RELATED: Full starting lineup | See every car in the field | Best 10-lap averages
The First Data 500 (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Martinsville Speedway has major fantasy implications with 500 laps scheduled for the 0.526-mile track. There will be plenty of points on the line for laps led and fast laps at “The Paperclip.” NASCAR.com fantasy expert RJ Kraft offers a quick look at some under-the-radar choices that could pay off big in Sunday’s race.
MORE: Top fantasy picks, sleepers | DraftKings Rankings: Best buys for Martinsville
Kyle Busch ($27.50): Busch won here in the spring of 2016 and will start 14th. “Rowdy” posted the best 10-lap averages in both practices so the long-run speed in there in the 18 camp. On top of that, he has four top-fives in his last six Martinsville races with 651 laps led and the best average finish (of 6.3) over that stretch.
Clint Bowyer ($23.25): Bowyer will start fifth on Sunday and posted 10-lap times in the top five in both practices on Saturday. He has been solid at Martinsville for much of his career and finished seventh in the spring. Next to the pole sitter Joey Logano, Bowyer is the driver most likely to spoil the playoff party today.
AJ Allmendinger ($10.00): Allmendinger qualified 27th, but posted top-seven speeds in the 10-lap average category in Saturday’s practices. The ‘Dinger has had some success here with six top-11 finishes in his last seven starts and the sixth-best average finish (13.1) in that stretch. Don’t be scared by the starting spot; he started 30th here in the spring and finished sixth.