Fantasy Preview: Sonoma

The fun begins! This is the first road course race of the season and with that comes the ability to pick a great team due to the lack of drivers who can run well at this 11-turn track. So with that, its fairly easy to pick the favorites and those to stay away from, barring any crazy racing incidents (which can very well happen!). Let's see who'll be the best to pick this weekend.

Fantasy Preview: Sonoma

The Favorites:

Jeff Gordon: Ok, I know what you're thinking, he's had an awful 2012 season so far. And I also know what the hardcore fans are thinking, he hasn't won at a road course since 2006. But hear me out, since the Sprint Cup Series began racing at Sonoma back in 1998, Gordon has finished outside of the top-10 only one time, ONE TIME! And he's only finished outside the top-5 twice! Don't be dumb, put this guy on your team.

Marcos Ambrose: This guy is lights out on road courses and if it wasn't for his own stupidity at Sonoma two years ago, this guy would already have notched a win here. He, like Gordon, has also only finished outside of the top-10 here once in his five year career and that was due to a broken transmission. What I said for Gordon goes for this guy too.

Jimmie Johnson: I know earlier this week I said that I didn't trust Johnson's road course skill worth crap even though he has a win at Sonoma. But after looking at the stats and seeing how consistent he's been here as of late, I had to put him here. His last three Sonoma races have resulted in finished of 4, 1, and 7. That's a pretty safe bet in my mind.

The Darkhorses:

Juan Pablo Montoya: Now I know he's an ace on road courses and he'd normally be considered a favorite here, especially because he has a win here. But after finishing in the top-6 in his first three starts here, he's finished well outside the top-10 in the last two. Still, he ran well in both of those races, just got himself into some sticky situations. He'll be alright though.

Clint Bowyer: He's quietly a great road course racer, but you never realize it. In six career races at Sonoma, Bowyer has three 4th place finishes and an 8th. Take into account he was running well here two years ago before he was wrecked and it's easy to tell that Bowyer has a great chance for a top-10.

Tony Stewart: What I said for Montoya applies here for Stewart as well. He's a great road racer, but hasn't been stellar at Sonoma recently. Still, he has a pair of wins here and is always a threat to win, put him on your team for sure.

Stay Away From:

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Yeah, I went there. I know he won at Michigan last week, but let's be real people. Sonoma is the only track where Junior has never recorded a top-10 finish. Despite his stellar season so far, I'm not sold on him at Sonoma. Maybe next week.

Matt Kenseth: Yeah, I also went there. Our current series points leader is just as dreadful as Junior here, recording one top-10, an 8th back in 2008, and he's been racing here since 2000. Again, we'll check back on him next week.

Denny Hamlin: He has one top-5 and two top-10's at Sonoma. But other than that, he doesn't have much to shout about here. His last two races here yielded a 34th and a 37th place finish. Not expecting great things from him this weekend.