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NASCAR

NASCAR DFS Pit Stop: Truck Series Nashville 6/24

written by rmferenc@gmail.com

Welcome to the NASCAR DFS Pit Stop for Friday night’s race from Nashville Superspeedway. Don’t let the name fool you this is not a superspeedway in the way Daytona or Talladega is. Nashville is a 1.33-mile concrete “short” track. This track is similar to Dover with a little sprinkle of Richmond and Martinsville. Nashville Superspeedway runs like a short flat track while having a concrete surface similar to that of Dover. Unfortunately, we don’t have qualifying positions as of the writing of this article so you will need to check in with discord after 4:30 PM eastern for updates post-qualifying.

Last season in the series’ first race here in a decade, Ryan Preece won in the #17 truck for DGR (just like Todd Gilliland did last weekend) after leading only the last eight laps. Chandler Smith had the strongest truck all weekend but after leading a race-high 48 laps he came home a disappointing 13th. More on Smith later though because I think he is one of the favorites heading into this race. Another similarity between Nashville and Dover is that it’s difficult to pass here. Only two drivers starting lower than 17th finished 13th or better. Those two trucks were the 38 of Todd Gilliland (now driven by Zane Smith) and the 4 of John Hunter Nemechek. Those trucks are two of the top trucks in the series and should’ve been starting in the top ten if not for incidents in practice. Seven of the top ten qualifiers finished in the top 13 as well. The final little nugget of information for this race before I go into my roster construction is that we only had three cautions for incident in this race last season.

Roster Construction

Unfortunately, I will have to wait until Friday afternoon before deciding how to build, but as I wrote in discord this week prioritizing the top-tier plays will be key.

NASCAR DFS: Top Tier ($9k and up)

John Hunter Nemechek ($11,400)

JHN is the most expensive driver in the field this week, but I believe he can pay off this price. Now, of course, without knowing where he is starting makes it difficult to predict but he has run well at Nashville and similar tracks. Last season here, Nemechek started at the rear but came through the field to finish 10th and had an average running position of 15th. It is difficult to pass at Nashville and if he started near the front I have no doubt that Nemechek would have been a contender for the win.

Ty Majeski ($9,200)

Majeski has been a solid DFS play of late as well as just having a good run of races. In his last seven races, Majeski has five top 5 finishes and has qualified no worse than 10th in any of those races. I expect Majeski to have a fast truck again on Friday and be able to run near the front of the field all night. Last season at Nashville, Majeski finished 8th after starting 13th. It is my opinion that Majeski will come in at much lower ownership than the drivers priced above him but has the potential to outscore all of them.

Chandler Smith ($10,800)

Last week Smith finished 13th which ended his streak of top 10’s at five races but all that means is he can start a new one this week. Smith is the current points leader in Truck Series and excelled at this track type in his career. In seven career races at this track type (excluding last years Nashville race where he finished 13th), Smith has an average finish of 2.2 and six top 5’s to go along with his one win at Phoenix.

Ryan Preece ($10,200)

Preece is the reigning winner of this race and should be in contention again on Friday night. Last season Preece took the lead late and led the last 8 laps after starting from P6. Preece doesn’t have much experience on this track type in a truck, but he has raced in a lot of Cup Series races on short, flat tracks.

Other Options: As with most Truck Series races all of the top tier drivers are in play for this race for me. I think the four above are the best plays before we see practice and qualifying. Make sure to check in with Discord post qualifying for updates on Friday.

NASCAR DFS: Mid Tier ($7k – $8.9K)

Grant Enfinger ($8,700)

Enfinger once again is disrespected by the DraftKings algorithm and is underpriced. Combining his 2022 performances with how well he’s run at this track type he should be over $9K. In 2022, Enfinger has finished 11th or better in 10 of 13 races and since Vegas (2nd race of the season) he has only finished lower than 11th once. Last season in this race, Enfinger finished 3rd after starting 4th. In that race, Enfinger also led 39 laps, ran in the top 15 for al 150 laps, and had an average running position of 4th (best of all drivers).

Todd Bodine ($7,000)

Bodine is a long time veteran (and I mean LONG TIME…he’s old if you didn’t get the hint) of the Truck Series and he was still in the series when they raced here in the early 2000’s. In his career, Bodine has excelled in Nashville with an average finish of 7th and 195 laps led in nine races. Bodine’s lowest finish at this track is 19th and he does own one win here (2010). In 2022, Bodine has raced four times in the #62 truck and has held his own with the young kids of this series. In his four races this season, Bodine has an average finish of 16.3 and is averaging 34.75 DFKP per race.

Other Options: Matt Crafton ($8,500), Matt DiBenedetto ($7,800), Colby Howard ($7,500), Derek Kraus (8,100)

Value Tier (Under $7K)

Camden Murphy ($6,000)
Jesse Little ($5,300)
Max Gutierrez ($5,200)
Jack Wood ($6,600)
Lawless Alan ($6,200)
Timmy Hill ($6,300)

Like I’ve stated multiple times in this article, practice and qualifying will be completed Friday afternoon and I will be updating in Discord after that is done.

Make sure you head to the Win Daily Sports Discord for up-to-date info and help from our pros! Head over to Twitter and give the @WinDailySports account and me (@MVecchio81) a follow for all things Fantasy Sports! You can find more FREE NASCAR content over at WinDailySports.com!

Make sure to check out my NASCAR DFS Tutorial to make sure you are ready and understand how I break down the races and build lineups (https://windailysports.com/nascar-dfs-pit-stop-2021-introduction-to-nascar-dfs/).

There were a lot of changes in the cars and what driver is in what car/truck in 2022, check out my What’s new in 2022 article (https://windailysports.com/nascar-dfs-whats-new-in-2022/)

3 years ago 0 comments

NASCAR

NASCAR DFS Pit Stop: Truck Series Knoxville – Dirt 6/18

rmferenc@gmail.com 3 years ago

written by rmferenc@gmail.com

Welcome to the NASCAR DFS Pit Stop for Saturday night’s Clean Harbors 150 dirt race from Knoxville! This is the second time the Truck Series has come to this track in Knoxville, Iowa. Last year’s race was an absolute disaster (I will keep it PG with that word instead of saying how I really feel). In this race last season we had 14 cautions for 80 laps, meanwhile, the race itself was only 179 laps. Because of all the carnage, they ran an extra 29 laps in this race that was scheduled for 150. Saturday’s race is scheduled for the same 150 laps, but I expect we will see more.

Unfortunately, because this is a dirt race they will be running qualifying heats just prior to the race at 7 pm eastern. Lock for this race is just after 9 pm eastern so there will be a tiny window to build lineups. Make sure you are around to be in discord if you plan on playing Saturday night so you can see my updates post-qualifying

Roster Construction

I wrote in discord earlier this week that my article this week was simply #StackTheBack and that is still how I feel. There will be a few drivers who could start near the front and remain there throughout the race, but there is only a handful I trust to do that.

NASCAR DFS: Dirt Race History

Looking back to this race last season, it was full of wrecks and trucks wrecking out. When this race finally ended we had 21 trucks on the lead lap and only 29 of 40 trucks actually finished the race. The majority of these cautions came after we reached 100 laps (9 of 14 cautions) and they generally involved multiple trucks.

When this race was all said and done, we had 11 trucks that finished inside the top 20 that started 23rd or worse. Of those 11 trucks, six of them started 31st or worse. This is why I say this is a race to stack drivers starting near the back. Even though we had 179 laps in this race last season, only two drivers led over 60 laps (Todd Gilliland & Chandler Smith) so this is why I said that there will be a few drivers who we can trust that will start near the front that we can use. I will be building 10-15 lineups for this race instead of my usual five. I want exposure to as many combinations as possible for this race since it has the potential to be crazy.

Bristol Dirt:

As it was in Knoxville last season, it was hard to pass at Bristol this season which led to only two drivers leading laps. The one main difference in the Bristol race was we had no drivers wreck out even though there were nine cautions. In the 2021 version of this race, we saw a similar outcome when it comes to dominator point with only two drivers really getting any. The difference in this race was nine drivers failed to finish which is a more regular occurrence in this race type.

NASCAR DFS: Drivers to Target

Ben Rhodes ($10,300)

Since 2021 nobody has been better on dirt than Rhodes. In three dirt races, Rhodes has one win (2022 Bristol), three top 10’s, and an average finish of 3.3. Rhodes was also the fastest in Friday’s practice session.

Stewart Friesen ($9,900)

Friesen is one of the series’ best dirt racers and should be a factor on Saturday night. In Friday’s practice session only Rhodes was faster than Friesen. The last time the Truck Series raced Eldora, Friesen dominated on the way to the win in that race. At Knoxville last season, Friesen was one of many who got caught up in a wreck and finished 27th, but at Bristol, Friesen has finishes of 11th and 12th. I think Friesen could be popular if he qualifies poorly, but if he starts near the front he could be one of the top dominators.

Carson Hocevar ($8,600)

Hocevar had to leave last week’s race early because of his injury but he believes he can complete this race on Saturday. Earlier this season, Hocevar led 55 laps on his way to a second-place finish. That was Hocevar’s best dirt race of his career and he could be a great play from the mid-tier.

Todd Gilliland ($9,700)

Gilliland is another great dirt racer and has had some great finishes on this track surface including his 4th place finish at Knoxville in 2021. In four career dirt races, Gilliland has three top 5 finishes and an average finish of 8.8. In Friday’s practice, Gilliland was putting up top 10 laps.

Spencer Boyd ($6,200)

Boyd is at his highest price of the season but he is a good play this weekend based on his history on dirt. In his two career dirt races (both at Bristol), Boyd has finished top 25 in both. Boyd did show some speed on Friday as well as he put up laps times right around the top 20.

Tyler Carpenter ($7,500)

Carpenter is an accomplished dirt racer and is a two-time winner of the Gateway Dirt Nationals (2019 & 2021) who will be piloting the #41 truck for Niece Motorsports. This will be the first time we see Carpenter in a NASCAR event but he should be in contention for a top 10 if he can stay clear of the carnage.

Once again, make sure to be in Discord if you are playing on Saturday after qualifying for my updated plays.

There were a lot of changes in the cars and what driver is in what car/truck in 2022, check out my What’s new in 2022 article (https://windailysports.com/nascar-dfs-whats-new-in-2022/)

3 years ago 0 comments

NASCAR DFS Pit Stop: Cup Series Sonoma 6/12

rmferenc@gmail.com 3 years ago

written by rmferenc@gmail.com

Welcome to the NASCAR DFS Pit Stop for the Cup Series race from Sonoma! This week the series makes its second venture out on a road course in 2022. This track isn’t your typical road course though. Some drivers who excel at road courses don’t here but there are a good amount who have been good here and on other road courses. Sonoma is a high tire wear track and drivers who are good at managing their tires should have a good day here. Now, we have seen tires be an issue all season in the Cup Series and I am sure that will be the case on Sunday. Because of the tire issues in 2022, cautions are up over 72% from last season which is part of what is making DFS so difficult this season. As the old saying goes, cautions breed cautions, and at Sonoma that will be no different.

Roster Construction:

I am going to make a suggestion this week to all readers that you play multiple lineups in the Cup Series this week. If you typically play one lineup in the $12 SE, maybe make three lineups for the $3 three-max contest instead. I would pick four to six drivers as your “core” and get three of them in each lineup and mix and match your last three spots in each lineup with pivots and different plays. I know some of you do this already, but I do see some of you going 90-100% on one or two drivers in those builds, and that can be what kills your lineups.

NASCAR DFS: Top Tier (Dominators)

Martin Truex Jr. ($10,000) [Proj. Ownership: 37%]

Starting Position: 28th

Truex is one of those drivers who excel at all road courses, including Sonoma. In the last three races here, Truex has won two of them and finished third in the other. Last season, Truex finished third and didn’t lead any laps, but in his two victories, he led a combined 123 laps. Truex did come through the field with ease in 2021 at Sonoma as well. In that race, he started 19th, finished third, and was the third-highest scoring driver. In a race where he could be chalky, I will have plenty of exposure to the 19 car on Sunday anyway and find ways to be different elsewhere.

Kyle Busch ($10,100) [Proj. Ownership: 24%]

Starting Position: 12th

If you have the $100 and want a lower-owned version of Truex on Sunday then Kyle Busch could be that driver. Busch has become one of the best drivers in the Cup Series on road courses and has been nothing short of fantastic at Sonoma since 2015. In six races since 2015, Busch has an average finish of 4.2, one victory (2 career), five top 5’s, and his worst finish is 7th (2016). I don’t know if Busch can dominate this race, but he does have a fast car. In practice, Kyle put up the 3rd best 5-lap average and of the nine cars who ran 10 consecutive laps, he was the best. I view Kyle as a potential winner but a definite top 5 car (if he can avoid tire issues and the inevitable carnage). Oh and I almost forgot, Kyle won the truck race here on Saturday night.

Ross Chastain ($9,800) [Proj. Ownership: 26%]

Starting Position: 7th

Chastain is a strong road course driver and is the winner at the only other road course in 2022. In that race, Chastain led the most laps, had the most fastest laps, and had the best speed ranking. Chastain ran well in Saturday’s truck race, finishing fourth and leading the second-most laps. It may seem like Chastain was a fluke winner at COTA this season, but he has an average finish of 6.2 at road courses since last season (minus the Charlotte Roval). Last season at Sonoma, Chastain started in P29 and ended the day finishing 7th, and was the 6th best driver late in a run.

Other Options: Both Kyle Larson ($10,600 – P1) and Chase Elliott ($10,400 – P2) are excellent plays today, BUT they both start up front and are the two highest priced drivers in the field. I am worried that they won’t make value and their point totals will be eclipsed by drivers starting further back at lower prices. William Byron ($9,200 – P20): I like Byron, but he has been bad lately. He has a fast car and a great pit crew but is just in a bad run of form. That has to end at some point and why not today.

Driver I’m Fading: Denny Hamlin ($9,600 – P10)

Hamlin is a decent road course driver, but he has been so hot and cold this season and not worth the risk for me on Sunday. In practice, Hamlin didn’t even crack the top 20 in speed and at COTA earlier this season Hamlin finished 18th. The Next-Gen car has stifled this team all season and I expect Hamlin to finish in the low teens and miss value.

NASCAR DFS: Mid Tier

Kevin Harvick ($8,100) [Proj. Ownership: 20%]

Starting Position: 23rd

Harvick and Sonoma go together like wine and cheese. Sonoma has been one of Harvick’s favorite tracks as he has finished top 6 in five of the last six races including his win in 2017. Last season Harvick finished a disappointing 22nd but the one part of the track that gave him trouble has been removed. Sonoma has decided to remove the carousel and the chute back in which gives Harvick a big boost. In practice, Harvick’s car looked fast as he was posting top 10 laps all session. Harvick is a top 10 car for me with an outside chance for the win on Sunday.

Erik Jones ($7,500) [Proj. Ownership: 31%]

Starting Position: 33rd

Since the start of 2021 both Kyle Larson and Jones have been in four of eight optimal lineups for road courses, the most of all drivers. I believe that Jones will make five in nine races on Sunday. Starting 33rd will make Jones one of the highest owned drivers on Sunday, but similar to Truex, he is good chalk with high upside. In those eight races since 2021, Jones has two top 10’s and an average finish of 15th. Jones’ average starting position was 25.3 in those races which is what put him in so mand optimal lineups. In practice on Saturday, the 43 car was a top 15 car throughout and I believe that’s where they will end the day.

Christopher Bell ($8,900) [Proj. Ownership: 35%]

Starting Position: 31st

Bell had a rough go in qualifying after putting up good laps in practice. Coming into Sunday, Bell has an average finish of 5.6 (minus Martinsville and Talladega where he had issues) and a top ten in every race since COTA. Bell is also currently on a five race top 10 streak. At COTA earlier this season, Bell had the 8th best speed ranking and finished 3rd in the Next-Gen first road course race. I see Bell as a top 10 finisher on Sunday and he also a cash game lock for me.

Alex Bowman ($7,900) [ Proj. Ownership: 21%]

Starting Position: 19th

Bowman is another driver who ran in the truck race on Saturday night and was in place for a top 10 until he became collateral damage in the Friesen/Bilicki wreck near the end of the race. In the last eight road course races since 2021, Bowman has five top 10 and one top 5 which was this season at COTA. Since joining Hendrick in 2018, Bowman ahs finished 9th, 14th, and 9th at Sonoma. Bowman is and underrated road course driver and will most likely be overlooked on Sunday.

Other Options: Austin Cindric ($8,400 – P25), Kurt Busch ($8,200 – P11), Daniel Suarez ($7,700 – P8)

Driver I’m Fading: AJ Allendinger ($8,800 – P16)

Allmendinger is a well known dominant road course ringer, so why a fade? He doesn’t project at huge ownership (22%), so it’s not really that, but instead it’s Allmendinger’s inability to be successful at Sonoma. In 10 career races here, Allmendinger has only 2 top tens (2009 and 2012) and has an average starting position of 11th with an average finish of 24th. Since 2014, Allmendinger has raced here five times (in JTG-Daugherty cars) and has four finishes of 35th or worse, his best finish is 14th. After practice on Saturday, Dinger was complaining how his car wasn’t good and they had work to do. I will not talk you off playing AJ today, but I think it’s worth the risk of fading him at this salary on Sunday.

NASCAR DFS: Value Rankings

Brad Keselowski ($6,600) – P22: In the last three Sonoma races, Keselowski has an average finish of 15.3 and an average running position of 13.7. I view Kes as a mid teens driver on Sunday which could be just enough to make value.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ($6,800) – P32: Stenhouse is an OK road course racer. He mainly finishes in the high teens to low 20’s and while those don’t seem to impressive if he can manage another finish in that range on Sunday we will be very happy.
Bubba Wallace ($6,400) – P27: Wallace is not known as a good road course guy and by his own admission he “sucks” a them, but this year could be different. In practice on Saturday, Wallace showed some good speed with the 11th best single lap and 12th best 5-lap average. After practice Wallace was confident and felt good about his car.
Ty Dillon ($5,800) – P34: Dillon is by no means a road course specialist, but there is some reasons to be optimistic. If you take into account Dillon’s salary and starting position he could have a high DKFP total if attrition works in his favor. I see Ty as a mid to high 20’s play and a safe option for cash.
Todd Gilliland ($5,100) – P24: Gilliland is super risky, but he is a good road course racer. If he can manage to get a hang of this track early on he could be competitive in pushing for a teens finish. On a personal note, Gilliland got me my first ever Truck Series takedown as a lowned play at COTA last season when he went to victory lane.
Justin Haley ($6,300) – P18: Haley has been a low-owned driver overperforms on a weekly basis. Earlier this season at COTA, Haley came home 15th and had a 17th place average running position.

Josh Bilicki, Cody Ware, Joey Hand ,and Scott Heckert are all in play if you wanted to MME some big GPP’s today. They are all cheap and if we see the same type of attrition today that we’ve seen in 2022 so far one or more of them could have great days.

There were a lot of changes in the cars and what driver is in what car/truck in 2022. Check out my What’s new in 2022 article (https://windailysports.com/nascar-dfs-whats-new-in-2022/)

3 years ago 0 comments

NASCAR

NASCAR DFS Pit Stop: Truck Series Sonoma 6/11

rmferenc@gmail.com 3 years ago

written by rmferenc@gmail.com

Welcome to the NASCAR DFS Pit Stop for Saturday’s Truck Series from Sonoma! This week the Truck Series heads to wine country for the second road course race of the season. The field for Saturday’s race is loaded with talent, including five Cup regulars looking for some seat time before their race on Sunday. Kyle Busch is driving his #51 truck for the fifth and final time in 2022. If Busch is unsuccessful in trying to win this race, it will be the first time since 2004 that he didn’t win at least one race in the series. Both Austin Dillon and Alex Bowman will be making their second Truck Series appearance in 2022, while Ross Chastain will be making his fifth and final start. Finally, Harrison Burton is in the 17 truck for DGR which has been solid all season.

This is the first time the series has been to Sonoma since 1998, so no one in the field has driven a truck at this track. For analysis purposes, I will be using practice times from Friday and past history at road courses. This article is being written pre-qualifying but I will try and update it after qualifying is complete on Saturday afternoon.

Roster Construction

With there being so much value in the lower level of the top tier and mid tier’s I think we can be confident with a 2×3 build of two top tier drivers and three $7K or low $8K driver builds. Originally I was leaning towards a three top-tier build, but after seeing how those drivers qualified we can get good PD upside with a driver who could lead laps.

NASCAR DFS: Top Tier ($9K +)

Alex Bowman ($10,000)

Starting Position: 6th

Bowman had the second-fastest lap in practice on Friday and should be a factored Saturday night. Bowman only has one other road course race under his belt in the Truck Series and that was a poor showing at COTA earlier this season, but his truck had issues all day there. Since 2019, Bowman has seven top 10’s in thirteen Cup Series road-course races and an average finish of 11.4. Since joining Hendrick in 2018, Bowman has two top 10’s and a 14th place finish in three Sonoma races.

Christian Eckes ($9,300)

Starting Position: 18th

Eckes is one of the hottest drivers in the Truck Series but may go completely overlooked in this race Saturday night. In Friday’s practice session, Eckes put up the best single lap time. Eckes is riding a four-race top 5 streak including two 2nd place finishes and leading 54 laps during this streak. As for his road course record, Eckes has been good, not great. In four races at this track type since 2021, Eckes has one top ten and three finishes of 13th or better. Last season at COTA, Eckes has suspension issues that left him finishing 35th, but if remove that race, Eckes has an average finish of 9.7 in the remaining three races.

Parker Kligerman ($9,100)

Starting Position: 11th

Kligerman is another driver who can hold his own on road courses and should be a factor for another top 10. In four road course races since 2019, Kligerman has two top 10’s and a top 5. Kligerman’s worst finish since 2019 is a 19th place finish in 2021 at COTA. In Friday’s practice, Kligerman posted top 5 laps continually throughout the session.

I think both Kyle Busch and Ross Chastain are top plays as well and will fight for the win at the end of the day. I can see them leading the majority of the laps for this race, but with them probably carrying the most ownership in this tier I decided against writing them up. The three drivers above are great drivers to pair with Busch or Chastain but can also be great lower-owned pivots.

Other Options: Zane Smith ($10,300 – P13), Ben Rhodes ($9,800 – P17), Other Options: Zane Smith ($10,300 – P13), Ben Rhodes ($9,800 – P17), Chandler Smith ($9,600 – P14), – Yes, I know I included all of the top-tier drivers here, but they are all solid plays and the best plays on this slate.

NASCAR DFS: Mid Tier ($7K-$8.9K)

Derek Kraus ($7,200)

Starting Position: 15th

If we want to pay up for the tippy top of the top tier, we need some good value in the mid-tier, and Derek Kraus is where I will look first. Kraus is not a road course expert, but he is able to hold his own on this track type. Earlier this season at COTA, Kraus started 14th and came home 12th earning 33 DKFP in that race. This week, Kraus is priced $400 less than he was in that race and is coming off back-to-back finishes of 12th or better. In fact, Kraus has seven finishes of 19th or better in his last nine races including three top 10’s, and was posting top 10 laps in practice on Friday.

Matt DiBenedetto ($7,400)

Starting Position: 12th

Earlier this season you couldn’t pay me to recommend Matt DiBenedetto but things have improved for this team and he is actually underpriced for this race. At the start of 2022, DiBenedetto had three finishes of 30th or worse in six races, but since then they have turned things around at Wrackley W.A.R. In the five races since that poor start, DiBenedetto has three top 10’s and his worse finish is 17th during this span. In Friday’s practice, Matty D put up the fourth-best lap time.

Kaz Grala ($8,100)

Starting Position: 20th

Grala is a road course ringer and a very good one at that. Since 2021, Grala has run four RC races in the 02 for Youngs Motorsports and has an average finish of 9th. In those four races, Grala’s worst finish was 14th and his best finish was 2nd last year at COTA. At this price, Grala is one of the better plays on the slate with top 5 upside.

Other Options: Matt Crafton ($7,700 – P24 – Also, another Bday boy narrative), Harrison Burton ($7,900), Tyler Ankrum ($7,800 – P5), Tanner Gray ($7,000 – P27)

Value Tier (Under $7K)

Chase Purdy ($6,900) – P25
Todd Bodine ($6,700) – P31
Kris Wright ($4,800) – P30
Spencer Boyd ($5,900) – P36
Jack Wood ($6,200) – P28
Dean Thompson ($5,800) – P33

Make sure you head to the Win Daily Sports Discord for up-to-date info and help directly from our pros! Head over to Twitter and give the @WinDailySports account and me (@MVecchio81) a follow for all things Fantasy Sports! You can find more FREE NASCAR content over at WinDailySports.com!

There were a lot of changes in the cars and what driver is in what car/truck in 2022, check out my What’s new in 2022 article (https://windailysports.com/nascar-dfs-whats-new-in-2022/)

3 years ago 0 comments

NASCAR Premium

NASCAR DFS Pit Stop: Cup Series WWTR 6/5

rmferenc@gmail.com 3 years ago

written by rmferenc@gmail.com

Welcome to the NASCAR DFS Pit Stop for the Cup Series race from World Wide Technology Raceway! This is the first time the Cup Series has been to this track, but not the first time a lot of the drivers have raced here as the Truck Series has been coming here for years. This week in my weekend preview I went over drivers in this race who have previously won at this track in other series’. Zane Smith will be driving the #17 in place of Chris Buescher who is out with a positive COVID test. I will have more on Smith later, but he does have more experience at this track than most drivers in the field.

Roster Construction:

There were a lot of drivers who qualified in poor positions for this race making this a place differential race. With that being said, a lot of drivers have stated that it is difficult to pass here so I won’t be loading up on only place differential plays. Some of the top plays on the slate are in the $8.5K-$10K range so there will be builds that don’t even need any value plays. I will try and build the majority of lineups using very little of the value tier.

NASCAR DFS: Top Tier (Dominators)

Ryan Blaney ($9,600) [Proj. Ownership: 25%]

Starting Position: 5th

Blaney is an elite driver when it comes to short flat tracks like WWTR. This season at this track type nobody has been better. Blaney has the second-best speed ranking and average finish (5.5) as well as having the best average running position (4.3) and leading the most laps per race (135.5). In practice on Saturday, Blaney was top 2 in all speed categories. Blaney will be a contender for the win one Sunday and should be a top 5 car most of the day.

Ross Chastain ($10,000) [Proj. Ownership: 37%]

Starting Position: 10th

Chastain has been solid a pretty much every track type in 2022, but short flat tracks are ones he has been exceptionally good at. At Phoenix earlier this season, Chastain finished second, was the best driver late in a run, and had the 6th best green flag speed. Richmond is another track that Chastain ran well at, but had an incident that led to him finishing 19th. Chastain’s car improved over time in practice as he had the 7th best 5-lap average, 5th best 10-lap, and 4th fastest 15-lap. I don’t think Chastain gets the win today, but a top 5 is a good bet.

Denny Hamlin ($10,600) [Proj. Ownership: 15%]

Starting Position: 6th

If it’s a short, flat track then Hamlin should be a safe pick to win. Coming off his second win of the season in Charlotte last week, Hamlin heads to one of his most dominant track types in Gateway. Hamlin’s first win in 2022 came at Richmond, a similar track type and he ran well at Phoenix (13th) considering how poor his season started. In the last 16 races at this track type, Hamlin has 2 wins and a series-best average finish of 5.5. If we think Chastain may be a chalkier option and the safer play for cash, then Hamlin is the lower-owned GPP pivot on Sunday.

William Byron ($9,800) [Proj. Ownership: 39%]

Starting Position: 24th

Byron has been struggling of late, but at short flat tracks in 2022 he has been good. At Phoenix, Byron won stage 1 and had a 5.7 average running position but finished 18th thanks to a loose car and poor pit strategy late. At Richmond though, Byron finished 3rd and led 122 laps. Byron has some good PD upside on Sunday, but I will need to see more out of this team before suggesting a win or top five for them but I do think a top 10 is definitely a possibility on Sunday.

Other Options: Kyle Busch ($10,900 – P12), Chase Elliott ($10,200 – P16), Tyler Reddick ($9,400 -P4), Kyle Larson ($11,300 – P15)

NASCAR DFS: Mid Tier

Joey Logano ($8,900) [Proj. Ownership: 22%]

Starting Position: 7th

Logano was the only driver who had better average speed in practice than Blaney and should be a factor for the win as well. Logano is another driver who thrives at this track type with one win, six top 5’s, and seven top 10’s in nine races at this track type since 2020. In those nine races, Logano has also led a series-best 427 laps and has an average finish of 5.5

Alex Bowman ($8,700) [Proj. Ownership: 25%]

Starting Position: 25th

Bowman is strictly one of those PD plays I mentioned earlier. I don’t expect a huge day and I don’t see Bowman putting up too many dominator points if any, but his base score for PD and finishing position could be good enough. Bowman has an average finish of 11th at the two short flat tracks in 2022 and an average running position of 13th. Those positions are right about the range Bowman was running in practice on Saturday.

Chase Briscoe ($7,800)[Proj. Ownership: 22%]

Starting Position: 1st

Briscoe as a pole sitter seems scary, I get it, but he has shown dominance this season at this track type. Earlier this season in Phoenix Briscoe led 101 laps, as 5the best late in a run, and had a 4.6 average running position all on his way to victory lane. At Richmond, Briscoe finished 11th and wasn’t nearly as good but most drivers have said Phoenix is the more comparable track to WWTR. Briscoe has run one race at this track in a truck back in 2017. In that race, Briscoe started on the pole and led 88 laps on his way to a second-place finish. I would take that performance all day on Sunday.

Other Options: Kevin Harvick ($8,500 – P20), Austin Dillon ($7,500 – P29), Kurt Busch (8,200 – P11), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ($7,700 – P27)

NASCAR DFS: Value Rankings

AJ Allmendinger ($6,200) – P35: Dinger fought his way to victory in Portland on Saturday and now fins himself as one of the top value plays at WWTR. AJ will start 35th after there were issues with the car on Saturday but we saw what he did with a car that had “issues” on Saturday.
Brad Keselowski ($7,100) – P30: Now technically, Brad’s price doesn’t fit my value pricing, but at this price and starting position, Keselowski is value.
Bubba Wallace ($6,700) – P18: Wallace is a former winner here in the Truck Series, but this is a different animal. I don’t see Wallace in that category on Sunday, but a top 15 at this price makes him good value.
Ty Dillon ($5,600) – P26: Dillon was a top 20 car in practice on Saturday and was the only car not involved in an incident last Sunday. If Ty can keep this car clean on Sunday he will smash value.
Justin Haley ($6,000) – P28: Haley is another driver with a Truck Series win here so he has experience on this track. After a string of results inside the top 17, Haley has had two bad races back-to-back. I think this team rights the ship Sunday and picks up another top 20.
Zane Smith ($5,400) – P32: Smith had a good run in the truck race Saturday and showed some good speed in practice in the 17 car. This car was putting up lap times in the low 20’s so Smith has the potential to be one of the top place differential plays on this slate.

There were a lot of changes in the cars and what driver is in what car/truck in 2022. Check out my What’s new in 2022 article (https://windailysports.com/nascar-dfs-whats-new-in-2022/)

3 years ago 0 comments

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NASCAR DFS Pit Stop: Xfinity Series Portland 6/4

Dave Gloeckner 3 years ago

written by Dave Gloeckner

Welcome to the NASCAR DFS Pit Stop for the Xfinity Series race from Portland! This is the first time the Xfinity Series has been to this track. Portland is a 1.945-mile road course that is nearly perfectly flat and runs clockwise. There are two configurations, one with a chicane and one without and I believe the Xfinity Series is using the chicane layout.

As I described in my weekend preview there are a lot of “road course ringers” being used this weekend. While I think those drivers will be a good compliment to your lineups none of them are winning and dominating this race. Speaking of dominating, since this is a road course we won’t be seeking out dominator points but instead looking for PD upside and drivers who can finish well.

Roster Construction

Getting two high-priced top-tier drivers is fairly easy in this field with three mid-tier drivers. We have a couple of decent plays in the $4-5K range that make this possible. Also, remember this is a road course, so looking for dominator points is not something we do. You instead should look to get some PD plays and drivers who will finish well.

AJ Allmendinger ($10,500 – P10)

Allmendinger is a great road course racer, we all know this, and he is expected to be chalky. After qualifying last night he said his car had some type of mechanical issue and that his team did not know what it was. AJ also said that if they figure it out and fix it they will be coming from the rear for unapproved adjustments. I may have some Allmendinger exposure but because of his ownership and this issue I am a little hesitant to go all-in on him

NASCAR DFS: Top Tier ($9K +)

Josh Berry ($9,900)

Starting Position: 19th

Berry is coming off his second win on the season last week in Charlotte and could be the highest-scoring driver in this tier. Berry is unlikely to win on Saturday, but a top 5 is something I can see happening. In practice on Friday, Berry had the 7th fastest lap but had some trouble in the rain in qualifying which led to his poor qualifying position.

Ty Gibbs ($10,600)

Starting Position: 6th

Gibbs is a solid road course driver in one of the best cars in the field. In seven career road course races, Gibbs has two wins and three top 5’s. Gibbs may not offer much in place differential upside, he does have a fast car (2nd in practice) that can get him his third career road course win.

Noah Gragson ($10,300)

Starting Position: 11th (will start at the rear for going to a backup car)

Gragson had a bad wreck in practice on Friday which resulted in him having to go to his backup car for Saturday’s race. I was worried that they wouldn’t make a lap which would make Gragson extreme chalk, now his ownership should be suppressed because of starting at the rear and being scored from P11. Gragson has never won on a road course, but in 16 races on this track type, he has 13 top 10’s and eight top 5’s. It will take him some time to get through the field, but I see Gragson as a top 5 car on Saturday.

Other Options: Riley Herbst ($9,200 – P14), Brandon Jones ($9,400 – P22), Justin Allgaier ($10,100 – P9)

NASCAR DFS: Mid Tier ($7K – $8.9K)

Myatt Snider ($7,600)

Starting Position: 25th

Snider is an under-the-radar road course driver. You wouldn’t automatically put him up there as one of the top drivers on this course type but he does have good results. In twelve career road course races, Snider has four top 10’s and an average finish of 16.2. In practice on Friday, Snider had the third-best single lap speed and was a top 5 car.

Alex Labbe ($7,700)

Starting Position: 23rd

Labbe is one of the best road course drivers in the series and is typically a top 15 car in these races. In practice on Friday, Labbe was not fast, but he only ran three laps so I am not too concerned. Labbe will most likely not carry too much ownership at this high price.

Jeb Burton ($7,100)

Starting Position: 21st

Burton is yet another driver who could be overlooked because he is not typically known as a road course specialist. While I do believe that Burton is a solid play on this slate, there is another reason I am writing up Burton for this race. Our Motorsports, Larry’s Hard Lemonade, and Jeb Burton are looking to raise funds for those families impacted by the horrible tragedy at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.

Fans Encouraged to Text UVALDE to 501501 and a Make One-time $10 Donation to Support the Families and Community Affected by the Texas School Fatality (taken from ourmotorsportsgroup.com)

Image courtesy of Our Motorsports Twitter page (@ourmotorsports)

Other Options: Sheldon Creed ($8,600 – P7), Connor Mosack ($8,500 – P8), Ryan Sieg ($8,800 – P27), Andy Lally ($8,100 – P15)

NASCAR DFS: Value Tier (Under $7K)

Bradon Brown ($6,800) – P28
Jeremy Clements ($6,900) – P16
Parker Chase ($6,600) – P18
Gray Gaulding ($6,200) – P30
JJ Yeley ($6,500) – P35
Josh Williams ($4,700) – P31
Darren Dilley ($5,200) – P32
Stefan Parsons ($5,700) – P26

There were a lot of changes in the cars and what driver is in what car/truck in 2022, check out my What’s new in 2022 article (https://windailysports.com/nascar-dfs-whats-new-in-2022/)

3 years ago 0 comments

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NASCAR DFS Pit Stop: Truck Series WWTR 6/4

Jared Levitt 3 years ago

written by Jared Levitt

Welcome to the NASCAR DFS Pit Stop for Saturday afternoon’s Truck Series race from World Wide Technology Raceway. Sheldon Creed has won back-to-back races here, but he isn’t in this race, making John Hunter Nemechek the only previous winner in this race. There are about eleven drivers at $8.5K and up that are in play on this slate. This is typical for the Truck Series because the field is generally top-heavy and with a lack of talented drivers the value is extremely important in this race. Check out my weekend preview for more info on this race and the track.

Roster Construction

Depending on what you do with the top tier, lineups should be pretty balanced on Saturday for this race. There is one obvious chalk play in the mid-tier, but otherwise, the ownership should be pretty spread out. As I was building lineups before writing, the majority of them came out with a 2-2-2 build. The value tier isn’t too deep so that is why I am leaning towards the balanced build this week.

NASCAR DFS: Top Tier ($9K +)

John Hunter Nemechek ($11,400)

Starting Position: 6th

As I said in the open, Nemechek is the only previous winner in the field for Saturday’s race. While JHN is a former winner here, he hasn’t had much success otherwise at this track, but at this track type Nemechek has had success. Nemechek also comes into this race as one of the hottest drivers in the series with seven straight finishes of 6th or better including a win and four top 3 finishes.

Zane Smith ($11,000)

Starting Position: 2nd

Smith had his season-long streak (9 races) of top 10’s snapped two weeks ago in Texas, but he started a new streak with a 5th place finish at Charlotte last week. Zane is pulling double duty this weekend taking over for Chris Buescher on Sunday but this race will be his main focus as he contends for a championship. In three career races at WWTR, Smith has two top 10 finishes and has led 64 laps. Smith leads the series in wins in 2022 with three and I don’t think he wins on Saturday but a top 5 with some dominator points is highly likely to happen.

Quick Hits:

Grant Enfinger ($9,600 – P10): Enfinger has three top 10’s in five career races here at WWTR. In those five races, Enfinger has led a total of 88 laps. Enfinger has the three fastest single lap time on Friday in practice and his truck seemed to be good in the long run as he was one of a few drivers to post their best lap at the end of his run.

Carson Hocevar ($10,000 – P12): Hocevar was so close to his first career win last week, and that win will come but this week he has some of the top PD upside in this tier. Hocevar has three top 5’s in his last five races and I predict he makes it four in six on Saturday.

Matt Crafton ($9,100 – P11): Crafton is one of the most tenured drivers in the Truck Series and he has raced here 18 times in his career. In his last five races, he has not finished lower than 20th and has three top 10’s. On the season, Crafton has five top 10 finishes in his last six races and I expect him to add another on Saturday.

Other Options: Christian Eckes ($9,800 – P5), Chandler Smith ($10,400 – P4)

NASCAR DFS: Mid Tier ($7K-$8.9K)

Derek Kraus ($8,100)

Starting Position: 36th

Kraus is the obvious chalk play I mentioned in the open. In Friday’s practice session, Kraus was a top 5 truck and because of an unapproved adjustment prior to qualifying, he wasn’t allowed to make an attempt so he will start last. Kraus is going to be good chalk in my opinion, now of course in large field GPP’s you can fade him and hope he finishes near the back but in single entry or cash he is a must-play for me.

Johnny Sauter ($8,900)

Starting Position: 18th

I went over Sauter’s accomplishments at this track in my weekend preview, so if you read that you know why he is in this spot. This is one of Sauter’s best tracks and I expect him to make some noise here Saturday afternoon. In practice, this truck showed top 15 speed, and with some attrition, a top 10 is more than possible.

Other Options: Austin Wayne Self ($7,500 – P28) is a great PD upside play, while also having the ability to finish well. Ty Majeski ($8,700 – P8): Majeski was the fastest truck in practice and should push for his first win again. Tyler Ankrum ($8,500 – P20), Matt DiBenedetto ($8,300 – P16)

Value Tier (Under $7K)

Timmy Hill ($6,40) – P29
Rajah Carruth ($5,900) – P19
Tate Fogleman ($6,800) – P35
Jack Wood ($6,600) – P23
Jordan Anderson ($6100) – P30
Jesse Little ($5,700) – P22
Spenecer Boyd ($5,200) – P34

There were a lot of changes in the cars and what driver is in what car/truck in 2022, check out my What’s new in 2022 article (https://windailysports.com/nascar-dfs-whats-new-in-2022/)

3 years ago 0 comments

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NASCAR DFS Pit Stop Weekend Preview: WWTR and Portland 6/4-6/5

Matt Vecchio 3 years ago

written by Matt Vecchio

Welcome to the NASCAR DFS Pit Stop for the weekend of 6/4-6/5. This week we have all three of the top series in action, but in a rare occurrence, they are being run at two different tracks. Both the Truck and Cup Series will be racing at World Wide Technology Raceway which is right outside of St. Louis. This will be the first time the Cup Series will be racing here so we have no information to go on. The Truck Series has been here before and it is said that the teams used WWTR to prepare for Phoenix so that is where I plan on starting with my research and I suggest you do the same.

As for the Xfinity Series, they are at Portland International Raceway for the first time ever. There are a lot of non-Xfinity regulars in this race and I will go over them below.

NASCAR DFS: Truck Series

Laps: 160 (112 Dominator Points)

Previous Winner: Sheldon Creed

Over the previous two seasons, Zane Smith has led 64 laps at this track so he will once again be one of our top targets. Johnny Sauter will be back in the #13 for ThorSport this weekend at a track where he has been nothing short of elite. In nine career starts, Sauter has eight top-five finishes. Sauter is picking his spots this season as he is on a part-time schedule and this clearly is a track he enjoys coming to and will be one of the top plays on Saturday.

NASCAR DFS: Xfinity Series

Laps: 75 (52.5 Dominator Points)

Previous Winner: N/A

Since this is a road course, we won’t be hunting for dominator points and will instead be searching for place differential plays and finishing positions. I mentioned in the open that there are a lot of road-course ringers in this race, below I will break them down briefly.

Andy Lally (#44 Alpha Prime): Lally is in one of the best cars of any ringer this week. The 44 car has raced in all thirteen races in 2022 and if you take out the 6 times it wrecked or had issues this car has an average finish of 20.14. You add in a driver who has nine top 10s in 18 Xfinity starts and you have a great play in the mid-tier.
Scott Heckert (#5 BJ McLeod): Heckert is another veteran road course racer in both the Cup and Xfinity Series, he isn’t as accomplished as Lally, but he is talented. Heckert’s best career Xfinity finish is 13th and he has two total top 20 finishes.
Connor Mosack (#18 Joe Gibbs Racing): Mosack is an accomplished road course racer, but he has never done it in an Xfinity car. Mosack is only 23 years old, but in his first full season in Trans Am TA2 Series he had ten top 5’s, 6 podiums, and one win in 14 races.
Parker Chase (#26 Sam Hunt Racing): Chase drove this car earlier this season to a 19th place finish at COTA.
Darren Dilley (#38 RSS Racing): Dilley is the most interesting story of all the drivers. While he has one win in 10 career Sports Car Club of America starts, Dilley is currently working as an elementary school P.E. teacher.

NASCAR DFS: Cup Series

Laps: 240 (168 Dominator Points)

Previous Winner: N/A

This week the Cup Series makes its debut at WWTR and while the series has never raced here, a lot of drivers have.

Drivers who have previously won here (Truck Series):

Ross Chastain
Kevin Harvick
Christopher Bell
Bubba Wallace
Justin Haley
Cole Custer

It’s not a long list, but just having experience here, combined with how they have run at Phoenix and other similar short, flat tracks will come into play when breaking down the field this weekend.

Check out my NASCAR DFS Tutorial to make sure you are ready and understand how I break down the races and build lineups (https://windailysports.com/nascar-dfs-pit-stop-2021-introduction-to-nascar-dfs/).

There were a lot of changes in the cars and what driver is in what car/truck in 2022. Check out my What’s new in 2022 article (https://windailysports.com/nascar-dfs-whats-new-in-2022/)

3 years ago 0 comments

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NASCAR DFS Pit Stop: Cup Series Charlotte 5/29

rmferenc@gmail.com 3 years ago

written by rmferenc@gmail.com

Welcome to the NASCAR DFS Pit Stop for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte! First off, Happy Memorial Day weekend to everyone.

This race is the longest race of the year, with 600 miles (400 laps) of racing coming to you on Sunday night. One good thing NASCAR did was have these cars practice and qualify under the same conditions they will be racing in on Sunday night. If you’ve looked over the starting grid this is going to be a race of place differential. We had three drivers either not make a qualifying lap or spin out on their lap. There were also a few cars that showed good speed in practice but qualified in the 20s.

Roster Construction:

With 280 dominator points available in this race, we will need to get our dominators right. Since 2018 (5 races) one driver lead at least 116 laps in four of those races. Two times one driver led over 325 laps, including last year when Kyle Larson led 327 laps. With Larson starting at the rear he won’t lead laps like he did last season, but there are a few cars near the front that I could see being dominant. Going with 2-3 dominators is how I plan to build my lineups on Sunday.

NASCAR DFS: Top Tier (Dominators)

Kyle Larson ($11,300)

Starting Position: 36th

Kyle Larson hit the wall in practice and was unable to make a qualifying attempt he will start at the rear. Larson is usually a popular play, but with him starting P36 he will be extremely chalky, probably hovering near 60%. Since there are also two other chalk drivers in the $6K range, and under $5K it will be easy to fit Larson. Similar to Ty Gibbs in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race, Larson will make his way through the field and be a top 5 car at the end of the day. Before he hit the wall, Larson had posted the fastest single lap speed, a speed which held up throughout both practice sessions. If you are playing cash, you have to play Larson. In single entry contests you should play Larson…oh forget it, just play Larson in any contest type.

Kyle Busch ($11,100)

Starting Position: 4th

Busch has been dominant at Charlotte over the previous five races here. Over this span of races at Charlotte, Busch has the second-best average finish (8.2) and laps led per race (91.4). Busch also averages more fastest laps per race (48) than any other driver in the field. Looking at him from a DFS perspective, Busch averages more DKFPTS/R than any driver and the second most FDFPTS/R. Needless to say, Busch loves coming to Charlotte and he is one of the drivers I see as a potential dominator on Sunday night.

Martin Truex Jr. ($10,200)

Starting Position: 14th

Truex has been one of the best drivers at 1.5-mile tracks in 2022. This season at this track type, Truex has the 3rd best total speed ranking and the 5th best average finish and average running position. Since 2017, minus his 29th place finish because of a tire going down last season, Truex has an average finish of 3.8 and averages 87.8 laps led per race.

Chase Elliott ($10,700)

Starting Position: 13th

Earlier I mentioned how Kyle Busch has the second-best average finish and FDFPTS/R, well the one driver who bettered him was Elliott. This season at this track type, Elliott finished 9th at Vegas and was running in the top 5 at Kansas before a flat tire late in the race sent him back to 29th. That finish was only the second time Elliott finished outside the top 15 in 2022 and on Sunday I see Elliott as a contender for the win and a top 5 candidate.

Other Options: Denny Hamlin ($10,500 – P1), William Byron ($10,000 – P5), Ross Chastain ($9,800 – P22)

NASCAR DFS: Mid Tier

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ($7,400)

Starting Position: 29th

Stenhouse comes into the 600 with three straight top 10 finishes and has run well at this track type in 2022. This season at 1.5-mile intermediate tracks, Stenhouse has finished 8th (Kansas) and 10th (Auto Club). Stenhouse was running in the top 10 at Las Vegas before a pit road penalty took him back to 21st. Last season at Charlotte, Stenhouse finished 12th and had the 14th best speed ranking. In fact, Stenhouse has finished in the top 15 in six of the last seven Charlotte races.

Erik Jones ($7,600)

Starting Position: 25th

Jones has been good at this track type in 2022 and has shown top 10 upside in every race at 1.5-mile ovals. At Fontana, Jones came home 3rd and he wrecked at Vegas but was in the top 10 at the time of the incident. We all saw the tire issue this team had two weeks ago at Kansas, before this happened Jones was running near the top 5. Jones has some of the best PD upside in this tier.

Austin Dillon (8,200)

Starting Position: 16th

Dillon has been consistently good at 1.5-mile tracks since 2021. Outside of Atlanta this season, Dillon has a 10.8 average finish and has finished 14th or better in every race. On FandDuel his price is too low again for his upside, so I love this play over there, but he is still a solid play on DK too. In the last three Charlotte races, Dillon has an average finish of 9.7 and an average running position of 8.2.

Other Options: Joey Logano ($8,900 – P23), Kurt Busch ($8,600 – P2), Kevin Harvick ($8,000 – P18), Christopher Bell ($8,400 – P3)

NASCAR DFS: Value Rankings

Corey Lajoie ($4,900 – P37)
Brad Keselowski ($6,600 – P35)
Aric Almirola ($6,500 – P24)
Ty Dillon ($5,400 – P28)
Bubba Wallace ($6,900 – P7)
Ryan Preece ($5,200 – P26)
Chris Buescher ($6,700 – P19)
Kaz Grala ($5,600 – P34)
Justin Haley ($6,300 – P20)

There were a lot of changes in the cars and what driver is in what car/truck in 2022. Check out my What’s new in 2022 article (https://windailysports.com/nascar-dfs-whats-new-in-2022/)

3 years ago 0 comments

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NASCAR DFS Pit Stop: Xfinity Series Charlotte 5/28

rmferenc@gmail.com 3 years ago

written by rmferenc@gmail.com

Welcome to the NASCAR DFS Pit Stop for Saturday’s Xfinity Series race from Charlotte! Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone! This weekend is full of racing that got started on Friday night with the Truck Series and continues with the Xfinity Series on Saturday. The Xfinity Series race is a 200-lap race resulting in just 140 dominator points. This will be a semi-chalky race on Saturday after both Ty Gibbs and Riley Herbst had issues in practice and will start at the rear. Joining them will also be Jeffrey Earnhardt who had a brake system issue that caused his brakes to lock up. All three should have no issues when the green flag drops on Saturday.

Roster Construction

This race should be your typical 2-3 dominator style build with 1-2 mid-tier drivers. There are a few ways to build using the good chalk of Gibbs with 1 or 2 JRM cars. This is possible because of the great value we have in both the mid $6K and $7K ranges. With there being so many good PD plays in this race their ownership should be spread out so there is no need to stress over ownership.

NASCAR DFS: Top Tier ($9K +)

I have said it a bunch of times, but Ty Gibbs ($11,000 – P36) is good chalk. He was fast in practice and this car should end the day in the top 10. This is one of those situations where fading Gibbs could end up keeping you from getting that big payday. We can be different in other ways in this race that eating this chalk is ok.

Trevor Bayne ($9,800)

Starting Position: 6th

If you are looking to balance out the chalk of Gibbs, looking to his teammate in the #18 this week is a good place to start. Trevor Bayne will be making his fourth start this season in this car and has finished inside the top five in two of those races as well as leading at least 24 laps in all three races. In Friday’s practice, Bayne posted the fastest single lap time and was 2nd best in ten-lap average. Bayne is a good driver who will take care of this car and probably end up near the top 5 again at sub 20% ownership.

Justin Allgaier ($10,600)

Starting Position: 2nd

At Charlotte I expect Allgaier to earn his first victory at this track on Saturday. Allgaier has done pretty much everything but win here. Since 2016 when he joined JRM, Allgaier has had three top 5’s and four top 10’s in eight races at Charlotte. In the last three races, Allgaier’s worst finish is fourth and he has led 176 laps in those three races. Combining how well Allgaier has done at Charlotte with how hot he is coming into this race in 2022 makes him one of my favorite plays on Saturday.

Noah Gragson ($10,800)

Starting Position: 7th

Before his wreck at Texas last week, Gragson’s previous three races mirrored teammate Justin Allgaier’s. Gragson came into Texas with a win and three top 5’s in the previous three races. On Saturday, Gragson will look to get back on the good and unless an issue arises I see no reason why he won’t.

Other Options: Austin Dillon ($10,100 – P13): Dillon is in the 48 car that Reddick won in last week. I don’t think Dillon will win this race, but he will be low-owned and could definitely finish in the top 5. AJ Allmendinger ($10,400 – P8): Dinger has finished top 10 in every race this season, and outside of a wreck I see no reason that streak ends on Saturday. Josh Berry ($9,600 – P4), Sam Mayer ($9,100 – P1), Ryan Preece ($9,300 – P3): It may say BJ McLeod on the entry list, but we all know that SHR prepared this car.

NASCAR DFS: Mid Tier ($7K – $8.9K)

Similar to Gibbs in the top tier, Riley Herbst ($8,500 – P37) will be extremely chalky on Saturday. This car was a top 10 car in practice and Herbst has been Mr. Consistent in 2022 so a top 10 finish is to be expected.

Ryan Sieg ($7,400)

Starting Position: 22nd

Sieg has been one of the most consistent drivers in 2022 but nobody even realizes it. Last week when he finished 35th that was only his second finish lower than 11th in 12 races this season. That poor finish ended Sieg’s streak of 8 straight races with a top 11 finish. Charlotte has not been great to Sieg, but he does six finishes of 18th or better in his career here (12 races). In practice on Friday, Sieg was 5th in single-lap speed and 9th in 10 lap average.

Austin Hill ($8,300)

Starting Position: 20th

Hill is having a solid rookie campaign in the Xfinity Series. This is only the second time Hill has qualified lower than 18th making this one of the few races in 2022 that we have some actual PD upside with Hill. Last week at Texas Hill finished 5th, his fifth top 5 of the season. Hill was not incredibly fast in practice but he did have a top 15 car.

Brandon Brown ($7,000)

Starting Position: 32nd

Brown did not have a great showing in qualifying but he does have a good car in the long run. In his short career at Charlotte, Brown has run well here. In his first career race here in 2019 he finished 20th but in the two races since then Brown has finished 8th and 4th. I don’t know if he has a top 10 car, but a top 20 should be in the cards.

Other Options: Daniel Hemric ($8,700 – P10), Jeffrey Earnhardt ($7,700 – P38), Anthony Alfredo ($7,600 – P30), Jeb Burton ($7,300 – P15)

NASCAR DFS: Value Tier (Under $7K)

Myatt Snider ($6,800) – P33
Jeremy Clements ($6,400) – P23
CJ McLaughlin ($4,800) – P35
Garrett Smithley ($6,700) – P34
Joe Graf Jr. ($6,000) – P24
Nick Sanchez ($5,100) – P31
Josh Williams ($4,900) – P26
Stefan Parsons ($5,900) – P11

There were a lot of changes in the cars and what driver is in what car/truck in 2022, check out my What’s new in 2022 article (https://windailysports.com/nascar-dfs-whats-new-in-2022/)

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