Fantasy NASCAR: Five Things to Look for at the Gatorade Duels
By Adam McGill
With the Dayton 500 dropping the flag on Sunday, it means that the Gatorade Duels are quickly approaching. The qualifying races consist of two separate 150 miles races, where the entire field is split in half. The two winners from each race will start the biggest race of the year on the pole and outside the pole. The Duels are by far the most exciting qualifying event of the season, as it provides fans with more than just the standard qualifying laps to sit through. Below are the top five things to watch from a fantasy perspective heading into the qualifiers:
1. Which Tony Stewart will Show Up?
The defending Sprint Cup Champion looked like a completely different driver last week. He was hesitant when trying to make moves on the outside and missed a couple critical chances to pass a couple racers, not to mention the fact that he totaled his car in practice the day before the race.
2. How Kyle Bush Looks After Winning last week.
The veteran won the Budweiser Shootout last weekend, in what at times seemed like divine intervention. Bush was inches away from wrecking his #18 car on at least three separate occasions, but despite it all still took home the checkered flag. He will be a heavy favorite for the race, as his Toyota car is running flawlessly.
3. Can Brad Keselowski continue to fly under the radar?
Keselowski quietly placed fourth in the race last weekend, a feat that he continues to do on a weekly basis. The youngster posted 14 top-ten finishes in 2011 and started 2012 off with more of the same. He is as reliable as fantasy drivers come, but yet continues to evade most first round picks. Keselowski is one of the safest picks to finish in the top-ten on Sunday and will do it once again without any press.
4. Which racer from Hendrick Motorsports will place higher?
Hendrick Motorsports is by far one of the most accomplished racing teams, with such quality drivers as Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The racing team had an extremely down year in 2011, especially since none of the team’s power trio took home the Sprint Cup Trophy. The team is expecting great things out of them this year, but the fact remains of which driver will step up sooner rather than later. Johnson is normally favored, but after a shaky conclusion last year, it could easily be Gordon or “Junior” who makes the pass for Hendrick’s top racer. Not to mention that Gordon is a three-time winner of the Daytona 500.
5. Which Veteran Will have the Best Qualifying Round?
There are always a long list of veterans who qualify for the Daytona 500 and this year will be no different. Which seasoned pro will be the one to push the envelope; Mark Martin, Geoffrey Bodine, Greg Biffle, Bill Elliott, Bobby Labonte, or Michael Waltrip? These guys still have a couple races left in their tanks and can also be great sleepers for the bigger events.
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