Fantasy NASCAR team preview: Penske Championship Racing

January 29, 2009 @ 00:00:00

By C.J. Radune
Edited by Bryce McRae

No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge

Owner: Roger Penske
Driver: Kurt Busch
Crew chief: Pat Tryson
NASCAR debut: 2000
Age: 30
Career Sprint Cup wins: 18
2008 Sprint Cup rank: 18

2009 fantasy outlook: The 2008 season wasn't too terrible for Busch, but it could have been a lot better. He started the year finishing second in the Daytona 500 and ended the season with one win, five top-fives and 10 top-10s. Unfortunately Busch also tallied five DNFs in 2008. He finished 18th in points, and without those DNFs, he would have moved higher in the standings. Given the fact that Busch is a past champion and also a race winner in 2008, he should make a strong No. 2 driver for a fantasy team in 2009.

No. 12 Penske Dodge

Owner: Roger Penske
Driver: David Stremme
Crew chief: Roy McCauley
NASCAR debut: 2005
Age: 31
Career Sprint Cup wins: 0
2008 Sprint Cup rank: 66

2009 fantasy outlook: The No. 12 Dodge comes to Daytona International Speedway in 2009 as the defending Daytona 500 winner. However, its driver will be in his first season with the team. Stremme started just one Cup race in 2008, the Aaron's 499, where he finished 28th after starting last. He spent most of 2008 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, finishing 11th in points with five top-fives and 16 top-10s. Stremme has the ability to run in the top 10 regularly, and Penske equipment should help him get there after he struggled with Chip Ganassi racing in 2007. He is a high-ranked No. 3 driver.

No. 77 Mobil 1/AAA Dodge

Owner: Roger Penske
Driver: Sam Hornish Jr.
Crew chief: Travis Geisler
NASCAR debut: 2007
Age: 29
Career Sprint Cup wins: 0
2008 Sprint Cup rank: 35

2009 fantasy outlook: Hornish's first full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup wasn't much of a success. He was unable to score any top-fives or top-10s and suffered four DNFs, which were all the result of crashes. Unfortunately Hornish's potential was only realized in non-points races: ninth in the Gatorade Duel, seventh in the NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race and second in the Sprint Showdown. Putting things in perspective, though, he only finished in the top-20 four times in 2008 in the races that count. As a result, Hornish probably will go undrafted in the majority of leagues and with good reason. He is at best a fourth driver on most rosters.

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C.J. Radune
Radune has been a KFFL contributor since January 2008.

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