | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 19 Toyota
Odds: 9-1
The No. 19 team has found just about every way to lose a race in 2022, including last week at Homestead. Truex has been stellar at Martinsville in recent years, however, leading 754 laps over the last six races at the track – three of those resulted in wins. While he also struggled with the handling of his car in April, it’s hard to believe he will go a full season without a win.

6 of 16

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 22: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #6 Violet Defense Ford, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 22, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jared East/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Jared East | Getty Images

SLEEPER PICK:
Brad Keselowski | View stats
RFK Racing, No. 6 Ford
Odds: 28-1
Keselowski, too, is always sporty at Martinsville, and RFK won the last short-track race at Bristol with Chris Buescher. In the last 13 races at the track, Keselowski has 11 top-10 finishes; six of which were on the podium. The 2012 champion is coming off his first top-five performance as a driver/owner and he has looked stronger in recent weeks.

7 of 16

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 22: Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Huk Chevrolet, prepares to qualify for the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 22, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jared East/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Jared East | Getty Images

SLEEPER PICK:
Austin Dillon | View stats
Richard Childress Racing, No. 3 Chevrolet
Odds: 40-1
Aside from the Hendrick Motorsports entries of Elliott and Byron, Dillon was among the fastest cars in the spring race and ended up finishing third. The No. 3 car also had a top 10 at Richmond earlier this year and has proven to run relatively well on short tracks in 2022.

8 of 16

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 21: AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #16 Action Industries Chevrolet, climbs into his car during practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series  Contender Boats 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 21, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

SLEEPER PICK:
AJ Allmendinger | View stats
Kaulig Racing, No. 16 Chevrolet
Odds: 50-1
Since the Indianapolis road course in late July, Allmendinger has top 10 finishes in six consecutive Cup Series starts, which is the longest streak of his career. For a driver who’s aced road courses, he flies under the radar at Martinsville – as a lot of road racers do – with seven top 10s in 22 starts. Kaulig Racing has been hot as of late.

9 of 16

Kyle Larson talks to his crew at Charlotte

Mike Mulholland | Getty Images

STAY AWAY FROM:
Kyle Larson | View stats
Team Penske, No. 5 Chevrolet
Odds: 12-1
Since entering the Cup Series on a full-time basis in 2014, Larson has had trouble figuring out how to get around Martinsville. He will tell you such, with just three top 10s in 15 starts. Even since coming to Hendrick Motorsports – a team that historically runs well at Martinsville – he’s struggled. Save Larson for Phoenix, where he’ll be competing for an owner’s championship.

10 of 16

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 23: Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 Rheem - WATTS Toyota, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 23, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

STAY AWAY FROM:
Christopher Bell | View stats
Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
Odds: 14-1
C-Bell is going to be in must-win mode this weekend, similar to how he was at the Charlotte Roval three weeks ago. There, he had a walk-off win and secured his spot into the Round of 8. Unfortunately, his Martinsville numbers aren’t ideal with one top 10 in five starts. He picked up stage points in the first two stages in April before having to make an unscheduled stop late.

11 of 16

Kevin Harvick prepares to get in his car

Zach Sturniolo | NASCAR Studios

STAY AWAY FROM:
Kevin Harvick | View stats
Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Ford
Odds: 16-1
For a multitude of reasons, Harvick has struggled at Martinsville over the last few seasons. Remember his late season collapse in 2020 that was highlighted by a poor performance at Martinsville, washing away his nine-win season? He’s finished outside the top 10 in four of the last five races there.

12 of 16

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 23: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 23, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

FEATURED MATCHUP:
Kyle Larson vs. Martin Truex Jr.
If you read above, you should have taken notes about why Truex is the easy choice this weekend. He’s been among the best in the field at Martinsville over the last handful of years and will likely be in contention yet again on Sunday. But it is 2022 and crazy scenarios seem to be thrown his way more times than not.

13 of 16

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 23: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 23, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

FEATURED MATCHUP:
William Byron vs. Denny Hamlin
This is certainly the toughest matchup of the weekend. Both drivers excel at Martinsville, and Byron had a breakthrough win at the track in April while also riding a streak of three straight top fives. Based on experience alone, the slight advantage should go to Hamlin. This could be a dog fight for the final transfer spot to Phoenix.

14 of 16

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 22: Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, prepares to qualify for the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 22, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jared East/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Jared East | Getty Images

FEATURED MATCHUP:
Ross Chastain vs. Chase Elliott
As long as Chastain stays away from trouble at Martinsville, he will likely be competing for a title at Phoenix. The regular season champion, however, is just 11 points above the elimination line. Fortunately, he’s at one of his better ovals and should outrun the No. 1 Chevrolet.

15 of 16

Ryan Blaney walks at Las Vegas

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

FEATURED MATCHUP:
Christopher Bell vs. Ryan Blaney
Both drivers will likely have to win on Sunday to keep their championship hopes alive. Here, though, I like Blaney, as he’s a frequent frontrunner at Martinsville. His six top-five finishes at Martinsville are the most of any track on the schedule.

16 of 16

Denny Hamlin smiling with sunglasses on and FedEx hat on

Jeff Curry | Getty Images

MY LINEUP: Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, William Byron, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney

GARAGE: Kyle Busch
nascar.com homepage
  • FACEBOOK

  • X

  • INSTAGRAM

  • SNAPCHAT

  • TIKTOK

  • YOUTUBE

  • DISCORD

  • HELP/SUPPORT
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • Accessibility
  • Suppliers
  • Site Map
  • Cookie Settings
  • AdChoicesAd Choices Icon
  • Do Not Sell My Info (California)
  • INFORMATION
  • About NASCAR
  • Careers
  • Official Partners
  • NDM Advertising
  • Sponsorships
  • PRODUCTS
  • Follow Live
  • Mobile Apps
  • Scanner
  • NASCAR Drive
  • Fantasy Live
  • NASCAR Classics
  • NASCAR Shop
  • INITIATIVES
  • NASCAR IMPACT
  • NASCAR Foundation
  • NASCAR Foundation Auction
  • NASCAR Diversity
  • NASCAR Fan Council
  • NASCAR Refuel
  • NASCAR Fan Rewards Terms
  • NASCAR Fan Rewards FAQs
  • MORE SITES
  • IMSA
  • ARCA
  • FloRacing
  • eNASCAR
  • NASCAR Kids
  • NASCAR International
  • NASCAR 101
  • NASCAR Hall of Fame
  • Credit One
  • SeatGeek
  • Historic Sportscar Racing

NASCAR® and its marks are trademarks of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Copyright © 2023 NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

Home logo of NASCAR emblem.
Home
Schedule
Race Center
Standings
Fantasy logo of star and finish flag.
Fantasy