Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan Fantasy Picks for DraftKings NASCAR Contests

Jun 13, 2015; Brooklyn, MI, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne (5) drives through the garage area during practice of the Quicken Loans 400. at Michigan International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome back to FantasyCPR’s coverage of the 2015 Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Whether you are a fantasy racing player or just a NASCAR fan, let us be your one stop shop for all the information you need to prepare you for NASCAR races in the 2015 season. Go to our Fantasy NASCAR Hub at https://fansided.com/category/nascar-fantasy/ and bookmark it!

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Our weekly coverage will typically consist of 4 articles a week: 1) A fantasy recap from the previous race; 2) A race preview mid-week prior to the race; 3) A comprehensive fantasy analysis after the initial practice & qualifying sessions that will include the starting grid; and 4) Our expert driver picks released after the final practice sessions.

If you haven’t already, check out our DraftKings Quicken Loans 400 Fantasy Preview and Quicken Loans 400 Fantasy Analysis. This will give you insight in how you should make your selections for the race which is based on track and race history as well as the initial practice and qualifying. Also, it has resources to help fantasy players familiarize themselves with the new DraftKings Daily NASCAR contests and scoring.

Next: High: $11,100 and up

High: $11,100 and up

Jeff Gordon #24 Panasonic Chevrolet for $11,100 (Qualified 6^th): Gordon comes into the race having the most wins at Michigan (3) of the field, including winning the summer race last year from the pole. He qualified 7^th which bodes well since no one that finished in the Top 4 in the two 2014 races qualified worse than 7^th. Gordon has a fast car as shown by him finishing no slower than 8^th in any of the practice sessions and getting the fastest lap in final practice. Plus, Gordon still needs a win to secure a spot in the chase and Chevrolets have dominated here recently. Getting Gordon here at this price is a steal.

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Honorable Mention: Dale Earnhardt Jr., #88 Nationwide Chevrolet for $11,900 (Qualified 14^th): Dale Jr. is coming off a 11th place finish at Pocono (50 FP – 6th highest) and ran 6th on the similar 2 mile oval at Fontana earlier this season. The #88 was good all weekend but had better race trim than qualifying trim, getting 6th place in both of Saturday’s practices. Selecting the #88 is the perfect DraftKings scenario for the 2nd week in a row: Get a driver and car that could dominate but starts far enough back in the field (14th) to get you extra fantasy points.

Stay Away: #41 Kurt Busch, Haas Automation for $12,300 (Qualified 24^th): Michigan has not been one of Kurt Busch’s better tracks, with a mediocre 20.5 average finish. Kurt wrecked his car in the first practice and had to go to a back-up. Although he looked decent in the Saturday sessions in the new car (9th and 17th) and starts 24th, $12,200 is way too much money to spend here considering the risks and the other, safer options on the board.

Next: Medium High: $9,700 to $10,900

Medium-High: $9,700 to $10,900

Kyle Larson, #42 Target Chevrolet for $10,100 (Qualified 16^th): Larson had a great 8^th place finish at Pocono last week to contine to break out of an early season sophomore slump. He looked comfortable and fast in the #42 this weekend as well. Despite his 16^th best qualifying time (which still isn’t shabby), he improved greatly in race trim during the Saturday practice sessions getting 3^rd and 4^th. Larson finished 8^thin this same race last year, Sitting in 19^th place in the standings, Larson needs another strong performance and this is a week he could do it.

Honorable Mention: #11 Denny Hamlin, FedEx Express Toyota for $10,900 (Qualified 13^th): Hamlin has won twice here and was 4^{th ,}7^th,and 10^th in the practice sessions. The recent engine package changes made by Toyota should continue to benefit them here at a Michigan track that favors raw speed. Plus, the 13^th spot will give Hamlin some fantasy advantage especially if he has a Top 5 car which could be the case.

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Stay Away: Kyle Busch, #18 Toyota for $10,800 (Qualified 10^th): Michigan has not been a good track for Kyle lately with finishes outside the Top 30 in his last 3 races here. The #18 had a so-so 18^th place performance in California this year. Kyle, who’s looking to get back in top racing shape after an extended absence, could have a decent finish here but there are better options at this price.

Next: Medium-Low: $8,200 to $9,600

Medium-Low: $8,700 to $9,700

#15 Clint Bowyer, Cherry 5-hour Energy Toyota for $8,700 (Qualified 32^nd): This pick is mostly about the potential place and pass differential points the Bowyer can pick up here. Plus, his salary is down $500 from last week. At Michigan this weekend, his practice sessions were in the low to mid-20s as as such represented slightly better times than his qualifying laps. Bowyer finished 10^th and 6^thin the 2014 spring and summer races here respectively.

Honorable Mention: #31 Ryan Newman, Quicken Loans Chevrolet for $9,600 (Qualified 23^rd): This pick is also about the potential place and pass differential points for Newman starting back in the pack. Newman has a Top 20 car in all the practice sessions and he had a very strong 6^that California. He has driven very well at Michigan lately, with an average place of 13^th (and no worse than 18^th) in the last 6 races since the track was resurfaced.

Next: Low: $7,900 and below

Low: $7,900 and below

#47 AJ Allmendinger, Kroger/Hungry Jack Chevrolet for $7,800 (Qualified 31^st): Allmendinger is a very similar pick to the #15 and #31 (i.e. slightly better car than his poor starting position) and his salary is down $400 from Pocono. He has a car that appears to be able to crack into the Top 20 with any luck. He’s probably the only driver in the bottom tier pricing range who could be a competitive lead lap car.

Good Luck!

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Need help with your daily or season-long fantasy NASCAR contests? Contact me on Twitter @Rich_Pelesky and I will give you the guidance you need to make the best fantasy decisions.

Next: Quicken Loans 400 Fantasy Analysis with Starting Grid