“Some good ones didn’t make it, but a new star will be shining, and that’s the way it is on the Nashville scene.” – Hank Williams Jr., “The Nashville Scene”
After a heavily emotional weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series makes its way back to Music City in 2026. The concrete canyons of Nashville Superspeedway race like an intermediate track in a way, but its surface makes it unique from Charlotte or Kansas Speedway.
Usually, if a driver is good at both Bristol Motor Speedway, and Dover Motor Speedway, they’re good here at Nashville too. That means You should watch out for guys like Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and Joey Logano without question.
I’d be heavily surprised if a winner came from someone outside of the group of concrete kings listed above, but crazier things have happened.
I personally am looking to rebound after Chase Elliott’s lap 91 crash last weekend took away any money-making chances. However, Hamlin’s stage win and laps led did net me some pretty good points in my group.
Let’s put last week as far as the rear view mirror will allow us folks, and let’s get into this week’s fantasy lineup.
Fantasy Forecast
Kyle Larson — $10,500
Listen, if Larson doesn’t snap his winless streak this weekend, I’m not picking him until he does.
He has not won this race since 2021, but I just feel like it’s time. Last weekend he was the highest finishing Hendrick Motorsports driver again, something he hasn’t done in a while. He also had probably his most complete race of the season too, as he was in the top five pretty much all evening.
I’m so serious though. If he doesn’t win, he’s out of my lineups until he does.
Chase Briscoe – $9,700
Chase Briscoe was definitely a huge part of the early part of the Coca-Cola 600 early. It’s just a shame that the No. 19 Toyota ended up on the hook at the end.
Regardless, I think he’s going to carry some great momentum forward this weekend. He ran great at Bristol and of course he finished second at Dover.
It’ll be tough sledding from deep in the field due to qualifying being rained out, but I see this as an opportunity race for this team
Ty Gibbs – $9,000
Speaking of being good at Bristol, here’s our winner there from earlier this season.
Ty Gibbs has had some really great runs since that win, and he is a huge threat this weekend from the sixth spot.
What worries me is the trend of finishes that Gibbs has been on. One week, he’s taking it back to the garage or on the hook, the next he’s up front contending.
We’re on the downswing of that trend after Charlotte, but as good as he was on concrete at Bristol, I feel confident in this pick.
Joey Logano – $8,200
Joey Logano comes into Nashville much like he did in 2024, desperately needing a win to keep his season alive. There’s no doubt that the three-time champion has to be disappointed with this season so far, but there is some hope lately in the No. 22 camp.
An eighth-place run at Charlotte was his best in weeks, and of course he’s a former winner here. There is also always the chance that he could get a strategy call from crew chief Paul Wolfe to get him up front.
I expect Logano to make more gains in this race but not be quite good enough to win yet.
Erik Jones – $6,700
Folks, Erik Jones has been quietly red hot for the last few weeks.
In his last four starts, the Michigan-born driver has not finished any worse than 19th, which is a big improvement over the first part of the season for the famous No. 43. I’m almost more impressed by his 13th place run at Charlotte compared to his All-Star performance at Dover.
Oh, one more thing; he has a pretty outstanding record here at Nashville. He’s only finished outside the top 15 here since 2022.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — $5,500
If Erik Jones has been red hot, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has been absolutely white hot the last few weeks.
Of course last weekend at Charlotte he was up around 10th most of the night before slipping back to 12th in the late stages, but when I looked deeper into his recent performances, that’s when I found what makes him the steal of the weekend.
He’s only had one finish outside the top 20 since late April.
The No. 47 is also carrying a really cool Kyle Busch throwback paint scheme. Hopefully he can channel his inner Rowdy and grab another great finish.
Top Bets of the Week
Kyle Larson +750
So help me, if this doesn’t hit, my wife is going to trade me in for a new model. I’ve been telling everyone not to panic, Larson is going to win soon. It reminds me of 2002, when Jeff Gordon was coming off a championship season and entered a long winless slump. Where did he break that? Bristol. What is Bristol made of? The same thing as Nashville. Concrete Kyle for the win this week.
Dark Horse of the Week: Ty Gibbs +2200
Concrete seems to suit Gibbs, but like I said earlier, I don’t like the trend he’s been on as of late. But at +2200, I like that margin. It’s definitely a solid and valid dark horse pick to fill your wallet.
Garrett joined Frontstretch as a news writer in 2023, and became a fantasy racing and betting writer in 2024. Hailing from the heart of coal country in southern West Virginia, he's a married father of three and a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant there.
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