NASCAR Fantasy Fusion: Contender Round Opener at Charlotte

Track Classification: Intermediate

Similar Tracks: Atlanta Motor Speedway • Chicagoland Speedway • Darlington Raceway  Homestead-Miami Speedway • Kansas Speedway • Kentucky Speedway 

Las Vegas Motor Speedway •  New Hampshire Motor Speedway • Texas Motor Speedway

Distance: 1.5 Miles

Drivers with Most Top 10s (Last 5 Years):

By Race

Both with 5 - Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin
All with 4 -  Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne
All with 3 - Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman

By Track

Both with 8 - Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin
Carl Edwards - 7
Both with 6 - Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch 

Both with 5 - Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman 

Recent Pole Winners:  

2014 Kyle Busch
2013 Jeff Gordon

Likely Suspects: This Contender Round opener should be a good one. Although we tend to pencil in masters of the 1.5 mile tracks like Joey Logano, there are drivers like Jamie McMurray who is out of the Chase, but have his eyes on finishing fifth. Look for these drivers to run well on Saturday night: Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenneth, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle.

My 2 Cents: Charlotte Motor Speedway and Jimmie Johnson used to be uttered in one breath, and maybe this weekend they will be again. After a surprising cut from Chase contention last weekend in Dover, Johnson may have something to prove this week. My no-brainer pick this week is Kyle Busch. My next picks are: Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Austin Dillon, Greg Biffle and Jamie McMurray. If you have Carl Edwards and Martin Truex Jr. starts left, I'd pull Dillon and Greg Biffle. I will complete my team with Justin Allgaier and Danica Patrick.

My final four: Kyle Busch, Kahne, McMurray and Allgaier.

Enjoy the race! Post your comments here or follow me on Twitter at @purplecatpr.