The Round of 8 of the playoffs kicks off this weekend when the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads back to Martinsville Speedway. The flat, half-mile oval will host Sunday’s First Data 500, and while the paperclip-shaped track might be the smallest and slowest on the schedule, you only need to re-watch the fall race here last year for a reminder of how much excitement could be on tap.
Martinsville is a physical track, and drivers will be bumping and banging on the track and on pit road, abusing their brakes and wrinkling fenders in the process. Track position is critical, and mistakes on pit road are tough to overcome. In fact, mistakes made during green flag periods will cost a driver multiple laps and likely ruin their entire afternoon.
When building a fantasy lineup, I like to target drivers who have a strong track record at Martinsville. Yes, some organization perform better than others here, but this isn’t necessarily a track where a driver runs well just because they are a big name for a big team.
With that in mind, this is one race where you can afford to be a little unconventional with your lineups. Whether you are trying to save some starts from certain guys in the Driver Group Game or want to try to gain some ground in Fantasy Live by avoiding the popular plays, you can build a Martinsville-specific lineup that doesn’t include all of the usual suspects.
Fantasy NASCAR Rankings
Kyle Busch, #18 M&Ms, Joe Gibbs Racing
Brad Keselowski, #2 Miller Lite/Discount Tires, Team Penske
3. Chase Elliott, #9 NAPA Auto Parts, Hendrick Motorsports
Denny Hamlin, #11 FedEx, Joe Gibbs Racing
5. Clint Bowyer, #14 Mobil 1, Stewart-Haas Racing
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