Congratulations to AJ Allmendinger on his win at the Indy Road Course last weekend. There are now only two races left before the start of the playoffs and there are thirteen drivers who have a win and are qualified for those playoffs. Allmendinger doesn’t qualify as he isn’t a full-time driver in the series and doesn’t receive any points. Kevin Harvick is the driver in sixteenth place right now without a win. With Daytona looming and anyone being able to win that race it could knock Kevin right out of the playoffs.
FIREKEEPERS CASINO 400
This week the series heads to the Michigan International Speedway for the running of the Firekeepers Casino 400. This is a two-mile track where speed is king and we all know who’s been showing us the speed all year. Pretty much going to have to stick to the drivers on those teams.
Kyle Larson: I have to pick Kyle to win this week and now I have a dilemma. I only have one more use left with him and want to save it for a future race, so I’ll most likely be using his teammates instead in my lineup this week. Those of you who have multiple starts left might want to use him here.
Alex Bowman: Alex has two wins on the season and this is his type of track. He won at Auto Club Speedway last year on a similar track and this year the Hendrick cars have been even faster. He has also run well at Michigan but hasn’t come away with the finishes they would expect. That can all change this weekend.
William Byron: William has finished mostly in the top fifteen at both Michigan and California. Once again we’ve seen the speed the Hendrick cars have shown this year and these are the drivers you need to have in your lineup this week. William won at Homestead-Miami earlier this season and has been running very well lately.
Chase Elliott: The last of the Hendrick drivers and once again I only have one more start left with him and want to save it for the Charlotte Roval. If you have multiple starts left with him this would be another great place to run him. Chase finished second in each of his first three races here and has only finished outside the top ten once in ten career starts here.
Martin Truex Jr.: Now we get to the other team that has been improving the most lately and getting closer to competing with the Hendrick teams each and every week. Martin is no slouch at this track either finishing either third or fourth in each of his last four starts. I think this is the Gibbs driver who has the best shot at taking the checkered flag from a Hendrick driver, but he’s not the only one who’s good here.
Denny Hamlin: Denny finished second here last year and has finished in the top ten in four of his last five starts at Michigan. He has also lead laps here in six of his last eight starts which tells me he runs up front quite a bit. If he can stay away from a late pit road penalty he could very well be a contender once again this weekend.
Kyle Busch: Kyle has finished in the top ten in his last eight starts at this track. Even though he hasn’t won here in ten years he has been getting better and better every week and can win again at anytime. I think he’s going to have a good handling fast car once again this weekend and will also contend for the win.
Kevin Harvick: Kevin has won four of the last five races here and also finished runner-up in the race preceding those. The problem here is that this team just hasn’t shown the speed they’ll need to compete with the Hendrick and Gibbs drivers on this 2-mile track with long straightaways. I would prefer to use him at some of the shorter tracks where handling is more important than speed.
DRIVER GROUP GAME FANTASY NASCAR PICKS FOR MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Driver Group Game Group A
- Martin Truex Jr.
Driver Group Game Group B
- Alex Bowman
- William Byron
Driver Group Game Group C
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
MY TOP-5 OVERALL AT MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
- Kyle Larson
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Chase Elliott
- Alex Bowman
- William Byron
Dark Horse: Austin Dillon
Stay Away From: Bubba Wallace
Big 18: William Byron
25 replies on “2021 Michigan International Speedway, Firekeepers Casino 400”
Right there with you on Hendrick camp- they have all been strong with the 550 package.
I like the 3 as a dark horse… I think 8 is probably right there with his Chevy teammate as solid, lesser picks at 550 races.
On a side note, I was disappointed with yesterday’s race. It seems as though this season Nascar has been failing the grade with some of their “entertainment” attempts. First Bristol dirt, next COTA in the rain, and yesterday with an obstacle wiping out several top 10 cars, less than 10 laps to go.
Good luck!
Brad K. or AD #3?
My gut tells me to go with Brad seeing this is his home track.
8 9 12 24 48 & 2 in my garage, is my lineup at the moment… would ya swap any for the 4 this week? I’m out of uses on the 5 11 18 19! Thanks!!
He hasn’t shown me a reason to use him at an intermediate track yet this year, so no, I wouldn’t use him this week.
I would use the 22 over the 2 in the garage, just my thoughts
Thoughts on Blaney? He’s starting up front and historically seems like he’s been fast here
He’s another driver who hasn’t shown much consistency this year like Harvick. Take a chance if you want.
Glad I went with him! Always go with your gut they say!
Average finish at the eight 550’s this season
( not counting Tex All star race)
Harvick- avg. finish 8.75
Keslowski- avg finish of 10.25
Blaney- avg finish of 10.60
Do you have ave for #11, #19 & #22?
Thanks
Truex- 10.5
Hamlin- 8.6
Logano- 14.75
Thank You CRC
Choice between #3 , #42 and #47
My guess is #3.
Yes, he’s my dark horse this week.
CRC awesome with the ave. again! thanks man.
For myself; for some reason i want to take a chance on Matty D.
He did get a top 10 at kansas; if I remember right.
The only thing that scares me is he will be super aggresive here; to try to get into playoffs. This might be a dangerous pick. Also, I see that odds are better with chastain, other than stenhouse. Anybody got any opinions on either ,or.
(B group) 1 left for 5,24, and 18………. might use larson; or do i save hime for playoffs? which race? hmmmm
Just my thoughts…….Thanks jeff for this Q and A board when we all can discuse this racing stuff. lol
21 had a top 10 at Kan and ATL ( pt.2).
Same number of top 10’s as 3 car..but at Rich. and Nash.
42 car….0 top 10’s at 550 tracks this season.
Avg finish at 550’s this year (cont) ; 8 total races
Bowman- 9.125
Byron- 8.3
Larson- 7
Ky. Busch- 3.5. (!!!)
Scott, for me, 1) in order to confidently pick the 24, 18 or 5, in the type of for at you play in, in my mind I’d need to be confident they’d absolutely win that race. 2) I’m confident in all three of those drivers to win at Mich, so with the format I play in, they’re all in for the final time before playoffs (haha).
Good luck though!
To add Scott, there are (3) 550 tracks in playoffs- LV and Tex ( previous winner Larson) and Kan ( previous winner Ky. Busch).
Aside from Char RC and Talladaga, the remaining 5 races are 750hp. At least with those playoff races you can look outside of 5-18-24 ( albeit good-> great picks), you can at least look to help with cars like 4-48-11-20-22-19
1, 3, 4, 8, 12. Can you please rate these drivers in order you like from best to worst for Michigan? I have my lineup mostly set, but I still have 1 open spot and I haven’t picked my garage driver yet. Thanks for any help.
1, 3, 4, 12, 8
Thank you!
Reddick or Matty D?
I’m going with Matt.
What are your thoughts on McDowell here?
That would be a No.