PHOENIX 1 - LOCKDOWN LINEUP

After watching 2 interesting practice sessions before lockdown, the team has changed a little bit. Here is who we are rolling with, and why:

A-LIST:
JIMMIE JOHNSON (9 Starts Remaining)
CARL EDWARDS (9 Starts Remaining)

This stays the same, some people are bailing off of JJ because of a lack of performance in qualifying. I wouldn't put it past them to sandbag in practice so they get an earlier draw for qualifying. JJ even openly admitted that they are pretty good in race trim. With how strong the 48 is, "pretty good" is good enough for me.

Edwards edges out Hamlin on the speed charts, Roush momentum keeps on rolling and I believe the 99 will be a Top 10 starter and should stay there all day.

JGR is close but misses the team. Kyle Busch is good on the speed charts but I'm not buying into him at Phoenix, just doesn't have the previous performance here to convince me to put him on the team. Hamlin really fell off in the 2nd session and will also miss the cut this week.


B-LIST:
RYAN NEWMAN (9 Starts Remaining)
JOEY LOGANO (9 Starts Remaining)
KASEY KAHNE (9 Starts Remaining)
JAMIE McMURRAY (9 Starts Remaining)

Newman and Kahne both look very sporty in Q-Trim, potential Qualifying points out of them would be great and both of them look fairly stout in race trim. Logano's numbers have been a little off but his flat track numbers have been on the rise so he will at least get a shot at being on the team this week. McMurray is a bit of a wild card, we've seen him pull out some great qualifying efforts and he really picked it up in the 2nd practice session.

Mark Martin is out to lunch and "doesn't know how he can fix his car", yikes. Martin Truex Jr. runs decent here but I just don't have the confidence in him to get me the solid finish that I need. I'm looking for Top 10 guys here in my B-List and I don't see Truex being better than about 15th. Allmendinger brushed the wall twice in practice so he also gets the boot. Montoya was also close to making the team but he was all over the charts in practice and I just don't know exactly what he's going to have come race time (Montoya was absolutely terrible in qualifying here in the fall race).


C-LIST:
DAVID RAGAN (9 Starts Remaining)
REGAN SMITH (8 Starts Remaining)

These 2 are the class of the C-List. Ragan is very impressive both in qualifying and race trim, likewise for Regan Smith who is just oozing with confidence and is very happy with his race car. Paul Menard is also over-performing but his past results here makes me bench him this week. Bobby Labonte has been terribly disappointing and I barely see him inside the Top 30 by the end of the day Sunday.


Check back with us on Saturday evening for our final lockdown, who makes the starting lineup and who rides the pine! Don't forget to check out the discussion at www.FantasyNascarPreview.com Forum this weekend, they also have an experts chat Sunday that we will also be a part of.