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NASCAR: Fantasy Racing Picks for Watkins Glen

By Matt Lovisa

WATKINS GLEN, NY - AUGUST 09: AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #47 Kroger/Bush's Beans Chevrolet, leads the field at the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Cheez-It 355 at the Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 9, 2015 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)
WATKINS GLEN, NY - AUGUST 09: AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #47 Kroger/Bush's Beans Chevrolet, leads the field at the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Cheez-It 355 at the Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 9, 2015 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) /
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It’s time to get your fantasy racing lineups set as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Watkins Glen International for the final road course race of the season.

After a Pocono race where strategy didn’t play a factor in the outcome, NASCAR‘s top drivers head to Watkins Glen International at a place where strategy can create chaos and unpredictable results could reign supreme.

This is the first race at Watkins Glen but second road course race of the season, and looking at the results from Sonoma is a good place to start building your fantasy racing team.

‘Dinger the Road Course Ringer

A.J. Allmendinger ($8,800) will be on a lot of fantasy racing lineups this weekend and he should be. The “Dinger” is a past winner at Watkins Glen. Allmendinger has led 50 laps during the past three races at Watkins Glen and has an average finish of 9.7 during that time.

Allmendinger needs a win to make the playoffs this year and he knows this track is his best chance to do that. If he’s going to go all-in this weekend, then your fantasy racing lineup should too.

Stewart-Haas Trio

Kevin Harvick ($10,000) is the most recent winner at a road course after scoring the win at Sonoma back in June. Harvick has an average finish of 14 in his last three races at Watkins Glen and in 2015 led 29 laps en route to a 3rd place finish.

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Kurt Busch ($9,600) finished 7th at Sonoma in June and knows how to win on a road course in the Cup Series. Busch has an average finish of 6.3 in his last three starts at Watkins Glen, which is second best during that time.

Danica Patrick ($5,900) is an interesting fantasy racing pick this weekend as she enters Watkins Glen with four consecutive top-15 finishes. Patrick finished 17th in Sonoma after qualifying 6th and hasn’t finished worse than 21st in her last three races at Watkins Glen.

Rounding out your Roster

Michael McDowell ($7,100) has steadily improved over the past two seasons at Watkins Glen with finishes of 21st and 17th. McDowell finished 14th at Sonoma in June and has a tendency to earn good finishes on the road courses. His lone NASCAR win came at Elkhart Lake in the Xfinity Series in August of 2016.

Joey Logano ($8,600) would typically be a no brainer at a place like Watkins Glen, but with his recent struggles during the past few races, the No. 22 is hard to choose. Logano has the best average finish among all drivers in the last three races at Watkins Glen with a 3.0. He won the race two years ago and finished 2nd in 2016.

Next: NASCAR: Driver Power Rankings After Second Pocono Race

Despite leading only nine laps during that entire timeframe, Logano has found a way to run up front at Watkins Glen. Much like Allmendinger, this might be Logano’s best chance, outside of Richmond, to make the playoffs.

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