The Cup Series heads to Forth Worth’s Texas Motor Speedway for the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400. Who should you play in NASCAR Fantasy?
Completion of the 267-lap event will mark the end of the season’s first quarter. NASCAR has only made one trip per year to the Lone Star State circuit since 2021. This will also be the first Spring race since 2019 the and non-Playoff event since 2020.
Raceday coverage will begin at 2:00 pm ET (11:00 am PT) on Sunday, March 14th with the green flag flying shortly after 3:30 pm ET (12:30 pm PT). Fox Sports 1 will host the race for the first time this year with radio coverage available on the Performance Racing Network and NASCAR’s SiriusXM Radio.
NASCAR Fantasy Live gives fans the chance to partake in driver selection each Cup Series race weekend. One will pick five starters and one “garage” driver per event. The garage driver will not receive any points but can replace a starter who may face trouble in the first part of the race. At the end of stage two, picks will lock, and no changes can be made. Points are awarded based on stage points and finishing positions in addition to four “head-to-head” driver picks. A driver may only be picked ten (10) times across the 26-race Regular Season and then five (5) times in the 10-race Playoffs. See NASCAR’s website here for rules of how to play.
My recommendations are NOT my guaranteed personal lineup for Sunday’s race. Immediately below are my picks from last weekend’s Cook Out 400 (Martinsville Speedway). See my NASCAR Fantasy suggestions for Sunday’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400.
RECAP – Cook Out 400
STARTERS
- Kyle Larson – 7 uses left
- 35 Place Points (2nd) + 18 Stage Points (S1 – 1st, S2 – 3rd) = 53 Total Points
- Chase Elliott – 8 uses left
- 34 Place Points (3rd) + 15 Stage Points (S1 – 3rd, S2 – 4th) = 49 Total Points
- Denny Hamlin – 5 uses left
- 26 Place Points (11th) + 14 Stage Points (S1 – 7th, S2 – 1st) =40 Total Points
- Chase Elliott – 8 uses left
- 34 Place Points (3rd) + 15 Stage Points (S1 – 3rd, S2 – 4th) = 49 Total Points
- Martin Truex Jr. – 7 uses left
- 19 Place Points (18th) + 6 Stage Points (S1 – 5th, S2 – N/A) =25 Total Points
- Ryan Blaney – KEPT IN GARAGE, 7 uses left
- 32 Place Points (5th) + 0 Stage Points (S1 – N/A, S2 – N/A) = 32 Total Points
FEATURED MATCHUPS
- Denny Hamlin vs. Martin Truex Jr.
- PICK: Hamlin
- RESULT: Correct (Hamlin = 11th, Truex Jr. = 18th)
- Ryan Blaney vs. William Byron
- PICK: Blaney
- RESULT: Incorrect (Blaney = 5th, Byron 1st)
- Chase Briscoe vs. Noah Gragson
- PICK: Briscoe
- RESULT: Correct (Briscoe = 10th, Gragson = 20th)
- Joey Logano vs. Kyle Busch
- PICK: Logano
- RESULT: Correct (Logano = 6th, Busch = 16th)
RANKING – RACE 8/36
- Weekly Points = 235 PTS.
- Total Season Points = 1,624 PTS.
- Collective Rankings = 4,006th (+500 POS. FROM MARTINSVILLE)
STARTERS
PICK 1 – Tyler Reddick
On Sunday, Tyler Reddick will attempt to achieve something he has yet to do in the Cup Series. A finish of tenth or better would be his fourth consecutive Top 10, which surprisingly is something he has not been able to achieve. Despite this, his weekly competitiveness is one of the best among all drivers.
Texas Motor Speedway would be the track for Reddick. In his first season with 23XI Racing in 2022, Reddick captured Cup win number three and non-road course win number one at the track. He is also one of only two drivers to lead more than ten laps in the Next Gen races at Texas (106 total). Where will he need to improve? Definitely in stage performances, as he has not finished Top 10 in the last four opportunities. Sunday, however, will be a good chance to change these prior stats as he will roll off from position four.
PICK 2 – Kyle Larson
NASCAR’s current points leader, Kyle Larson, is on an incredible hot streak. “Yung Money” won the first mile and-a-half race of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He also has finished top five in three of the last four events as well as back-to-back poles in the last two races at Richmond Raceway and Martinsville. Saturday’s massive lap time in qualifying secured Larson a third straight pole entering Texas as the points leader.
He will likely fair well in this race, as he managed the best 15-lap average in weekend practice. He leads in Next Gen laps led (118 total) including two stage wins in 2022 (Stage One) and 2023 (Stage Two). Larson is also the 2021 track Champion. As long as he does not crash like he did battling for the lead last year, he will undoubtedly be a contender.
PICK 3 – Ryan Blaney
Although his results do not fully show it, Texas comes as one of the best for Ryan Blaney. Last season, a speeding penalty was subsequently followed by a late-race crash that took the Penske Racing driver out of the running.
The D.N.F., however, snapped a run of six straight races of 8th-place finishes or better. Additionally, he has secured the most stage points of active drivers with three finishes inside the Top 10 as well as a 2022 Stage Two win. Blaney saw a ranked A.R.P. of 4th in the 2022 running followed by an 11th last season. Many may also forget his All-Star Race victory in 2022’s Lone Star one-off. The defending NASCAR Cup Series Champion targets his first win of 2024.
PICK 4 – Ross Chastain
Ross Chastain is always a solid pick in NASCAR Fantasy. His season has been quieter than usual, but he has managed seven straight finishes inside the Top 15 including four Top 10s. Mile-and-a-half racetracks have typically lent their hand to the Trackhouse Racing team, and this weekend may be no different.
A runner-up last year was Chastain’s first and only Top 10 at Texas to date. Despite this, he is one of only seven drivers with three stage finishes of the four possible in the Next Gen car. When looking at Average Running Position (A.R.P.), he ranks fourth among his competitors. A 12th-place qualifying effort for Sunday may be slightly less than comfortable, but I like Chastain’s chance come Sunday.
PICK 5 – William Byron
Is William Byron on a roll or what? Week in and week out, the rising superstar shows improvements and overall execution of his craft. We have neared the point where it is impossible to not have Byron as a recommendation for every event.
His team looks unstoppable at the moment, and his successes are more than likely to translate through to Texas. Including last season, he has only finished outside the Top 20 once in the last 21 NASCAR Cup Series races. Byron has six Top 10s in his nine-track starts, and yes, the 26-year-old is the defending track winner. A 6th place starting spot on Sunday and a ten-lap average of 5th are added reasons to lean No. 24 this weekend.
ALTERNATE OPTIONS
Christopher Bell
- Three for five in Cup Series races at Texas finishing 4th or better
- Starting 3rd on Sunday
Bubba Wallace
- Led race-high 111 laps in 2023 Playoff race; finished 3rd
- 6th-best 15-lap average from Saturday practice
Joey Logano
- 3rd-ranked 10-lap average on Saturday
- Only five finishes outside Top 10 in 19 races with Team Penske
- 2014 Spring victor
Denny Hamlin
- Tied for 1st with A.R.P. in last two races at Texas
- Two-time Texas winner (2010 Fall, 2019 Spring)
HIDDEN GEM
Daniel Suarez
- 3 of 4 Next Gen stage finishes inside Top 10
- Three straight results of 12th or better; 8th in 2023 running
AVOID
Chase Elliott
- Best finish of 7th in last seven Texas races (only Top 10)
- Qualified 24th for Sunday’s race
Kyle Busch
- Starting in backup car on Sunday after crashing in practice
- Has DNF’d by wrecks in both 2022 and 2023 Next Gen race
Alex Bowman
- Only two Top 10s (both 5th place finishes) in 10 Hendrick Motorsports starts
- No Stage finish inside Top 10 since Fall of 2020
NASCAR FANTASY: FEATURED MATCHUPS
William Byron vs. Kyle Larson
An exciting duel between teammates kicks off the first of four pairings. Many say William Byron is the guy to beat for the Championship as his season has already come with an impressive three victories in the first eight races. In last weekend’s 40th anniversary for Hendrick Motorsports, he fended off Kyle Larson for the win at Martinsville. Their statistics at Texas are some of the best of all drivers, and both are going to be in prime position for the checkered flag.
This one is going to come down to the wire. By the thinnest of margins, I will take Larson.
Daniel Suarez vs. Brad Keselowski
My hidden gem of Daniel Suarez is overdue for a strong run. Since winning the thriller at Atlanta Motor Speedway, he has six finishes of 11th or worse with his best of those at Las Vegas. That does give promising hope entering the Texas mile-and-a-half, but Brad Keselowski is an unquestionable dark horse. He has never found victory here, but he has managed consistent performances including five consecutive Top 10s.
Although Keselowski is probably the pick for most, I believe Suarez will turn the tables on Sunday.
Bubba Wallace vs. Tyler Reddick
After Saturday’s practice session, Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace were ranked 2nd and 6th in 15-lap averages rolling off 4th and 10th on Sunday, respectively. There was a chance for the two 23XI Racing teammates to have won back-to-back Texas trips. However, late-race cautions last season saw Wallace drop out of the top spot.
Both will be contenders from the drop of the green flag. Reddick is the narrow selection.
Ryan Blaney vs. Chase Elliott
Friends pair together in the final NASCAR Fantasy matchup. Ryan Blaney, as discussed, has a solid resume at the circuit. Momentum is in his favor with two victories and eleven finishes of 12th or better in the last 14 Cup races (including last season). Chase Elliott is nearing a hopeful return to form as his 2024 has come with all finishes inside the Top 20. However, his overall Texas performances have not been ideal.
Blaney takes my final head-to-head until we see improved results from Elliott at mile and-a-half’s.
What does your NASCAR Fantasy lineup for Sunday’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 from Texas Motor Speedway? Tweet us @LWOSMotorsport. Stay tuned here at LWOS Motorsports for NASCAR news, results, updates, and more.
