NASCAR Fantasy Fusion: I Love New York 355 at The Glen

By Carol D'Agostino

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

By Race

All with 4 - Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch
All with 3 -  AJ Allmendinger, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson

By Track
Joey Logano - 4
All with 3 - Kurt Busch, AJ Allmendinger, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch

All with 2 -  Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson

Recent Pole Winners:

2016 Carl Edwards
2015 AJ Allmendinger
2014 Jeff Gordon

Last Year's Race Winner: Denny Hamlin

The Likely Suspects: I am looking at these likely suspects this week: Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, AJ Allmendinger, Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick.

My 2 Cents: When picking this week think top five, road racers/open wheelers and Joe Gibbs Racing. Although road racing experience counts for a lot here, stock car drivers have really studied up on how to manage a road race -- thanks to racers like Boris Said who have schooled a lot of them. This week's no-brainer selection is AJ Allmendinger. My next picks are: last week's race winner Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer and Chase Elliott. I will round out my team with Michael McDowell and Daniel Suarez.

My Final Four: Kyle Busch, AJ Allmendinger, Kurt Busch and Daniel Suarez.

Points to Ponder:

• Joe Gibbs Racing leads the series in wins at Watkins Glen International (WGI) with seven victories -- Tony Stewart (four: 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007), Kyle Busch (two: 2008, 2013) and Denny Hamlin (one: 2016).
• The Coors Light pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (nine) than any other starting position at Watkins Glen. 
• 21 of the 34 (61.8%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Watkins Glen have been won from a top-five starting position.
• Kyle Busch leads all active Cup Series drivers in wins at WGI with two. He also leads the MENCS in road course wins among active drivers with four (two at Sonoma – 2008, 2015, and two at Watkins Glen – 2008, 2013).
• AJ Allmendinger leads all active series drivers in average finishing position at WGI with a 9.375.
• Among active drivers Brad Keselowski leads the series in runner-up finishes at Watkins Glen with three.
• Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in top-five finishes at WGI with five, and all active series drivers in top 10s at WGI with 10. Jimmie Johnson is runner up in the top-10 finishes with eight.

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

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