The is on the Difficult Triangle this weekend, racing the two.5-mile high-speed monitor at Pocono Raceway. Very like final week’s race at Michigan Worldwide Speedway, this weekend’s race and loads of clear air, each of that are finest achieved with good monitor place. That can make qualifying and pit technique paramount to a profitable day.
The technique for Fantasy NASCAR this week will take into consideration all the above key elements. leads into the weekend because the sturdy favourite, whereas others chase him. As for who we like this week? See under.
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High Picks
Denny Hamlin Does a Burn Out after Pocono Win (2022). (Picture by Logan Riely/Getty Photographs)(Picture by Logan Riely/Getty Photographs)
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
He often is the most extremely owned asset, however Hamlin is a must-roster driver at Pocono Raceway. He has extra wins right here than at another monitor in his profession (7). Final week at Michigan, Hamlin dominated in optimum lap occasions. He has received 3 of the final 4 races within the NASCAR Cup Collection.
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Earlier than a high-speed crash with Christopher Bell, which took social media by storm, Elliott was racing for the lead at Michigan. As a workforce, Hendrick Motorsports automobiles appeared sturdy at Michigan. Outdoors of Alex Bowman, all 3 automobiles had certified within the top-10. Pocono calls for the same bundle of low downforce, so any pace at Michigan is predicted to translate to jap Pennsylvania this weekend.
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Traditionally, Pocono has been a robust monitor for Elliott, as highlighted within the graphic under. Elliott received at Pocono in 2023 and has a median end of 6.25 within the NextGen Period.
Mid-Tier PicksBubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
The beginning place is of paramount significance at a monitor resembling Pocono. The monitor may be very laborious to cross, a lot as a result of low banking in all turns of the Difficult Triangle. Clear air is required, and any automotive operating within the high 5 will run a lot faster than a automotive in tenth and past, no matter automotive setup.
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If we belief any mid-tier driver to qualify with supreme pace, it could be Wallace. All the Toyota workforce has been dominant in pace, and whereas Tyler Reddick has owned 23XI’s successes in 2026, Wallace’s automotive setup would be the similar. Regardless of a median begin of twentieth within the NextGen period, Wallace has managed a median end of Sixteenth. A begin within the top-10 would make it very doubtless that Wallace outcomes there.
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Hocevar began in 2nd place at Michigan regardless of qualifying early, per the metric rating necessities. That claims loads concerning the pace Spire Motorsports flashed. In reality, Daniel Suarez, additionally of Spire Motorsports, certified eleventh and completed sixth at Michigan.
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Assuming the workforce maintains the identical pace, Hocevar is totally able to a top-5 end regardless of being priced outdoors the top-10 drivers in Fantasy NASCAR.
Longshot PicksZane Smith, No. 38 Entrance Row Motorsports Chevrolet
Longshots are hardly ever dwell at Pocono Raceway. It’s a easy undeniable fact that it’s laborious to cross, cautions are much less prevalent, and the cream finally rises to the highest right here. When making an attempt for an extended shot, the hope is for a top-10 end. One of the simplest ways to seek out that longshot is to estimate potential pace above expectations. In layman’s phrases: who has the best upside?
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Zane Smith has been a pleasing shock in current weeks for Entrance Row Motorsports. He struggled at Michigan on account of a wreck. But, a Sixteenth-place beginning place was higher than anticipated, to be frank. Smith shouldn’t be a top-16 driver/automotive mixture by most individuals’s requirements.
At Nashville two weeks in the past, Smith completed in ninth place, and amid a fuel-saving battle, he truly received the race. The week prior? Smith finishes in tenth on the Coca-Cola 600.
This story was initially revealed by on Jun 11, 2026, the place it first appeared within the part. Add Athlon Sports activities as a
