Expert picks: Chicagoland

by FOXSports.com

Updated: July 9, 2008, 4:34 PM EST 443 comments

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Owners pick four drivers every event but can only choose a driver four times in a segment.

	Roger Rotter FOXSports.com fantasy senior editor
Matt Kenseth: He's been racing superbly recently, clinching seven top-10s and three top-fives in his last eight races. He's registered 11 top-10s and four top-fives in 18 races to reside in ninth place in the Cup standings. He's fared well at Chicagoland, recording five top-12s in seven career races. This includes two seconds in the past three seasons at the track.
Clint Bowyer: He's slipped this season after placing a surprising third in the Cup standings last season. Still, he's 10th overall midway through the NASCAR season after recording top-10s in half of the 18 races, including a fourth at New Hampshire and a ninth at Daytona for two of the past three events. He's only raced twice at Chicago, but owns a ninth and 10th in 2006 and '07, respectively.
Kevin Harvick: He recorded only five top-10s and two top-fives in 18 races to place a disappointing 13th midway through the season. However, he's raced well at Chicagoland in the past, owning two victories from 2001 and '02. In addition, he's had five top 10s and four top fives in seven career races at the track, including fourths for the past two seasons.
Kurt Busch: While he's underperformed residing in 17th place in the overall Cup standings, Busch has compiled two of his season's top-fives in the last two events, recording his first victory of the year at New Hampshire and placing fourth at Daytona. He can continue his rebound at Chicagoland where he's had excellent results. He's posted top-10s in five of seven career events at the track, including eighths in 2005 and '06 and sixth in '07.
	Mike Harmon FOXSports.com fantasy contributor
Tony Stewart: Opting out of contracts is all the rage across the sporting landscape and Stewart is the latest to take his game to a new team. Of course, he'll need to run another 18 races for Joe Gibbs Racing before the move is completed. Stewart has experienced more than his fair share of hard luck this year, but with five top-10s and 11 top-15s, "Smoke" currently resides in the 12th position in the point standings. I expect Stewart to give himself some breathing room this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. He's raced to five top-10s in seven career starts at the track, all five of which were top-five efforts, including two victories. Stewart has also led 20 percent of all laps run at the track and averaged a 7.56-position running slot in his past three Chicagoland starts. He's your lock of the week.
Kevin Harvick: Harvick has raced to four top-15 finishes in his past five starts to thrust himself into the 13th slot in the point standings, aided, of course, by the penalty assessed to Martin Truex, Jr.'s No. 1 team. Chicagoland Speedway affords Harvick a great opportunity to make up some ground, as he's been among the circuit's best drivers at the track. He's raced to four top fives and two victories in his seven career starts. Harvick's averaged a strong 5.4-position running slot in his past three starts here and has claimed back-to-back fourth-place finishes. Anticipate another huge run this weekend.
Kurt Busch: Don't look now, but the former series champion is on the march. Busch has produced three top-10s in his past five starts, including back-to-back top fives (and a win). He's a veritable lock to extend this streak to three at Chicagoland Speedway, where he's claimed five top-10s in his seven starts, including an active three-race streak. Busch has averaged a 12-position running slot in his past three rides here while running inside the top-15 in 75 percent of the laps run. Lock him into your lineup this weekend.
Brian Vickers: Talk about a hot streak! Vickers has raced 16th or better in six straight events, and the No. 83 Red Bull Racing team is finally a factor on the Sprint Cup circuit. I expect his good fortune to continue this weekend in Joliet. Although he's yet to race here in this set-up (he missed the 2007 event), Vickers owns three top-15 finishes (one top five) in three starts. He parlayed phenomenal qualifying efforts into big finishes (he averaged a 3.7-position qualifying spot). I'm onboard the bandwagon this weekend.
	Gerrit Ritt FOXSports.com fantasy editor
Tony Stewart: He knows the focus is on him this week, and that's exactly when he plays his best. He just left Gibbs Racing on Tuesday, which is going to put him right at the front of every pre-race show. Not to mention, he record at Chicago is as good as anyone's, and he just happens to be the defending champion. He'll want to perform well, and he will.
Kevin Harvick: Going out on a limb right off the bat in the second half of the season. There was a time this season where Harvick couldn't miss. He had a string of four straight top-10s and also had top-12s in seven of nine races. However, it's gone the opposite way lately, as he hasn't had a top-10 in over two months now. The good news? He loves Chicago and has a pair of wins here, along with a pair of fourth places the last two trips to the track. If you're gonna gamble on anyone, this would be the guy to do it with.
Kurt Busch: I'm gonna go with a hot driver in this spot. Busch has finally found his groove, having won and coming in fourth the last two weeks. He's also placed in the top-10 five of the seven times he's come to Chicagoland Speedway. I like his chances for a strong showing.
Brian Vickers: I'm not going to take ALL studs in the first race of the second half of the season. Let's throw Vickers in there, as he's had a terrific run of top-15 showings lately. His Chicago record is decent, but he's running well NOW, which is all I'm worried about.
Sleeper: Casey Mears: Mears just put up two straight top-10 efforts before falling back to 34th last weekend. However, he's starting to feel the flow a bit, and he's always had solid success at Chicago, too. He won the pole there last year and finished his day in fifth. He's also had two other top-five qualifying times and a ninth-place run a few years back as well. He should come up big.