NASCAR Fantasy Fusion: Michigan

By Carol D'Agostino

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

By Race
Joey Logano -5
All with 3 - Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Jamie McMurray 

By Track

Joey Logano - 9
Kevin Harvick - 7
Brad Keselowski - 6
All with 5-  Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr. and Jamie McMurray

Recent Pole Winners:

2017 Kyle Larson
2016 Joey Logano

Last Year's Race Winner: Kyle Larson

The Likely Suspects: My Michigan elite drivers are: Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski.  

My 2 Cents: My no-brainer pick this week is Kyle Larson. My next picks are Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, Jamie McMurray and Paul Menard. I will complete my team with Alex Bowman and William Byron.

Second-Look Driver: This week's second-look driver is Aric Almirola. The No. 10 team has been making gains every week. Over the last six races at Michigan he earned a 12th- and 14th-place finish with the other four finishes in the low 20s. Last week's second-look driver, Denny Hamlin, had a bad day at Pocono, finishing 35th after a late-race wreck with Alex Bowman on Lap 146.

My Final Four: Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray, Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman.

Points to Ponder

• Roush Fenway Racing has the most wins at Michigan in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with 13.
• About one-fifth (20 of the 97) MENCS races at Michigan have been won from the Busch pole, most recently Kyle Larson in June 2017.
• The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (21) than any other starting spot at Michigan International Speedway. 
• Chase Elliott leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Michigan with a 7.500 in four starts.
• Kasey Kahne and Joey Logano lead all active drivers in poles at Michigan with three each.
• Kyle Larson, Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth lead all active MENCS drivers with three wins each. 
• Ryan Newman (2003-2004) and Kyle Larson (2016-2017 sweep) are the only two active drivers to win consecutive series races at Michigan.

Remember, if you're playing Driver Group Game, make your picks by 8 a.m. EDT on Friday, June 8, and pick your starters by 2 p.m. EDT on race day, Sunday, June 10.

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