Fantasy Picks 2019 ~ Pocono 1

Recap and Results
Coca-Cola 600
Charlotte

Our Racers had some kind of Fantasy race in NASCAR’s Memorial Day endurance event. When the 600 miles were complete they had not only picked the race winner for the 40 valuable race points, but eight of our ten racers finished in the Top 10. Impressive.

PattyKay Lilley had another strong finish, picking race winner Martin Truex, Jr. Unfortunately, season points leader Kelly Meiste picked the #19 as well. This allowed him to keep his points lead margin intact.

Maybe next week.

Frank Buhrman and David Nance’s Kyle Busch pick looked like a winner until the #18 slid to third at the end. Kevin Harvick had a huge pack riding on him to complete the Top 10 finishers.

Rather than turn this into the season’s longest recap for the season’s longest race, let’s take a look at the race results and current points standings.

This Week’s Picks
Pocono 400
Pocono

The Traveling Circus heads north for 160 laps around the 2.5 mile tri-corner known as Pocono. Last week’s Coca-Cola 600 winner Martin Truex Jr. is the defending race winner. Kyle Busch won the last time the Circus stopped here in the fall.

Denny Hamlin is the King of the Tricky Triangle with four wins. Other multi-race winners include Jimmie Johnson (3), Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex, Jr. (2). Ryan Newman, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Chris Buescher and Ryan Blaney have visited Victory Lane here.

Will this week’s winner come from this group?

Can Jimmie Johnson finally break his winless streak? If not, the seven time series Champion will see his winless streak extend to two full seasons. I’m not sure anyone would have ever believed that was possible.

Kevin Harvick has always been strong here but Victory Lane has eluded him on 36 occasions. Could Sunday be the day that he breaks that streak? Chase Elliott, one of the hottest drivers on the circuit of late, has been stout here, finishing in the Top 10 in five of his six starts. Will Sunday be career Victory number five from the young Dawsonville lad?

They will be racing the 550HP/Brake Ducts setup for only the second time this season. Brad Keselowski was the first driver to win with the new 2019 tapered spacer/aero setup at Atlanta. Will he show his mastery of that setup or will another rise to the top at its reappearance?

So who is it going to be? Let’s see who our Fantasy Racers like for this week’s Pocono 400.

PattyKay Lilley

Unlike many folks, I love this tired old track. Was "Home" for many years until we finally moved from NY to GA. Yep, I love her, but picking a winner at Pocono is nigh on to impossible. I really want to go with Harvick, but he's raced here 36 times and has yet to take the checkers a single time. So... hesitantly, I'll ride this week with Kyle Busch, solely because in his last 3 races here he placed 1-3-1. That's hard to ignore. Kelly, take someone else!

Frank Buhrman

I really should pick Kyle Busch again, because he's won two of the last three here and finished third in the other one, but seven straight races is all I can take of #18. I want to pick Denny Hamlin, but his Pocono magic seems to have disappeared. Every time I picked Kevin Harvick last year, he was awful, but I'm going to chance it and go with the #4 for my Pocono pick. Don't hit any wildlife crossing the track and don't get lost in the fog, Kevin, and maybe we'll be OK.

Vivian Simons

Kyle Busch seems to be doing good, same as Martin Truex, Jr. It is hard not to choose one of them to win, but I am hoping (rather than using logic) that someone else will be in Victory Lane. That being the case, I am going out on a limb and picking #88, Alex Bowman to win!

Berra Nordin

I've picked Harvick a few weeks now and it hasn't turned out to well for us! I know Harvick is always good no matter track but I have a feeling he is not going to win too many races this year and with me looking elsewhere maybe it'll change this week!! So with that said who will take home the Victory this week? The fastest man on pit road used to be good at flat tracks but he has been messing things up and also I dislike him, so I will turn to his team mate #18 Kyle Busch instead but as always hoping for an upset like when Chris Buescher won for FRM!!

Vicq Ruiz

Would it be crazy
If M&M's had three sides?
I'm guessing Rowdy

Kelly Meiste

Well I believe it’s been about a half dozen races now since Kyle Busch won a race so I'm guessing he's about ready to score again.  I hate to pick him, but going to have to play my hunch so I'll get going with the 18 of KB this week.

Hal Ashburn

I'll try BK in the #2.

Will Dossett

I'm going with the 24 this week.  Pocono is a driver's track and Chad will have him ready to go!

L. Steele

I've had about as much luck picking winners as the Democrats have had in stopping Trump but I feel good about Ryan Blaney this Sunday at Pocono.

David Nance

Want to see Kevin Harvick find Victory Lane this week but am going with Joey Logano to improve his position just one little position from last week to take the Pocono win.

So there you have it! Agree? Disagree? Pick your winner and post it in the comments below.
Good luck and hoping for a safe, good race!