talladega final

There are some clear building blocks for our Talladega lineups this weekend.  Let's dive right into the final race analysis:

• Only 188 laps in play and the nature of plate track racing really tends to jumble up the laps led and fastest lap bonus points, so we're not really focused on those this week.
• The key to winning the plate tracks is using guys starting in the back half of the field on reliable teams.  That gives us the best chance of having a strong car, avoiding mechanical or other unforced errors and scoring position difference points.
• Kyle Larson (starting 34th) should be 100% owned in cash games.  In fact, unless you are doing several different tournament lineups, he is a near must own in all formats.
• Brad Keselowski (starting 18th) and Joey Logano (starting 20th) will also be very heavily owned in cash games (and all formats for that matter).  We documented their success at plate tracks and Talladega in particular earlier this week.  As a refresher, one of these guys has won 5 of the last 6 Talladega races.  BK has been a little more up and down on plate tracks, so I could see some merit in fading him.  But I'm locking in Logano for sure.
• I really like Paul Menard (starting 30th).  He finished 30th here in the Spring, but in the prior three Talladega races he finished 13th, 9th and 12th.  Likewise, he struggled last time out at Daytona -- finishing 28th -- but, in the prior three races at that plate track, he finished 5th, 3rd, and 6th.  So, he has excellent finishes in 6 of the last 8 plate track races.  And, as part of Wood Brothers, he shares all the information with Team Penske, which has won 5 of the last 6 races here with Keselowski and Logano. 
• I like Jamie McMurray (starting 31st) as well.  He has a decent history at plate tracks and offers tremendous upside with likely high ownership.  I will fade him in some tournament lineups because he sometimes gets in trouble at the plate tracks from being overaggressive.  But I think he's a cash game staple.
• Ty Dillon (starting 29th) is also on my radar.  We noted him earlier this week because, in his three Talladega races, he's finished 13th, 11th and 15th with a minimum position difference of +14.
• Other guys I have my eye on are Chris Buescher, Matt DeBennedetto, Ross Chastain and Landon Cassill.