Cutler's Charlotte Fantasy

Buzz Cutler’s actual picks for his actual fantasy team.

n.b., Since Buck and/or Bass will not acquiesce to play a fantasy game, I remain the only member of Rowdy World HQ whose picks have to fit within the actual parameters of fantasy racing. It’s really easy to pick out a bunch of guys who you think will do well, it’s another thing entirely to do that within the limitations presented by a salary cap style fantasy game.

Jimmie Johnson still deserves a spot on anybody’s fantasy roster at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. It’s his track until somebody wrenches it away from him. I encourage all of you to pick Jimmie because I’m not. Part of my strategy is that if everybody else picks him, I need to differentiate myself from the rest of you to win the head-to-head competition. Jimmie is not the sure thing he has been in the past, either. Of course, if this does turn out to be a track position/pit strategy/fuel mileage race, don’t discount the benefit of having Chad Knaus atop the 48’s war wagon.

My team for this week is:

Denny Hamlin
Carl Edwards
Tony Stewart
Bobby Labonte
Sam Hornish, Jr.

Denny Hamlin – This young Virginian was as hot as anybody leading up to the all-star race. He’s got three top tens in five Charlotte starts and is still looking to get the bad taste of Richmond out of his mouth.

Carl Edwards – Nobody has been better on Speedways then Carl Edwards this season. His late fade in the all-star event doesn’t concern me. Bob Osborne, et al, have had plenty of time to figure that out. Carl’s finishing average at Lowe’s is second to Jimmie Johnson’s. As a matter of fact, they are the only two drivers with a top 10 average.

Tony Stewart – Yes, I’m going with two Joe Gibbs racing drivers and, no, neither of them is named Kyle Busch. Tony has finished in the top five positions 30% of the time and in the top ten 60% of the time at this track. He’s got a crew chief that can rival Knaus in the strategy game. He’s also a good guy to have locked-in as the weather starts to turn hotter.

Bobby Labonte – In this spot, I debated between Bobby Labonte and Jamie McMurray. Labonte has impressive stats at Charlotte. Seventeen top tens in 30 races. Top fifteen finishing and starting averages. Even during the Petty years he has started very well and finished moderately well. (Ironically, his best Petty finish – 5th in the second race of 2006 – came out of his worst Petty start – 21st.) His Petty finishing average at this track is 11.75. Jamie McMurray’s finishing average over the same four-race period is 21.25.

Sam Hornish, Jr. – Sure his all-star performance could have been a fluke, but what if it wasn’t? When the alternative is Regan Smith, why not take a chance on the Horn Dog? JJ Yeley has had decent runs at Charlotte over the past couple of races and could be a decent low-value pick. I didn’t want a third Toyota on my team, though. It’s bad enough that I’m flying without a Chevy.

Other Guys I Considered:

Kyle Busch – How can you not consider him each and every weekend

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – I rode him for most of Segment 1 and he did well for me. Without being locked-in, though, he didn’t make the Lowe’s cut.

Jimmie Johnson – See above

Jamie McMurray – See above

JJ Yeley – See above

• 3 Comments
• Leave a Comment