NASCAR Fantasy Fusion: GEICO 500 at Talladega

By Carol D'Agostino

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

By Race
Clint Bowyer - 2
All with 2 - Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Paul Menard, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, David Ragan, Kasey Kahne and Trevor Bayne

By Track

Clint Bowyer - 5

All with 4 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard, Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. 
All with 3 - Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin

Recent Pole Winners:  
2016 Chase Elliott
2015 Jeff Gordon

Last Year's Race Winner: Brad Keselowksi

The Likely Suspects: Picking and praying is the name of the game at restrictor-plate tracks. I will be zeroing in on these drivers this weekend: Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  

My 2 Cents:  My no-brainer pick this week is Brad Keselowski. My next choices are Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Clint Bowyer and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. I will complete my team with Elliott Sadler and David Ragan.

My Final Four: Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Elliott Sadler

Points to Ponder:

• Nine different manufacturers have won in the MENCS at Talladega, led by Chevrolet with 40 victories, followed by Ford with 24 and Toyota with three.
• The outside front row starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (20) than any other starting position at Talladega.  
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads all active drivers in wins at Talladega with six, followed by Brad Keselowski with four. 
• Richard Childress Racing and Hendrick Motorsports are tied for the most wins at Talladega in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with 12 each.  
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Talladega with 960 laps led, followed by Matt Kenseth with 513. 
• Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the MENCS in average starting position at Talladega with a 9.833. 
• Five active drivers are tied for the second-most poles at Talladega with one each – Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne and Chase Elliott.
• Elliott Sadler leads all active drivers in Coors Light poles at Talladega with three (2003, 2005, 2006). 

Remember, if you're playing Yahoo! Fantasy Auto Racing, your pick deadline is Saturday, May 6th at 5 a.m. EDT.

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