Comments: NASCAR Picks for Watkins Glen

With the push to make the Chase in full swing, the Cup Series makes a stop at Watkins Glen International this weekend. The seven-turn road course is definitely a wild card leading up to the playoffs, and although it isn't as technically demanding as the other road course in Sonoma, it is a challenge for teams nonetheless. Crew chiefs need to have the perfect pit strategy, and drivers need to hit their marks and take care of their brakes. Nobody is going to clinch a Chase spot this weekend, but someone could certainly blow their chance.

For fantasy owners, a trip to a road course is always somewhat of a curveball. Certain big name drivers just never seem to run well when right-hand turns come into play, forcing major adjustments to be made to fantasy rosters. That being said, sticking with series regulars instead of road course ringers seems to be the way to go. The road racing skills of Cup drivers as a whole has improved, and with the new cars being tougher to driver, the ringers are having a harder and harder time making the same impact that they used to. It can be tempting to try to make up ground by loading up on road ringers, but recent numbers say the strategy could backfire.

1. Marcos Ambrose, Stanley/Dewalt Power Tools
2. Tony Stewart, Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1
3. Kyle Busch, Mars Brands/Interstate Batteries
4. Juan Montoya, Target
5. Jimmie Johnson, Lowe's/Kobalt Tools
6. Jeff Gordon, Drive to End Hunger/Axalta
7. Clint Bowyer, 5-Hour Energy
8. Carl Edwards, Fastenal/Aflac/UPS/Subway
9. Denny Hamlin, FedEx
10. Kevin Harvick, Budweiser/Rheem
11. Brad Keselowski, Miller Lite
12. Martin Truex, Jr., NAPA Auto Parts
13. Matt Kenseth, Husky/Dollar General
14. Brian Vickers, FedEx
15. Kurt Busch, Furniture Row
16. Kasey Kahne, Farmers Insurance/Quaker State
17. Ryan Newman, Quicken Loans/Haas Automation
18. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew
19. Jeff Burton, Caterpillar/Cheerios
20. Joey Logano, Shell-Pennzoil
21. Greg Biffle, 3M/Bondo
22. Jamie McMurray, McDonald's/Cessna
23. Sam Hornish, Jr., SKF/AAA
24. Paul Menard, Menards
25. Regan Smith, Guy Roofing
26. Bobby Labonte, Kingsford/Clorox/Bush's Beans
27. Aric Almirola, Smithfield Foods
28. Casey Mears, GEICO
29. Robby Gordon,
30. Boris Said,
31. J.J. Yeley, Golden Corral/United Mining