NSCS/NCWTS: OPR Staff and Fan Fantasy Picks for Talladega Superspeedway

As we look towards the next event on the NASCAR schedule, the fantasy pickers at OnPitRoad.com have filed their picks for another weekend.

Camping World Truck Series

Terry Wagner and Justin Tucker picked the ThorSport teammates Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter. Both have ran well at Talladega in the past, and are having good seasons to date so far in sitting first and second. With the trend of success for them, could they be in VL with a one-two performance?

Tyler Sontag and Ashley McCubbin picked Erik Jones and Matt Crafton. Jones is a young kid who is making his first plate start this weekend. However, he has been known to adapt to different styles of racing quickly with success.

Ronald Costigan picked Erik Jones and Darrell Wallace Jr. Wallace has ran up front on the restrictor plate tracks before, though has no luck to go with it. If he can avoid trouble, a good points day could be in store.

Kyle Magda picked Timothy Peters and Johnny Sauter. Peters has ran well at Talladega in the past, leading laps and knows his way around a restrictor plate track. Given his recent so-so runs, this would be the perfect spot to turn it around.

Christina Cordner picked Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney. Reddick doesn’t have plate experience, though has been able to learn quickly and sits on the pole for Saturday’s event. Meanwhile, Blaney is sort of like Wallace – runs up front but no luck. Will he get lucky this time?

Brooke Clarke and Jeni Harris picked Darrell Wallace Jr. and Matt Crafton. 

Tim Johnston picked Ron Hornaday and Matt Crafton. Hornaday is a past Talladega winner and has the experience in his back pocket to win races. It’d be a bittersweet tail if he could score the win given the circumstances this year.

Joni Stiles picked Erik Jones and Johnny Sauter.

Billy Stiles Jr. picked Ben Kennedy and Tayler Malsam. 

Tayler Stiles picked Joe Nemechek and Darrell Wallace Jr. 

Robert Hill picked Ryan Blaney and Ben Kennedy. 

Marshall Gabell picked Ben Kennedy and Erik Jones. 

Kreistina Blinova picked Joe Nemechek and Ben Kennedy.

Camping World Truck Series Standings

1. Tyler Sontag – 143+89=232
2. Ronald Costigan – 139+89=228 (-4)
3. Brooke Clarke and Jeni Harris – 142+86=228 (-4)
4. (Points Leader Post Chicagoland) Kyle Magda 153+72=225 (-7)
5. Ashley McCubbin – 133+89=222 (-10)
6. Tim Johnston – 136+86=222 (-10)
7. Justin Tucker – 147+72=219 (-13)
8. Tayler Stiles – 144+71=215 (-17)
9. Marshall Gabell – 127+84=211 (-21)
10. Joni Stiles – 129+77=206 (-26)
11. Terry Wagner – 132+72=204 (-28)
12. Christina Cordner – 123+66=189 (-43)
13. Kreistina Blinova – 120+64=184 (-48)
14. Billy Stiles Jr. – 105+72=177 (-55)
15. Robert Hill – 112+62=174 (-58)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Terry Wagner picked Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson. Both Keselowski and Johnson are past winners at Talladega, having figured out what it takes on the restrictor plate tracks. Logano has also ran upfront on the plate tracks, and could always sneak in with a stellar performance.

Justin Tucker picked Jamie McMurray, Denny Hamlin and Greg Biffle. McMurray is a past winner at Talladega, while Hamlin is always a force to be wrecking with on the plate tracks. Biffle is a quiet driver on the plates, but shouldn’t be counted out as he can put himself in position to win.

Ashley McCubbin picked Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Both Harvick and Gordon have won at Talladega before and riding on success this year should lead them towards more success.

Kreistina Blinova and Ronald Costigan picked Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt has five wins at Talladega and comes into this weekend needing a win to advance to the next round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Kyle Magda picked Jamie McMurray, Denny Hamlin and Greg Biffle.

Christina Cordner picked Jeff Gordon, Brian Vickers and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Vickers is a past winner at Talladega and it’d mean a lot if he could take the MWR organization back to victory lane given their struggles this year.

Jeni Harris picked Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth and Brian Vickers. Both Stewart and Kenseth are good on the restrictor plates and need a good run for two different reasons. Kenseth needs a good run for Chase reasons, while Stewart needs it to put the controversy as of late behind him.

Tim Johnston picked Austin Dillon, Tony Stewart and David Ragan. Dillon had a good run at Daytona earlier this year, while Ragan is a past plate winner and Front Row Motorsports has pulled off the upset before.

Brooke Clarke picked Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. 

Joni Stiles picked Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. 

Billy Stiles Jr. picked Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. 

Tayler Stiles picked Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon. 

Robert Hill picked Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon and Paul Menard. 

Tyler Sontag picked Kasey Kahne, Marcos Ambrose and Jeff Gordon. 

Marshall Gabell picked Jamie McMurray, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth. 

Billy Zardo picked Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. 

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Standings

1. (Points Leader Post Richmond) Terry Wagner – 571+106=677
2. Justin Tucker – 541+104=645 (-32)
3. Tayler Stiles – 525+120=645 (-32)
4. Tim Johnston – 500+120=620 (-57)
5. Ashley McCubbin – 494+120=614 (-63)
6. Kyle Magda – 491+120=611 (-66)
7. Brooke Clarke – 492+104=596 (-81)
8. Billy Zardo – 498+94=592 (-85)
9. Marshall Gabell – 471+107=578 (-99)
10. Billy Stiles Jr. – 475+100=575
11. Ronald Costigan – 458+116=574
12. Robert Hill – 481+87=568
13. Kreistina Blinova – 466+95=561
14. Christina Cordner – 457+81=538
15. Jeni Harris – 445+86=531
16. Tyler Sontag – 414+96=510
17. Joni Stiles – 391+98=489

Combined Standings

1. (Points Leader Post NSCS Richmond) Terry Wagner – 1350+128+106=1584
2. Justin Tucker – 1349+128+104=1581 (-3)
3. Ashley McCubbin – 1308+128+120=1556 (-28)
4. Tayler Stiles – 1293+128+120=1541 (-43)
5. Kyle Magda – 1305+109+120=1534 (-50)
6. Brooke Clarke – 1283+128+104=1515 (-69)
7. Ronald Costigan – 1261+128+116=1505 (-79)
8. Tim Johnston – 1242+128+120=1490 (-96)
9. Tyler Sontag – 1238+128+96=1462
10. Billy Zardo – 1231+95+94=1420
11. Billy Stiles Jr. – 1203+115+100=1418
12. Marshall Gabell – 1205+96+107=1408
13. Robert Hill – 1196+115+87=1398
14. Joni Stiles – 1153+104+98=1355
15. Christina Cordner – 1151+113+81=1345
16. eni Harris – 1141+114+86=1341
17. Kreistina Blinova – 1026+66+95=1187