This article is part of our RaceDayScore NASCAR series.
Go Bowling 400
Location: Kansas City, Kan.
Course: Kansas Speedway
Format: 1.5-mile D-shaped oval
Laps: 267
Race Preview
Brad Keselowski returned to Victory Lane last week at Talladega Superspeedway, and now looks to claim his second Kansas Speedway win in Saturday's Go Bowling 400. Last year's spring race at the track gave Jimmie Johnson one of his 2015 victories, but it was Martin Truex Jr. who led the most laps (95). Chevrolet powered machines captured four of the top five places and seven of the top 10 in that race. The track has been a difficult one for Kyle Busch, but he's still the best finisher through the last 10 Sprint Cup races. He came home second last week in Talladega for the second week in a row, and heads Kevin Harvick and brother Kurt Busch with the best finishing streak among the field. Joey Logano won in his Ford the last time the Sprint Cup came to town, leading 42 laps, while nemesis Matt Kenseth led 153 only to finish 14th after spinning to begin the pair's feud, which became one of 2015's most memorable stories.
Key Stats at Kansas Speedway
• Number of previous races: 20
• Winners from pole: 4
• Winners from top-5 starters: 9
• Winners from top-10 starters: 11
• Winners from 21st or lower starters: 2
• Fastest race: 144.122 mph
Last 10 Kansas Winners
2015 fall - Joey Logano
2015 spring - Jimmie Johnson
2014 fall - Joey Logano
2014 spring - Jeff Gordon
2013 fall - Kevin Harvick
2013 spring - Matt Kenseth
2012 fall - Matt Kenseth
2012 spring - Denny Hamlin
2011 fall - Jimmie Johnson
2011 spring - Brad Keselowski
Kansas Speedway is another of NASCAR's 1.5-mile ovals, and the most similar track to already see action in 2016 is Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Brad Keselowski took the Las Vegas win, while teammate Joey Logano is the most recent Kansas winner. The track's progressive banking in the turns came in 2012 and immediately improved the quality of racing. As a result, not starting up front doesn't necessarily mean the race is lost. The winner at Kansas has started outside of the top 10 in three of the last five races at the track. Fuel mileage and track position are often important factors in determining the outcome here, and each of the winners last season didn't lead the most laps in their respective races. A driver's ability to pass, differing fuel strategies and tire wear help shape the race outcome, and the cooler surface temperature of a night race makes for even greater grip and closer racing.
RACE DAY SCORE VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $60K Salary Cap)
Tier 1 Values
Kevin Harvick - $11,700
Joey Logano - $11,500
Jimmie Johnson - $11,400
Martin Truex Jr. - $11,200
Tier 2 Values
Dale Earnhardt Jr. - $10,800
Matt Kenseth - $10,600
Kasey Kahne - $10,300
Paul Menard - $10,200
Tier 3 Values
Greg Biffle - $9,900
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - $9,800
A.J. Allmendinger - $9,500
Casey Mears - $8,800
Long-Shot Values
Ryan Blaney - $10,400
Danica Patrick - $8,900
Regan Smith - $8,500
Brian Scott - $8,400
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Cash Game Lineup ($60K Salary Cap)
Kevin Harvick - $11,700
Joey Logano - $11,500
Matt Kenseth - $10,600
A.J. Allmendinger - $9,500
Brian Scott - $8,400
Michael Annett - $7,900
The return to 1.5-mile ovals implies Harvick will return to a more regular favorite week to week. His Kansas record includes five consecutive top-10 starts and a worst finish of 16th in the last five races. He won here in 2013 and should be in the hunt for victory while leading laps this Saturday. Logano is the most recent Kansas winner, and he boasts two victories there in the last three races. If the bad luck can leave Kenseth for just one race, he should end up in Victory Lane. He led 39 laps at Talladega before wrecking, and he has two Kansas wins. His worst finish at this track since 2010 was 14th last fall when he led 153 laps. A.J. Allmendinger has been driving very well so far in 2016, and he should be capable of scoring a top-15 this week. Brian Scott has only raced at Kansas in the Sprint Cup once, but his 16th-place start and 12th-place finish show he could be an under-the-radar option for rosters. To round out the lower-risk roster option we add Michael Annett. Annett has been on a string of finishes outside of the top 30, but turned three of his four Kansas starts into top-25 results, which would be his best 2016 finish to date.
Higher-Risk Tournament Lineup ($60K Salary Cap)
Jimmie Johnson - $11,400
Martin Truex Jr. - $11,200
Brad Keselowski - $11,100
Dale Earnhardt Jr. - $10,800
Casey Mears - $8,800
Joey Gase - $6,700
This week's higher-risk lineup tries to pack as many of the usual suspects as possible into the salary limit. Johnson is another top performer on 1.5-mile ovals with three Kansas wins to his credit, including this race last season. Truex has two Kansas top-fives in his last five tries and is having another season to remember, while Keselowski won his second race of 2016 last week at Talladega. The Penske Racing driver also finished in the top 10 while leading laps in both races at this track last season. Another Hendrick Motorsports driver to add to the mix is Dale Earnhardt Jr. He finished eighth in Las Vegas earlier this year and has three Kansas top-10s in his last five outings. Casey Mears has become a wonderful fantasy option who offers decent results on a consistent basis, and his ability to finish in the top 20 this week adds value to this lineup. To round things off, we add Joey Gase. Gase has two Kansas races under his belt and should be assured of finishing higher than his starting position this week, which will add positive points to rosters.
