| |  | | | | Fantasy picks for the Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway
Reid Spencer, Bill Marx and Roger Kuznia of the Sporting News are matching wits in the Pit box in 2008. The rules are different this year.
They can pick a driver only once during the season. But for good measure, each also will pick his favorite to win the race.
Reid’s pick: Mike Wallace. First of all, Wallace has a knack for the draft on restrictor-plate tracks. Second, he’s in Richard Childress Racing equipment this week. Third, his last three runs at Talladega, in equipment arguably not as good as RCR’s, have produced top-20 finishes. I feel comfortable with this choice -- really.
Who Reid really thinks will win: Jimmie Johnson. I keep on picking; he keeps on clicking.
Roger’s pick: Dale Earnhardt Jr. He's the last stud driver I have left to use, and it's the perfect time for it. I figure Junior will be up front all day and stay out of danger. And if the sleeper picks of my competitors screw up, I’m going to have a big lead with six races to go.
Who Roger really thinks will win: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Come on. He has the names of 70,000 fans on his car. Storybook ending.
Bill’s pick: Qualifying trim, racing trim, trim behind the ears ... doesn't matter to me. Almirola is the highest qualifying non-Chaser available to me. Aric, just finish, baby.
Who Bill really thinks will win: Carl Edwards. Ford's record at Talladega is terrible: one win since 1999. I think Ford is due. Plus I was in Edwards' hometown of Columbia, Mo., on Friday. That's karma, baby.
Last Week
Do you believe in miracles? Bill has the lead … by two points over Roger. Casey Mears’ 14th lifted Bill out of the cellar for the first time since early in the season. Roger stumbled with Paul Menard (27th). Reid is third but only 11 points back. His pick, Juan Pablo Montoya, finished 20th. In the real picks, Reid got a win from Jimmie Johnson to cut into Bill’s lead. Bill anticipated a fuel-mileage race at Kansas, but it didn’t materialize and his pick, Mark Martin, finished 18th. Roger’s Kyle Busch limped home 28th.Johnson, who finished fifth.
Points standings
One and done: Bill Marx 3,383; Roger Kuznia, 3,381; Reid Spencer, 3,372.
Real picks: Bill, 4,404; Reid, 4,368; Roger, 4,041.
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