NASCAR Cup Series: Pearce Dietrich talks Talladega ahead of 2018 GEICO 500

Beyond the Flag recently had another opportunity to interview DraftKings NASCAR analyst Pearce Dietrich to talk about what to expect in this weekend’s GEICO 500 at Talladega.

Questions 1 and 2

Beyond the Flag: As we well know, Kyle Busch hasn’t lost a race since before Easter. If he ends up with an undesirable result somewhere below the top 10 or top 20 this week on a track he doesn’t consider a “real” race track, could you see that actually affecting his momentum heading into the races at the 1.5-mile Kansas and Charlotte tracks, or will it be like he never skipped a beat once we get there?

Pearce: In 2015, Kyle Busch won at Sonoma. The next race was at Daytona. He wrecked in practice. He wrecked in the race. After Daytona, Busch won three races in a row. Plate races are exhibitions for Rowdy. A loss in Denny Hamlin’s short track showdown before the Richmond race means more than a DNF at a plate track.

Beyond the Flag: Two of the top four active drivers in terms of average finishes at Talladega are Ty Dillon and Gray Gaulding. Who do you trust more this weekend as a sleeper to possibly end up in the top 10 or maybe even the top 5?

Pearce: Statistically, Ty Dillon is one of the worst plate racers ever. He’s never earned a top 10 in a Cup Series plate race. He only has 3 top 10s in 14 Xfinity Series plate races. He can finish, and he can earn a top 15, but that’s enough fantasy points. I’ll take the driver that no one wants to play. Gray Gaulding was in the optimal lineup in the last Talladega race.