Fantasy Report: Chevy Rock & Roll 400

Saturday night will determine those who make the Chase. You can bet that those right outside the top 12 will be on a mission. Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Burton have already clinched a spot in the Chase. It will be interesting to see how far some, specifically Clint Bowyer, David Ragan and Kasey Kahne, will be willing to push it to get a shot at a championship. Our picks:

Brandon’s picks:
Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards✔, David Ragan✔, Greg Biffle✔, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, AJ Allmendinger✔ and Joey Logano.

Erik’s picks:
Jimmie Johnson✔, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle✔, Jamie McMurray✔, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Travis Kvapil✔ and Scott Riggs.

Good finishers: Busch has the best overall finish of any driver at Richmond — you can bet that he'll be one to watch Saturday even though he's never been to victory lane here. Johnson, who swept both races last year, and Denny Hamlin, who led most of the laps this spring and has 2 wins here, could really give Kyle a run for his money. Don't forget how well Carl Edwards has done this year. Jeff Gordon has 3 wins here but I'm reluctant to put him in these days. He's had 5 poles and 2 wins here in the past but has been awfully unpredictable this year. Don't forget that you can put Martin in this weekend. He's had lots of success at Richmond.

Play it safe: Don't forget that we're getting closer and closer to the end of the season. Don't take any wild chances at this point unless you're like the first place guy in our league and have a commanding lead. The only chance I'm taking is possibly putting Ragan in. He's a young relative-newcomer and trying desperately to get into the Chase. However, he seems seasoned beyond his years and I think that he can handle the pressure ... assuming he doesn't start racing with Bowyer, who won in the spring.

Of note: The Chevy Rock & Roll 400 will mark Joey Logano's first Cup race — assuming he qualifies. I didn't notice him when first picking my drivers because he was at the very bottom of the C list. I decided to replace Reutimann with him. There's no telling how he'll do but if he qualifies well I'm going to give him a shot. This goes against my idea of 'playing it safe' but this kid has proven himself in other series. Keep an eye out for Joey in the #02 Home Depot car to shake things up.

Good luck and stay out of the wall!

Fantasy Report: Pepsi 500

In week two of the 2008 season Carl Edwards found victory lane at Auto Club Speedway. He did it again last week with an exciting bump and run finish at Bristol. With Edwards in the spotlight there are a few questions that will soon be answered. Can Edwards keep building on his solid late season run with a third straight win? What of the newly formed Busch/Edwards rivalry? Only time will tell but it makes NASCAR even more compelling at this point of the season.

Erik’s picks:
Jimmie Johnson✔, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle ✔, Jamie McMurray ✔, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Travis Kvapil✔ and Scott Riggs.

Brandon’s picks:
Carl Edwards✔, Jimmie Johnson, David Ragan✔, Martin Truex Jr.✔, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, AJ Allmendinger✔ and Aric Almirola.

IN THE CHASE?: After last week's disappointing finish at Bristol Dale Earnhardt Jr. seems even more motivated to make a statement this week at Fontana. With a strong finish Jr. will be able to lock up his spot in The Chase. Look for a strong run from the 88 team in order to secure that spot and tie up some loose ends in order to make a run for his first championship.

ROUSH AND HENDRICK: Consider putting in any of the Roush or Hendrick teams. Both of these teams have each won six races at Fontana. That is more than any of the other organizations in NASCAR. Also keep an eye on Jeff Burton. He has some experience being one of the few drivers to drive in all of the sixteen races at Auto Club Speedway.

Fantasy Report: Sharpie 500

Are you looking forward to watching Bristol under the lights Saturday night? It's one of my favorites ... at least the restarts. This race gets strung out pretty fast which can be a little boring at times but there's also a lot of beatin' and bangin' so it doesn't stay green for long. If you're like me and you're getting down to the last few starts for particular drivers this race could hurt your points standings if you take too many risks. More on that in a moment ... onto the picks:

Brandon’s picks:
Carl Edwards✔, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle✔, David Ragan, Kasey Kahne✔, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Aric Almirola and David Reutimann✔.

Erik’s picks:
Jimmie Johnson✔, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch✔, Kasey Kahne✔, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Travis Kvapil✔ and Scott Riggs.

Anybody's guess: Let's be honest — any Cup Series race is up for grabs by almost any driver and Bristol is one of best examples for races that can go in any direction. This is problematic for Fantasy players. Consider this: 78 of 95 races at Bristol have been won from a top-10 starting position but the deepest in the field that a Bristol race winner has started was 38th, by Elliott Sadler in 2001. Richard Childress and Jack Roush have more wins here than any other owners with 9 apiece so you can't go wrong with any of their teams. With that being said, I'm going to have a hard time not putting Edwards and Biffle in for sure this weekend.

Play it safe: As I alluded to earlier, you might want to sit on some of your drivers you've used a lot this year. I still have Junior on my roster just in case but since I can only use him one more time I hope to save him for Talladega. I'll only put him in if he's on the front row. Otherwise, I'll have to decide between Ragan, who has done great for me this year, or Kahne, who I've just been nominal with two times I've used him. I put Busch on my roster because he's won 5 races at Bristol in the past 10 years and this could be the weekend he lets loose.

Good luck!

Fantasy Report: 3M Performance 400

After my ghastly fantasy performance last week I look to be on the rebound this week at Michigan International Speedway. It is getting close to the end so now is time for desperate measures. Lets take a look at our picks …

Erik’s picks:

Jimmie Johnson✔, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch✔, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, Marcos Ambrose✔ and Travis Kvapil.

Brandon’s picks:

Tony Stewart✔, Carl Edwards, Mark Martin✔, Kasey Kahne✔, Dale Earnhardt Jr., David Ragan, Paul Menard✔, and AJ Allmendinger.

Hint: If your team is low in the standings or has taken a hard hit like I did last week now is the time to make a move. I only have one more start with Kyle Busch and Dale Jr. but now is the best time to use them. Do what it takes to give yourself some space between your competitors. If you wait to long to use them it could already be to late to make that end of the season push.

Kahne you believe it?: Kasey has had several top fives at Michigan over the years. I am keeping him on the list in case he looks strong this week in practice. If not based on his past performance I might take a gamble on him. Don’t rule out Jimmie Johnson either. He is looking for another championship and with the Chase close you can bet he will be on his A game.

Fantasy Report: Centurion Boats at the Glen

NASCAR goes north to Watkins Glen, N.Y., this weekend for the second and last road course race of 2008. This 90-mile race is just about anybody's to win but some are much better than others — however, anything can happen. Remember what happened to two of the better road course drivers last year? Maybe this will jog your memory.

Our picks:

Brandon’s picks:
Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon✔, Ryan Newman, Robby Gordon✔, Jamie McMurray, Juan Pablo Montoya✔, Patrick Carpentier and Ron Fellows✔.

Erik’s picks:
Jeff Gordon✔, Jimmie Johnson, Jamie McMurray✔, Elliott Sadler✔, Juan Pablo Montoya, Greg Biffle, Travis Kvapil✔ and Scott Riggs.

Hints: This is a good week to put in road course ringers. As you can see I have Carpentier and Fellows. It will be hard to choose which driver to put in of the two but I'm leaning toward Fellows who proved his prowess in Montreal last weekend. Another noteworthy ringer is Boris Said. Don't put Mark Martin in because he's not racing this week. Oh and Jeff Gordon and Stewart are the safest bets for A drivers ... put in at least one of the two.

Race facts: Here are a couple of nuggets on info about the Glen that could benefit you this weekend. There have been 14 pole winners out of 25 races at the 2.45-mile track and Jeff Gordon is the only repeat pole sitter in the last ten years with 2. Also, 18 of 25 races at Watkins Glen have been won from a top-10 starting position.

I'll admit: I'm a bigger fan of the road course races than circular tracks. I don't know why but there's just something intriguing about seeing stock cars made for ovals put on a road course and maneuvering through chicanes and up and down hills. With that being said, you bet I'll be parked in front of the TV Sunday sipping on Milwaukee's finest suds hoping I can gain a couple spots through wise Fantasy picks (and secretly wishing ill on my opponents).

Fantasy Report: Pennsylvania 500

Pocono Raceway is a relatively flat, 2.5-mile triangular track in the scenic Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania. This is the second race there this year. The spring race saw Kasey Kahne cruise into Victory Lane. Does he have what it takes to make it 2 wins this year? This blogger says no, but it's often brutally obvious that the unexpected can be expected.

Our picks:

Brandon’s picks:
Jimmie Johnson✔, Denny Hamlin, Mark Martin✔, Kasey Kahne✔, Martin Truex Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., AJ Allmendinger✔ and David Reutimann.

Erik’s picks:
Denny Hamlin✔, Carl Edwards, Mark Martin✔, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Scott Riggs✔ and Brian Vickers.

Hints: There have been 21 pole winners in the last 25 races here so look for drivers up front to have a good run. Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne (two each) are the only repeat pole winners there since 1995 and you can bet that these three will be the ones to watch. I would also add that Jimmie Johnson's team is really strong right now and I'm going to put him in unless Hamlin looks better in practice and qualifying. For some reason I'm reluctant to put Gordon in this week — just call it a gut feeling. Also, don't ever count Rousch Fenway out ... they're typically top teams at any track with Pocono being no different.

Be smart: Since the season is more than halfway over it's a good time to put some real thought into your picks. Since I'm almost 200 points out of first place I can't afford to gamble like I have the past few weeks. My angle, at least for the next handful of races, is to put in drivers that have proven themselves to be great at a certain track as well as ones that are having positive seasons. My reluctance to put Gordon in is a gamble of sorts since he's the highest-rated driver for this track, but then again he finished 14th at Pocono earlier this year. Johnson has a pretty good history at Pocono, as does Hamlin. Hamlin is more consistant at finishing well than Johnson here, but the #48 is really starting to get hot.

Fantasy Report: Allstate 400 at The Brickyard

The Brickyard is home to victories from Indy drivers such as Mario Andretti, Al Unser Jr. and Emerson Fittipaldi. A storied history of open wheels that always makes any racing on this track exciting to watch. This week the track will take a different look as it hosts its annual NASCAR race. Look for some intense racing as the "Chase for the Cup" draws nearer.

Erik’s picks:
Jeff Gordon✔, Tony Stewart, Mark Martin✔, Juan Pablo Montoya✔, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Scott Riggs✔ and Brian Vickers.

Brandon’s picks:
Kevin Harvick✔, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin✔, Juan Pablo Montoya✔, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, Brian Vickers✔ and Paul Menard.

Fantasy hint: When you think of Indy from a NASCAR point of view two drivers seem to come to mind: Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. They have six combined wins since 1994. Don’t look at current standings because these two always seem to make their way to the front at Indy.

Fantasy Report: LifeLock.com 400

Did you get a chance to see the Daytona race? If so you may have noticed great examples of 2008 trends: Kyle Busch dominating and coming from behind, fishtails that would have been wrecks in previous years and large packs of cars. I can't see how any of these trends would end before the next race, the LifeLock.com 400 at the 1.5-mile tri-oval that is Chicagoland Speedway. This weekend is another chance to pull out your good drivers because the better teams really shine here.

Brandon's picks:

Tony Stewart✔, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Ryan Newman, Mark Martin✔, David Ragan, Brian Vickers✔ and Patrick Carpentier.

Erik's picks:

Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards✔, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne✔, Kyle Busch✔, Jamie McMurray, Scott Riggs✔ and Brian Vickers.

Hints: A quick review of previous results will bring your attention to two names: Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart. While both drivers are having only decent seasons you should pick one of the two for your roster. Jeff Gordon is also another A driver with a good record here. He has a pole, a win and 4 top 5's out of 6 races in Chicago (just overlook his only DNF here).

Others to watch out for would be Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has a win at Chicago and has been up at the front all year, and Jimmie Johnson who has a pole here and 2 top 5 finishes. Keep an eye on David Ragan to continue his remarkable season but I'm reluctant to say he'll be in the top 5 this week. I'll only consider putting him in if he qualifies as well as he did at Daytona. One more thing: don't think that Carl Edwards was overly satisfied with his 2nd place finish at Daytona. Although he hasn't been terribly great at Chicagoland in the past you can bet he'll be gunning for victory lane this week.

Fantasy Report: Coke Zero 400

It's Fourth of July weekend and that means racing at Daytona. The Sprint Cup Series returns to NASCAR's most famous track for the second time this season. February's race showcased an exciting win by Ryan Newman. This weekend's race under the lights could exhibit some exciting fireworks. Onto our picks:

Erik's picks:

Tony Stewart✔, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Kyle Busch✔, Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray, Brian Vickers✔ and Michael Waltrip.

Brandon's picks:

Tony Stewart✔, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Ryan Newman✔, Kasey Kahne, David Ragan, Brian Vickers✔ and Joe Nemechek.

Fantasy Hint: Like any superspeedway one mistake and your driver could be sitting in the garage. Try to select drivers who have consistent top qualifying positions at Daytona. If there is a wreck your driver might be able to avoid getting knocked out.

Head's Up: Dario Franchitti's team has been shut down by Ganassi Racing and will not be racing, at least with that company, for the rest of the year. He will not be racing in the Coke Zero 400 even though as of Wednesday evening his name was still on the Yahoo! Fantasy NASCAR roster. The Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway will be the third impound race of 2008, there are five impound races in 2008, both Talladega and Richmond races as well as this race. Look for the go-or-go-homers to be toward the front ... but at a marked disadvantage once the race starts until pit stops.

Going For It: Let it be noted that I am currently in second place in our fantasy standings. I figure not being to far out of first this would be a good chance to go for the top spot. With that said I am going to use Dale Earnhardt Jr. (excellent on superspeedways) and Kyle Busch (hottest driver this season). Good luck!

Quick Coke Zero 400 Race Facts

Practice: Thurs. 4 p.m. — Speed TV
Final Practice: Thurs. 6:30 p.m. — Speed TV
Qualifying: Fri. 4 p.m. — Speed TV
Race: Sat. 6:30 p.m. — TNT

Active drivers with most wins: Jeff Gordon (6), Michael Waltrip (3), Tony Stewart & Dale Earnhardt Jr (2)

Fantasy Report: Lenox Industrial Tools 301

After spending the week road racing in sunny California, the teams head to New England this weekend for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H. This is the first of two Sprint Cup races at the 1.058-mile oval superspeedway. If you're like me and had a terrible fantasy day at Sonoma then this could be the place to turn it around.

Brandon's picks:

Matt Kenseth✔, Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne✔, Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr.✔, Travis Kvapil✔ and Aric Almirola.

Erik's picks:

Jeff Gordon✔, Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr.✔, Casey Mears✔, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardth Jr., Paul Menard✔ and Travis Kvapil.

Fantasy Hints: I'm going to throw some love toward Rousch Fenway Racing this week. These teams have been strong all year long and the #17 of Matt Kenseth has been on fire as of late. Look for him to have a good showing this weekend. I expect Martin Truex Jr. to have an exceptional race — one that will mirror his performance at this track last year (2 top 5 finishes). I'm also going to mention Aric Almirola. He handled his ride pretty well at the beginning of the season and if he's been studying the driver he shares the car with, Mark Martin, then we could see big things out of him.

Have you, the reader, been having a good year with your fantasy team? How would you rate our picks so far this year? We would love to hear from you!

Fantasy Report: Toyota/Save Mart 350

If you avoid NASCAR because of all the left turns, this Sunday will be one of your few chances to see them drive right. The Sprint Cup Series is back on the west coast for some road course bumpin' and grindin' at the 1.99-miles Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calf.

Erik's picks:

Jeff Gordon✔, Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya✔, Jamie McMurray✔, Ryan Newman, Robby Gordon, Boris Said✔ and Michael Waltrip.

Brandon's picks:

Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon✔, Juan Pablo Montoya✔, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Robby Gordon✔, Boris Said✔ and Sam Hornish Jr.

Fantasy Hint: This week is a good chance to use drivers that will not get much action on your fantasy team on a normal basis. Certain drivers appear more comfortable to drive at tracks like Infineon. More importantly this can save your drivers in the B and C lists that don’t run well on road courses. You might want to give these drivers a try: Robby Gordon and Boris Said or Michael Waltrip.

Fantasy Report: LifeLock 400

This week teams head north for the LifeLock 400 at the Michigan International Speedway. The 2-mile speedway is a fast track with multiple racing grooves and should provide for an entertaining afternoon of racing on Father's Day. This is also one of the tracks on the circuit that can drive Fantasy players up the wall because anything can happen and anyone can win.

Here are our picks:

Brandon’s picks:

Carl Edwards✔, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle✔, Kyle Busch✔, Kasey Kahne, Brian Vickers✔ and Patrick Carpentier.

Erik’s picks:

Carl Edwards✔, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Martin Truex Jr.✔, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Brian Vickers✔ and Travis Kvapil.

Hints: Seeing as how this track is really hard to pick for I'm relying on past racing history at Michigan, how a driver is doing this year and a little guessing for my picks this week. Rousch Fenway Racing has had big success in the past and there's no reason for this year to be any different. Look for Carl Edwards to have a good week.

Also, the drivers that are traditionally strong on speedways will be good picks this week. Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. should both have top 10 finishes. Seeing as how Kyle Busch finished dead last at Pocono you can bet he'll be looking for the win this weekend ... which, knowing his racing style, could lead to calamity as it did last Sunday.

One other driver I'll be interested in this weekend is Patrick Carpentier. This will be his first race at Michigan in a stock car, but he's had 6 starts in an open-wheel racecar with 5 top 10's and one win. Whether or not that success will carry over into NASCAR is anyone's guess but he's been a pretty good qualifier this year so maybe he'll at least pick up some points in that capacity.

Good luck!

Fantasy Report: Pocono 500

NASCAR makes its move from FOX to TNT this week for live coverage at Pocono.

Some of the race commentators for this stretch on TNT (before coverage moves again to ESPN) will be Bill Weber, Matt Yocum, Wally Hallenbach, Kyle Petty and Larry McReynolds. (Sorry no Boogity, boogity, boogity boys!) This should be a nice change to keep the season interesting.

Enough about coverage lets get to the picks:

Erik’s picks:

Denny Hamlin✔, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman✔, Martin Truex Jr.✔, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Travis Kvapil✔ and Scott Riggs.

Brandon’s picks:

Denny Hamlin✔, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Mark Martin✔, Kyle Busch✔, Juan Pablo Montoya, Travis Kvapil✔ and David Reutimann.

HINT: Take a look at having a few Joe Gibbs drivers in this week (especially Denny Hamlin). JGR cars have had some great finishes at Pocono in the past. Kyle Busch has been hot lately and might also give you some extra qualifying points.

KEEP IN MIND: Don’t overuse a driver. Remember you only get to select them a certain number of times. Just remember to be patient and save some strong drivers for the end of the season. If you have a bad week or two don’t worry. I have had 4 bad weeks out of 5 and still remain in the top ten overall.

Fantasy Report: Best Buy 400

Sprint Cup drivers roll into the Dover International Speedway for the Best Buy 400. "The Monster Mile" is tough on the drivers and should an exciting, caution-filled race.

Here are our picks:

Brandon's picks: Carl Edwards✔, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch✔, Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr.✔, Brian Vickers✔ and David Reutimann.

Erik's picks: Carl Edwards✔, Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle✔, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman✔, Martin Truex Jr., Brian Vickers and Travis Kvapil✔.

Hints: This is a tough race to pick for because the checkered flag could fall to virtually any race team out there — which could be said for almost any race on the circuit. However, two organizations to watch this weekend would be Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing, which have 10 and 7 wins there respectively. You probably can't go wrong picking someone from Roush because for the most part they've been on a tear and are pretty reliable for a good finish each week.

Sidenote: It seems as though Erik and I are thinking increasingly simliar. Last week, all of our picks were the same and this week there are only 2 different drivers. Hopefully we can do better this week that we did last week — and so can you!

Fantasy Report: Coca-Cola 600

After an entertaining All-Star Race in Charlotte, the NASCAR boys are getting ready to run 600 miles around "The Beast of the Southeast." Lowe's Motor Speedway has been good to some and treacherous for others over the years.

Here are our picks:

Brandon's picks: Jimmie Johnson✔, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch✔, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, AJ Allmendinger and Brian Vickers✔.

Erik's picks: Jimmie Johnson✔, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch✔, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, Brian Vickers✔ and Travis Kvapil.

Hints: Whenever I say Johnson is someone to watch (or almost anyone else) he does very little so I'm just going to say that I intend to put in everyone I already have chosen (wink, wink). So I'm going to tell you what I'm doing this week — it is dangerous but sometimes you just have to take risks. The drivers I have chosen are the drivers I intend to put in the race. As you can see, I have some heavy hitters in this week. I'm partly driven by my desire to take the points lead and partly driven by what seems like good ideas. Everyone else I have on my roster are there in hopes that they'll get me some valuable qualifying points. Crazy? We'll see in a few days.

Fantasy Report: Dodge Challenger 500

This week NASCAR heads to Darlington for race 11 on the Sprint Cup circuit. Fantasy selections for the “Lady in Black” might be tough to tame but with a little research your drivers might be headed to victory lane. Lets get to the picks …

Erik's picks: Denny Hamlin✔, Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle✔, Mark Martin✔, Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray, Travis Kvapil✔ and Paul Menard.

Brandon's picks: Jeff Gordon✔, Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, Kasey Kahne, David Ragan✔, Martin Truex Jr.✔, David Reutimann✔ and Regan Smith.

DRIVER TO PICK: Every week I try to make an educated guess on what driver will finish at the top. For the past few weeks my drivers have been running in the top five only to have some unfortunate event knock them back in the pack. As an experiment this week I am not giving any advice. When I finish ahead of Brandon I may have him write the fantasy advice. Best of luck!

Fantasy Report: The Dan Lowry 400

With Talladega behind us and everything here at the Star back to normal it's time to look ahead to Virginia for your NASCAR fix this weekend. The second Saturday night race of the season, the Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400, is sure to be exciting. Richmond is favored by many of the drivers because the ¾-mile short track is similar to superspeedways due to the speeds and track configuration.

Here are our drivers:

Brandon's picks: Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin✔, Kyle Busch✔, Mark Martin✔, Ryan Newman, David Ragan, Brian Vickers and Michael Waltrip✔.

Erik's picks: Jimmie Johnson✔, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch✔, Kasey Kahne✔, Greg Biffle, Eliott Sadler, Paul Menard✔ and Travis Kvapil.

Heavy hitters: Jimmie Johnson tops the list. You might say, "Brandon, you mention him every week and he's only won one race." I would retort: "While that is true, his season is turning around and he won both Richmond races last year." One of those wins was from the pole as well. He definitely knows his way around this track and barring unforeseen circumstances you can bet he'll be a big factor. Another driver that comes to mind is Denny Hamlin. This kid was built for tracks like these — and he's shown it with an average finish of 4.5 last year. Just the fact that he's a Virginian can guarantee he'll be more than eager to take the checkered flag. If you haven't used Hamlin much this year consider him this weekend. It was tough for me to choose between him and his teammate Tony Stewart (who has 3 wins at Richmond) but I'll know soon enough if I picked the right Toyota. Of course I'll have the gut-wrenching decision of whether to put Johnson or Hamlin in this weekend — I'm leaning toward whoever has the best qualifying time. However, that can be very deceiving. Finally, keep an eye on Kyle Busch. Need I say more?

Sleepers: Mark Martin and Ryan Newman could also be decent picks. Both have set the pole here and while only Newman has a win there Martin has had 6 top 5 finishes. Sometimes you have to know when to not go for the wins every week and put someone in you haven't used much and hope for a decent finish. That is what I have in mind with Martin. It is hard to avoid putting in the really big names each week but you need to save a few of those starts for later in the season.

Note: Don't forget that this is an impound race. They're racing with what they qualify with just as they did last weekend.

Fantasy Report: Aaron's 499

This week NASCAR rolls into our home state for the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. This track is a 2.66-mile tri-oval with 33 degrees of banking in the corners. They don't call it "NASCAR's Most Competitive Track" for nothing.

Here are our drivers:

Erik's picks: Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart✔, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Jamie McMurray✔, Greg Biffle, Martin Truex Jr., Brian Vickers✔ and Paul Menard

Brandon's picks: Jimmie Johnson✔, Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Martin Truex Jr., David Gilliland, Elliott Sadler✔, Brian Vickers✔ and Michael Waltrip.

"The Big One": Picking a driver that can stay out of wrecks is hard anywhere but is even more difficult at Talladega. A single wreck can take out half the field eliminating your fantasy drivers. One bad week can really put you behind in the point standings.

A few drivers to consider: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon for starters. They always seem to be running at the end of this race and often at the front. This will mark Jr.'s 300th Cup start and you can bet that the "Junior Nation" will be amped up. Jeff Gordon, on the other hand, dominated at Talladega last year with 2 wins (one from the pole). Jimmy Johnson has also had success there in the past and his team looks as if they have come alive in the last couple of races. Others to watch for would be Brian Vickers and Kurt Busch. Vickers, who always seems strong at Talladega, won in 2006 after spinning Johnson into Jr. for a dramatic finish. Busch has had 7 top 10 finishes in 8 races.

Things to remember: This is an impound race. That means that the car they qualify with is the car they'll race with ... no switching to race trim after taking time in qualifying trim. This sometimes brings a few of the teams that are farther behind in points to the front. It's a gamble to pick those that qualify well because it often doesn't pay off. Don't be discouraged if your main pick is way back in the field because Gordon started 35th and remained near the back for most of the fall race last year until "The Big One" occurred and then got on the gas to eventually take the checkered flag. Also, don't forget that Gordon won from the pole last spring so nothing is set in stone.

— Brandon Wynn contributed to this post.

Fast Facts

• Last pole sitters — April 2007: Jeff Gordon, 192.069 mph; October 2007: Michael Waltrip, 189.070 mph

• Last winners — April 2007: 24-Jeff Gordon, 154.167 mph; October 2007: Jeff Gordon, 143.438 mph

• Qualifying records — No restrictor plate: Bill Elliott, April 1987, 212.809 mph; Restrictor Plate: Bill Elliott, May 1990, 199.388 15/16th-inch plate

• Most Wins — Active: 6, Jeff Gordon; All time: 10, Dale Earnhardt, Sr.

• Most Poles (All Time): 8, Bill Elliott

• Most Top 5s: 23, Dale Earnhardt

— Source: NASCAR

Fantasy Report: Subway 500

Phoenix International Raceway is the site of the first Saturday night Sprint Cup race of the season.

Our picks:

Brandon's picks: Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards✔, Kyle Busch✔, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman✔, Greg Biffle, Paul Menard✔ and Brian Vickers.

Erik's picks: Kevin Harvick✔, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Mark Martin✔, Martin Truex Jr., Greg Biffle, Paul Menard and Brian Vickers✔.

Notes: Jeff Burton is currently in the points lead and has had 2 wins on the 1-mile track. It's safe to say that with 9 top 10 finishes in 17 races at Phoenix he will be someone to keep an eye on. Last year it was all Hendrick that took the checkered flags with wins going to Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. With Hendrick's rocky start it will be interesting to see if Johnson can pull off his first win of the season. I don't think Gordon is there just yet. One more thing, Carl Edwards, despite his woes in Atlanta, couldn't be any hotter. He should be a top contender Saturday night.

Fantasy Report: Samsung 500

This week NASCAR moves to Texas Motor Speedway for the Samsung 500. The 1.5 mile paved oval should make for some electrifying racing.

Our picks:

Erik's picks: Matt Kenseth✔, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch✔, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, Martin Truex Jr.✔, David Reutimann✔ and Travis Kvapil.

Brandon's picks: Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin✔, Martin Truex Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr.✔, Ryan Newman✔, Casey Mears, Paul Menard✔ and Brian Vickers.

Fantasy hint: It will be worthy of note to see how Jeff Burton defends his current Sprint Cup lead. He has had great success at Texas over the past few seasons. Adding Burton to your drivers this week could give you much needed fantasy points.