Dickies 500 Picks & Predictions
The eighth race in the Sprint Cup Championship Chase moves to Texas Motor Speedway this Sunday for the Dickies 500.
Last week’s race at Talladega was disappointing to say the least, but we should see better racing this Sunday considering the cars actually pass on this track and run nearly as fast as they did last week.
Texas Motor Speedway is very similar to Talladega, from its high banking to its high speeds. But what sets it apart is with no restrictor plates, cars can actually pass here and we shouldn't see a 43-car freight train going around in circles.
Once again we think Jimmie Johnson will be points racing this week, just like he was last week and who can blame him at this point? So this week we will be looking for a few drivers who offer some value and also have a very good chance of winning.
Matt Kenseth 15/1
Last week, Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray did something Rousch cars haven't done all year and that is be competitive the entire race. Both of these drivers had the new engine from Ford and we think it made a huge difference. Kenseth will have the new engine again this weekend and he’s at a track he has always done well at, so we expect big things.
Tony Stewart 12/1
Tony Stewart has struggled somewhat in the second half of the season, but you know each and every week you get 100% from him – and that’s more than some drivers this late in the year. Texas has been both good and bad for Stewart, but we think he wants nothing more to get back on track and end the year on a roll.
Denny Hamlin 12/1
Denny Hamlin has shown some real muscle the last few weeks, but unfortunately he has had some bad luck and has made a few mistakes. Just like Tony Stewart, Texas has been both good and bad for Hamlin and if he can just run a mistake-free race, he could easily pick up his first win here.
Two of three drivers in the top three and all three in the top six but get nothing. :'(