Aw, the sweet smells and sound of summer coming around the horizon. You always know it’s summer in NASCAR when you have divisions racing at different tracks and you’re trying to track down when they’re each running and who to watch.
Lucky for you, all that information is packed in this lovely article as we have the OnPitRoad.com Fantasy Picks for your viewing.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
The stars of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will tackle the famous 1.5-mile nuzzled away in Fort Worth, Texas. Yes, that oval – Texas Motor Speedway. With no Kyle Busch to steal the glory as he has done so far this year, the competition will be wide open tonight – Friday night.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Managing Editor: Ashley McCubbin
Pick #1: Erik Jones – Even though it won’t be Busch behind the wheel of the No. 51, you’re still going to need to watch that truck as fresh off his 18th birthday, Erik Jones is ready to make a impact this weekend.
Pick #2: Matt Crafton – Known as Mr. Consistancy, Crafton is certain to run up front and will be looking to bounce back from last week’s bad luck at Dover.
NASCAR Journalist Tayler Stiles
Tayler did not file her picks, so we will use her Dover picks – which are Matt Crafton and Kyle Busch – which becomes Matt Crafton and Erik Jones.
NASCAR Journalist Kreistina Blinova
Picks: Ron Hornaday and Joe Nemechek.
Ashley’s Comments: Hornaday has been quick in each start this year with Turner-Scott Motorsports and leads active drivers with three wins on the 1.5-mile oval so he should contend tonight. Nemechek, on the other hand, makes his first truck Texas start tonight. Still, his experience in NNS and NSCS will pay diffidence and helping him adapt to the truck quickly.
ARCA Journalist: Kyle Magda
Picks: Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter
Ashley’s Comments: Coming off a top five at Dover, Sauter is looking to keep the positive mojo going. It’s possible for him to do that at Texas with two wins and nine top-10s in 11 starts.
Photographer: Ronald Costigan
Picks: Ron Hornaday and Johnny Sauter
SpeedwayMedia.com Journalist Marshall Gabell
Picks: Erik Jones and Matt Crafton
Frontstretch.com Journalist: Justin Tucker
Picks: Johnny Sauter and Matt Crafton
Fan #1: Terry Wagner
Picks: Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter
Fan #2: Christina Cordner
Picks: Ryan Blaney and Matt Crafton
Ashley’s comments: In three starts at Texas, Blaney only has one top 10 finish. However, with each start, the young driver continues to improve as a driver so expect Blaney to be in the top five tonight.
Fan #3: Billy Stiles Jr.
Billy did not file his picks, so we will use his Charlotte picks, which were Ben Kennedy and Ron Hornaday
Ashley’s comments: Even though he’s only a rookie, Kennedy has been quick so far this year. Last year, it was rookie Jeb Burton that found victory lane at Texas. Could Kennedy do it this year?
Fan #4: Billy Zardo has not sent in any Truck picks so we will not be able to count for him if none are received. To keep him in the running in the combined standings, we will give him the lowest total.
Fan #5: Robert Hill
Picks: Kyle Busch and Johnny Sauter
Ashley’s Comments: Hill is going off the basis of the “young surprise winner” theory and Rhodes is a solid pick. Rhodes had success at Dover in the K&N ranks and starting ninth means he is also off to a good start.
Fan #6: Joni Stiles
Joni did not file her picks, so we will use her Charlotte picks, which were Kyle Busch and Johnny Sauter – which becomes Erik Jones and Johnny Sauter.
Fan #7: Tyler Sontag
Picks: Joey Coulter and Ryan Blaney
Ashley’s Comments: In six starts at Texas, Coulter has done solid with four top 10 finishes. Coming off a top five run at Dover, Coulter will look to carry the consistency forward.
Fan #8: Jeni Harris
Picks: Jeb Burton and Matt Crafton
Ashley’s Comments: Burton enters this weekend as the defending race winner – just with a different team. Though no fear as ThorSport has proved this yea already with both Crafton and Sauter that they’re fast.
Sprint Cup Series
After visiting with Miles the Monster, the stars of the Sprint Cup Series now head to the tricky triangle – Pocono Raceway. So who will figure out the fastest way around on Sunday?
Managing Editor: Ashley McCubbin
Pick #1 – Kasey Kahne – Pocono and Kahne seem to get along perfectly. Kahne has the quickest car both races last year – scoring the victory in the August event. Look for that trend to continue.
Pick #2: Denny Hamlin – 16 starts. Four wins. Eight top-fives. 10 top-10s. Need I say more?
Pick #3: Jimmie Johnson – The last two weeks have gone perfectly for the No. 48 team. Now they head to a track that Chad Knaus considers his favourite track. Yep, you get where this is going.
NASCAR Journalist Tayler Stiles
Tayler did not file her picks, so we will use her Dover picks – Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson
Ashley’s comments: Kenseth has had consistent solid finishes at Pocono in the past with 10 top 10s in 28 starts, while Gordon has won their six times and knows his way around.
NASCAR Journalist Kreistina Blinova
Picks: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Ashley’s Comments: Earnhardt has 11 top 10s in 28 stats at Pocono. Not too shabby. So given the performance of the 88 team this year, that means a solid top 10 this weekend, right?
ARCA Journalist Kyle Magda
Picks: Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson
Ashley’s Comments: Keselowski knows his way to get tricky with a win at Pocono in the past. Given the pure speed of Team Penske, that may become two wins before Sunday is over with.
Photographer: Ronald Costigan
Picks: Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Ronald’s reasoning: Harvick has been fast everywhere this season so that should continue at Pocono. When the temperatures get warmer, Stewart gets stronger and begins winning. Look for solid finishes to start now. Earnhardt – he has been fast every week so let’s keep the trend going.
SpeedwayMedia.com Journalist: Marshall Gabell
Picks: Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson
Frontstretch.com Journalist: Justin Tucker
Picks: Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson
Fan #1: Terry Wagner
Picks: Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Jeff Gordon
Ashley’s comments: In 10 starts at Pocono, Logano has only three top 10s. Did we mention one of those is a win? Welp, that changes everything.
Fan #2: Christina Cordner
Picks: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards
Ashley’s comments: Edwards has a pair of wins at Pocono in years past, to go with five top-fives.
Fan #3: Billy Stiles Jr.
Billy did not file his picks so we will be using his Charlotte picks – Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Fan #4: Billy Zardo did not file picks so we will be using his picks that have been used so far this year – Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch.
Fan #5: Robert Hill
Picks: Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson and Jimmie Johnson
Ashley’s comments: A rookie doing well on a tricky track? Seems ill-logical. However, Larson has continued to beat the odds over and over and no telling whether he will do that again this weekend.
Fan #6: Joni Stiles
Joni did not file her picks so we will be using her Charlotte picks – Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr.
Ashley’s comments: Busch has a pair of wins at Pocono so he should be solid this weekend, while Truex has five top 10s in 16 starts. Truex’s problem, though, is the lack of the success and speed that team has shown, which is surprising considering Busch’s success last year.
Fan #7: Tyler Sontag
Picks: Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch
Ashley’s Comments: While the elder Busch has two wins, the younger Busch has none. Though don’t let that fool you out of Busch because something tricky should go right up his alley with his pure ability behind the wheel.
Fan #8: Jeni Harris
Picks: Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards
If you’d like to join the picking forray, shoot me an e-mail at ashleymccubbin@speedwaymedia.com with two drivers that you think will do well in tonight’s truck race, and three drivers that you think will do in Sunday’s cup race.