As we head into Pocono Race Week, we will have to look at drivers’ stats and history from other courses as we build our lineup this week. Another great part about this weekend is we are back to practice and qualifying. This week we are going to focus on finding value by looking at previous top contenders at this speedway. There are quite a few value drivers that you can insert into your lineup. Let’s now take a deep dive into who I think you can insert into your lineup for the CRC Brakleen 150 at Pocono Raceway.
Past Winners/Track Knowledge
t’s time for the NASCAR Series to take their best shot once again at defeating the “Tricky Triangle” at Pocono Raceway. This will be a 150-mile race where the drivers will be tasked with completing 60 laps around the Raceway. Pocono Raceway is a 2.5-mile Tri-Oval, with an asphalt surface. There are varying degrees of banking in each section of the raceway. Turn one has 14-degree banking, turn two has 8-degree banking, and turn three has 6-degree banking. The best part about Pocono is that each turn has its own set of challenges that the drivers must overcome. As stage points are becoming more coveted as the year goes on and racers, must win stages to get those oh so valuable stage points, racers will have three stages to try and get points. Stage one is 15 laps, stage two is 15 laps, and stage three is 30 laps. With Pocono being a storied track with a long history there is a lot of data to sift through as we build out winning lineup.
Below is a lineup that we believe can provide the best value for the CRC Brakleen 150 at Pocono Raceway on 06/26/2021 (DraftKings Values)
| Driver #1 | Sheldon Creed | $ 10,500 | |
| Driver #2 | Grant Enfinger | $ 9,600 | |
| Driver #3 | $ | ||
| Driver #4 | $ | ||
| Driver #5 | $ | ||
| Driver #6 | $ |
A-List Drivers
Sheldon Creed ($10,500)
This pick is in the realm of a no-brainer to me. Sheldon Creed has for the most part been a sure thing all year. Creed has been one of the best drivers in the Truck Series this year where he has one win, four top five finishes, five top 10 finishes, and has led 158 laps. Now I don’t believe that Creed will win this race as I think with how well Kyle Busch is racing in the Truck and Xfinity Series this year, I do think Creed is a lock for a top 5 finish. In his two most recent races at Pocono, Creed has one top five finish and has led 31 laps. Creed was able to finally get his first win of the year at Darlington. I am sure 2021 has not quite been up to his standards yet as the reigning Truck Series Champion. I think this is a great race for Creed to add another top five finish, and maybe, just maybe get past Kyle Busch.
Grant Enfinger ($9,600)
Picking part-time drivers in DFS has its pros and cons, but with how well Grant Enfinger has raced this season, honestly how can you not pick him. Enfinger is going to start this race 31st, which by itself has a lot of appeal due to his potential for point differential points. So far, in 2021 Enfinger has four top five finishes and seven top 10 finishes. To add to his success this year Enfinger is one of the few drivers with a lot of experience on this track over the last three years as he has raced at Pocono Raceway three times. In those three races she finished top 10 twice. I think it goes without saying that Enfinger’s best year in the Truck Series was 2020. As a full time, driver, he finished the season with four wins (Daytona, Atlanta, Richmond, and Martinsville), eight top-five finishes, 13 top 10 finishes, and 156 laps led. The four wins were a career high. I do not see why Enfinger cannot get into the top 10 this weekend. If he does you will be happy, he is in your lineup.
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B-List Drivers
Christian Eckes ($9,000)
Starting in his sixth race of the season, Christian Eckes will look to add another top 10 finish. In five races this year at the Daytona Road Course, Las Vegas, Kansas, Austin, and Charlotte the 20-year-old Eckes has finished 10th, ninth, fourth, 35th and 11th respectively. Eckes has raced at Pocono twice in his career and has two opposite finishes. In 2019 Eckes put together a masterful performance where he turned a 13th place start into a fourth-place finish. In 2020 the turned was flipped and he started fourth and ended up finishing 33rd. Eckes had a good 2020 season where he had seven top-five finishes, 11 top 10 finishes, while leading 137 laps. Being a part-time driver this year means that Eckes will be starting in the middle of the pack in 16th. Eckes has a lot of point differential especially if he can race to another top 10 or top-five finish.
Ty Majeski ($7,100)
I am going to start by saying that I think Ty Majeski provides excellent value this week. Of course, this is only his third Truck Series race of the year, but how can you ignore the fact that in two races so far, he has finished seventh at Charlotte and eighth at Nashville. In two races this year Majeski is averaging 52.6 fantasy points per race, which would put him in fourth place in the Truck Series, behind the likes of Kyle Busch, John H Nemechek, and Ryan Preece. I know the sample size is very small, but its hard to ignore. Majeski is going to start this race in 14th, so we will see if he has what it takes to move up the pack against some of the top drivers this week. He showed he could do it the last two races and I think he adds another top 10 finish.
C-List Drivers
Carson Hocevar ($6,900)
As an 18-year-old Carson Hocevar is having an excellent 2021 as a full-time driver. His first year being full time. So far, he has three top five finishes at Daytona, Darlington, and Charlotte. His best finish of the year was at Charlotte where he finished second. He added another top 10 finish at Circuit of Americas and has finished top 20 in eight of 12 races this year. Hocevar is really putting it all together this year and is starting to show that he can be a successful driver. Hocevar is going to start 13th this week, which means he could be in for another top 10 finish or better this week.
Tyler Ankrum ($6,300)
2020 was a pretty solid year for the second-year full-time driver. Tyler Ankrum was able to add another three top-five finishes to his three top-five finishes in 2019. Ankrum was unable to get a win in 2020, but he did come close at Homestead Miami finishing second. In two career races at Pocono Raceway Ankrum has one top five finish and has finished top 10 in both. With an average finish of 5.5. With Ankrum starting 18th in this race I believe he has excellent point differential potential. If he can mimic his finish from last year, he will be in place for a large 10-15 extra points due to improving his place positions. I think the value here is incredible, potentially one of the best value picks all year.
Winning Alternative
Austin Hill ($10,000)
Still looking for this first win of the year; Austin Hill comes into this race on a bit of a hot streak. Ever since the Truck Series left Daytona Hill has finished top 10 in every race but Darlington, where he finished 13th. So far in the 2021 season Hill has four top five finishes, nine top 10 finishes and surprisingly only 14 laps led. Hill was a dominant racer in the 2019 and 2020 seasons where he had six wins, 18 top five finishes, 30 top 10 finishes and led 557 laps. Hill comes into this week with three races at Pocono over the last three years where he has one top five finish.
Now go win your matchup and let us know how you did. Or if I picked every driver that will be in that lap 54 crash, I encourage you to let me hear it. Either way come find us on Twitter (@FantasyDFSX).
