OPR Staff and Fan Fantasy Picks for NCWTS, NNS and NSCS at Michigan and Mid-Ohio

After a pair of fun races on the twisting turns of the New York road course, the Nationwide Series is set to turn left and right once again with a trip to Mid-Ohio, while the Trucks and Cup Series tackle the high-banks of Michigan International Speedway.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series @ Michigan International Speedway

Ashley McCubbin picked Kyle Busch and Matt Crafton. Busch has won each race that he has entered this season, while Crafton is the master of consistency.

Tayler Stiles picked Ryan Blaney and Matt Crafton. As the current points leader, Ryan Blaney has everything going as he would love to have it going.

Kreistina Blinova did not file her picks so she has Ron Hornaday and John Hunter Nemechek which becomes Ron Hornaday and Joe Nemechek. Both Nemechek and Hornaday are series veterans, whom have both ran strong throughout the season so expect the trend to continue this weekend.

Ronald Costigan picked Kyle Busch and Matt Crafton.

Marshal Gabell did not file his picks so he has Kyle Larson and Erik Jones which becomes Ben Kennedy and Kyle Busch. Kennedy has had a solid season for a rookie, with consistent solid finishes all year.

Justin Tucker picked Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch.

Kyle Magda picked Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch. Keselowski is always near the front when it comes to truck races, and it’d be a huge story if he could pull off the win at his hometrack.

Terry Wagner picked Kyle Busch and Matt Crafton.

Christina Cordner picked Ryan Blaney and Darrell Wallace Jr. Wallace has been upfront most of the season and considering Kyle Busch Motorsport’s recent success, he should be one to watch this weekend.

Billy Stiles Jr. did not file his picks so he will have Ben Kennedy and Ron Hornaday.

Robert Hill did not file his picks so he will have Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson which becomes Ryan Blaney and Ben Kennedy.

Joni Stiles did not file her picks so she will have Erik Jones and Johnny Sauter which becomes Kyle Busch and Johnny Sauter.

Tyler Sontag did not file his picks so he will have Erik Jones and Matt Crafton which becomes Kyle Busch and Matt Crafton.

Jeni Harris picked Darrell Wallace Jr. and Matt Crafton.

Truck Standings

(Points Leader Post Iowa) Robert Hill – 367+65=432
Ashley McCubbin – 358+74=432
Christina Cordner – 357+75=432
Tayler Stiles – 353+74=427
Terry Wagner – 354+73=427
Kreistina Blinova – 353+72=425
Joni Stiles – 342+80=422
Billy Stiles Jr. – 345+70=415
Tyler Sontag – 345+69=414
Marshall Gabell – 348+64=412
Kyle Magda – 346+65=411
Ronald Costigan – 335+69=404
Justin Tucker – 328+62=390
Jeni Harris – 309+68=377

NASCAR Nationwide Series at Mid-Ohio

Ashley McCubbin picked Regan Smith, Alex Tagliani and Sam Hornish Jr. Smith has proven multiple times over that he can turn both left and right, while Tagliani certainly proved it at Road America with passing 21 cars in two laps. Meanwhile, Hornish has been solid on the road courses since making the move to NASCAR.

Tayler Stiles picked Chase Elliott, Alex Tagliani and Sam Hornish Jr. Elliott has been solid in performance on the road courses since making the move to NASCAR.

Kreistina Blinova did not file picks, so we will use her last week picks, which were Jeffrey Earnhardt, Landon Cassill and Elliott Sadler. Sadler has been a consistent front runner each week and knows how to turn both ways, while both Cassill and Earnhardt have been getting stronger, posting some solid top 15 performances.

Ronald Costigan picked Chase Elliott, Alex Tagliani and Sam Hornish Jr.

Marshall Gabell did not file his picks so we will use his last week picks, which were Brian Scott, Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski which becomes Brian Scott, Chase Elliott and Alex Tagliani. Scott has been a consistent front runner throughout the season and has been able to post solid finishes on the road courses before.

Justin Tucker picked Chase Elliott, Alex Tagliani and Sam Hornish Jr.

Kyle Magda picked Chase Elliott, Alex Tagliani and Sam Hornish Jr.

Terry Wagner picked Chase Elliott, Alex Tagliani and Sam Hornish Jr.

Christina Cordner picked Brian Scott, Alex Tagliani and Brendan Gaughan. Gaughan won the road course race earlier this year at Road America.

Billy Stiles Jr. did not file his picks so we will use his last week picks Chase Elliott, Regan Smith and Kyle Busch which becomes Chase Elliott, Regan Smith and Sam Hornish Jr.

Billy Zardo did not file his picks so we will use his last week picks Ty Dillon, Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch which becomes Ty Dillon, Chase Elliott and Sam Hornish Jr. Dillon has been strong in each road course appearance to date in his career.

Robert Hill did not file his picks so we will use his last week picks Paul Menard, Kyle Busch and Chris Buescher which becomes Ty Dillon, Sam Hornish Jr. and Chris Buescher. With each start, Buescher continues to get stronger as a driver behind the wheel, which should only improve his finishes moving forward.

Joni Stiles did not file her picks so we will use her last week picks Ty Dillon, Austin Theriault and Chase Elliott which becomes Ty Dillon, Regan Smith and Chase Elliott.

Tyler Sontag did not file his picks so we will use his last week picks Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch which becomes Chase Elliott, Alex Tagliani and Sam Hornish Jr.

Jeni Harris picked Brian Scott, Chase Elliott and Alex Tagliani.

Nationwide Series Standings

1. (Points Leader Post Road America) Ashley McCubbin 836+100=936

2. Ronald Costigan – 808+ 111-919

3. Justin Tucker – 810+109=919

4. Kyle Magda – 814+100=914

5. Tyler Sontag – 801+108=909

6. Terry Wagner – 766+108-874

7. Tayler Stiles – 754+109=863

8. Marshall Gabell – 760+100=860

9. Billy Zardo – 749+104=853

10. Billy Stiles Jr. – 751+95=846

11. Christina Cordner – 742+103=845

12. Joni Stiles – 739+89=828

13. Jeni Harris – 733+85=818

14. Robert Hill – 644+80=724

15. Kreistina Blinova – 535+59=594

Sprint Cup Series @ Michigan

Ashley McCubbin picked Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson. Each of these drivers has posted at least one win this season and each have been strong on the intermediate tracks so they should be all near the front on Sunday.

Tayler Stiles picked Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon. Keselowski has been upfront all season long – noted by his trips to victory lane – while Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing seem to be hitting their stride as of recent.

Kreistina Blinova did not file her picks so we will go last week’s Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt Jr. is a past winner at Michigan and given how consistant and strong the 88 team is, things look up for this weekend.

Ronald Costigan picked Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Marshall Gabell did not file his picks so we will go last week’s Kasey Kahne, Clint Bowyer and Ryan Newman. Each of these individuals is badly looking for a win to get into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Odds look to be in Kasey’s favor based on his recent string of good runs and the fact that intermediate tracks are his strong suit. However, don’t count out Bowyer or Newman as they could sneak in there with the fuel strategy games.

Justin Tucker picked Kyle Larson, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Larson has been consistent most of the year in posting top-10 finishes. Could the rookie break through this weekend?

Kyle Magda picked Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson.

Terry Wagner picked Brad Keselowski, Greg Biffle and Joey Logano. Logano has been upfront all year with his teammate Keselowski so that should continue this weekend. As for Biffle, he hasn’t had the year that he has wanted so far. However, with Roush’s past success at Michigan and the need for a win to get in the Chase (and losing their sponsor), anything is possible.

Christina Cordner picked Jimmie Johnson, Brian Vickers and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Vickers hasn’t been up front as much this year as in years past. However, he has posted strong runs at Michigan before so he could do well this weekend.

Billy Stiles Jr. did not file his picks so we will go with last week’s Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Billy Zardo did not file his picks so we will go with last week’s Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Robert Hill did not file his picks so we will go with last week’s Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon and Paul Menard. McMurray hasn’t been as strong as his younger teammate Larson this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be treated to be a surprise. As for Menard, he has proven to post good runs in the past and a earlier win in the Nationwide Series on an intermediate leads to possible positive results.

Joni Stiles did not file her picks so we will use with last week’s Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. Busch has been fast all year with his teammates so he could be one to watch on Sunday. It’ll be tough for Truex to post a good run with missing qualifying and practice on Friday (for the right reasons, though), however it isn’t impossible as it is easy to pass at Michigan if you have a good car underneath you.

Tyler Sontag did not file his picks so we will use last week’s Marcos Ambrose, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon. Ambrose came up short last weekend at the Glen so rightfully so, he will be gunning extra hard this week to post that win that he needs.

Jeni Harris picked Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. It’s hard to believe that Kenseth hasn’t repeated his success from last year this season at JGR. However, could he touch those bases this weekend? JGR has been getting stronger with each passing week.

Sprint Cup Series Standings