Andy: I’d love to tell you that last week’s fantasy picks were a stroke of genius, but let’s be honest: my predictions hit the wall harder than a loose car on old tires. I got exactly two major things wrong about Michigan: I predicted a clean, green-flag fuel mileage race when we actually got 11 cautions, and I confidently bet on a big hometown win for Brad Keselowski only to watch him finish 34th. 🚩⛽💥

But just like a driver searching for a reset, we are leaving the Irish Hills in the rearview mirror and heading to the mountains. If there’s any track built for finding a recovery and leaving past mistakes behind, it’s today’s stop at the wide-open, unpredictable Tricky Triangle of Pocono.

Three Wins for Hamlin, Still Number One for Me!

Leesl: Hamlin is on fire with his third win of the year, and my Lone Star Racin’ team is right there with him. Starting from the rear didn’t stop him from dusting the entire field by 11 seconds. While he celebrated a historic blowout, I celebrated protecting my season-long leaderboard crown. Consider yourself lucky you didn’t lose real cash on those predictions, Andy! 🤭💸You got to stay home and watch my Toyotas crush your lineup in a 63-point landslide victory. Pure Michigan, and pure dominance.

Andy: The hits just keep coming, and not the good kind. My team has been stuck in the garage for four weeks straight. Having three guys finish in the top 10 doesn’t mean a thing when you have four others finish in the bottom seven. To make matters worse, my team managed to engineer their own disaster when Elliott and Bell wrecked each other battling for second. It was a brutal 63G impact that destroyed the SAFER barrier and forced a 20-minute red flag. Fantasy points aside, seeing Chase immediately walk over to check on Christopher put it all into perspective. I’m just glad they’re okay.

Pocono Raceway: Where’s Turn 4?

Leesl: If you’ve ever looked at the wall entering the frontstretch at Pocono, it famously mocks drivers with the question: “What Turn 4?” Because it’s the Tricky Triangle, there are only three corners. But looking at the season standings, I think Andy’s drivers are asking a completely different question: “Where on earth is Turn 1?” 🤔 His team has been so completely lost for the last four weeks, I’m convinced they need a GPS just to find pit road. If Andy can’t even survive a standard track, he’s going to need a miracle—or a major detour—to catch up to my Lone Star Racin’ team in Pennsylvania!

Andy: Keep talking, Leesl. If dropping a turn means fewer places for my lineup to find trouble, I’ll gladly take it! Windy City Racin’ is heading into the Tricky Triangle with our backs against the wall, but that just means we’re ready to make some big moves. This track is wide enough for five-wide restarts, and I have five different past winners on my roster—spearheaded by Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott—who know how to find victory lane here. I’ll happily take any victory this week, even if it’s just keeping the points margin close enough to keep you quiet! 🤐

Mountain Majesty or Mountain Misery: Our Pocono Picks

• Leesl: Call me repetitive all you want, but winning never gets old. I am locking in Denny Hamlin again. He has all the momentum, and he just went out and laid down the fastest qualifying lap to take the pole. Pocono is his personal kingdom with seven career wins, so good luck trying to dethrone him. I fully expect the No. 11 to control the clean air and extend my fantasy lead even further. 🥇
• Andy: Go ahead and gloat, but I’m banking on Ryan Blaney to play spoiler. He’s consistently been my absolute best driver all year, and he has the stats at Pocono to back it up. With 2 wins and a 50% top 10 finish rate across 16 starts here, he knows how to conquer this mountain. He’s the undisputed captain of my roster this weekend, and he’s going to be the one to break your streak. 💪

The View from the Summit: Our Leaderboard 🏔️

Team	Total Points	Status
Lone Star Racin’	3356	Relaxing at the Mountain Resort! Enjoying the fresh air, the scenic views, and a very comfortable cushion at the top.
Windy City Racin’	2943	Lost Without a Map. Desperately hunting for an emergency escape ramp or a massive towing package to pull him back into contention.

Our Official Rosters

• Leesl’s Lone Star Racin’ – These boots are meant for racing!
  • Hamlin (🏆winner), Logano, Reddick, Byron, Briscoe, Wallace, SVG, Chastain.
• Andy’s Windy City Racin’ – From second city to first place!
  • Elliott, Larson, Blaney, Bell, Bowman, Buescher, Keselowski, Zilisch.

Time to Make Your Escape!

With mountain storms rolling through Pennsylvania, NASCAR has officially moved the green flag up to 1:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM CT today! ⏰⛈️

The engines are firing, the front row is locked in, and the race to the peak is officially on. Before you click away to lock in your fantasy rosters, drop a comment below and let us know:

1. Can Andy find a shortcut through the Tricky Triangle, or am I leaving Pocono with the Soaring Bald Eagle Trophy? 🦅🏆
2. What is your go-to, non-negotiable rule or snack for a great mountain road trip? 🚗🍫

Let’s hear your predictions below! 👇🏁