The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series pays a visit to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend for the Food City 500, and the second short track race of the 2019 season will pose some different challenges when it comes to building DFS lineups at Fanduel.
Although Fanduel’s scoring system doesn’t reward dominant drivers nearly as much as the scoring at DraftKings, the 500-lap distance of Sunday’s race will provide more than enough points in the laps led category to boost up the scores of several drivers.
With that in mind, I’m going to be trying to build lineups with at least three drivers who I feel are capable of leading a chunk of laps. Yes, there is a chance that one driver pulls off what Brad Keselowski did at Martinsville a few week backs and leads almost the entire race, but history says that is the exception, not the rule.
Even if several stronger options start deeper in the field, I won’t be shifting completely away from a dominator-heavy approach. If a driver moves up 20 spots, they are going to earn 10 points in the place differential category. If they lead 100 laps, they will earn 10 points in the laps led category, and the total can keep going up from there. Unless we have complete chaos in qualifying, the ceiling available in the laps led category is going to be much higher.
Make sure to check back after the starting lineup is set for updated picks and lineup strategies. Until then, take a closer look at the drivers I have on my radar at Fanduel for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
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Must-Own Drivers
Kyle Busch ($15,000)
Consistency has not been his strong suit at Bristol, but nobody has a higher ceiling. Busch leads all active drivers with seven wins here, and he has won two of the last three races. He has also led 100-plus laps in four of the last seven races at Bristol, and he has led 2,233 laps overall. No other driver comes close to that total. If he has another dominant run, you need him anchoring your lineup.
Joey Logano ($14,000)
Logano owns a couple of wins at Bristol, but it is his consistency that is really appealing in this format. Not only are his seven Top 10s in the last 10 races here tied for the most in the series, but he has also led laps in eight of the races during that stretch. Logano should be able to use all the scoring categories at Fanduel to his advantage to deliver a hefty point total.
Kyle Larson ($13,000)
Larson was the runner-up in both races at Bristol a year ago, and he has cracked the Top 10 and led laps in each of his last four starts. In fact, he has led at least 200 laps in two of those races. Larson is someone who can lead a lot of laps and contend for the win. That is going to come in handy with 500 laps on tap.
Difference Makers and Value Plays
Ryan Blaney ($11,400)
Blaney has been an all-or-nothing option this year, but man, he has been fast. He has led laps in five of the seven races in 2019, and he led 100 or more laps in both races at Bristol last season. He could be a great contrarian to the high-priced options this weekend.
Kurt Busch ($11,500)
How underrated is this guy? He changed teams again this offseason, and he has opened the year by finishing 12th or better in all six races since Daytona. Busch is just one of two Chevy drivers currently in the Top 10 in points, and he also happens to be a six-time winner at Bristol. He picked up win No. 6 here last summer, and he has cracked the Top 5 in three of his last six starts at the track. He could be a surprise contender for the win on Sunday.
Clint Bowyer ($11,000)
Normally more of a Top 10 option, a trip to a short track can turn Bowyer into a legitimate contender for the win. He has finished eighth or better in three of his four starts at Bristol since joining Stewart-Haas Racing, finishing second in the spring race in 2017 and leading 120 laps in the night race a year ago. He has a nice ceiling for the price tag.
Erik Jones ($10,200)
If you are looking for a mid-priced play who could really lead some laps, Jones is your man. He’s been fast in all four of his starts at Bristol, and he has cracked the Top 5 twice. Jones led a race-high 260 laps and finished second in the August race two years ago, so you know what type of upside he offers. Keep an eye on him for GPP contests.
Jimmie Johnson ($9,700)
Even if he wasn’t coming off a strong showing at Texas, I would have had my eye on Johnson this weekend. He’s been remarkably consistent at Bristol, and he actually leads all drivers with five Top 5s and an 8.3 average finish over the last 10 races here. Johnson is one of the best bets to finish in the Top 10 this weekend, and his price tag won’t break the bank. If he happens to start deeper in the field, he will be a no-brainer play for cash lineups.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ($9,000)
I normally hold my breath when picking Stenhouse, but that’s not the case at Bristol. That’s a lie. I still hold my breath a little, but there’s no denying that he’s been great here. He has six Top 10s and a 10.2 average finish over the last 10 races, and he has cracked the Top 5 four times. Stenhouse has also gained double-digit spots six times and 15-plus spots five times over that same span. He could be one of the biggest bargains on the board.
Ryan Newman ($7,500)
When looking for cheaper options at Fanduel, I want solid finishes and reliability. Newman has been providing both at Bristol. He has a 12.3 average finish over the last 10 races here, and he has nine finishes of 16th or better in that span. A little bit of differential upside would be the icing on the cake.
Sleeper Specials
Ryan Preece ($6,000)
He has been one of the bigger disappointments for me thus far, but Preece’s short track skills were on display a few weeks ago at Martinsville when he finished 16th. He also owns two XFINITY wins at short tracks, including one at Bristol, and I think he has a real shot at a Top 15 this weekend. If he also has some differential upside, I’ll be interested.
David Ragan ($5,000)
Ragan has managed respectable results at Bristol in his current equipment. He has finished 23rd or better in each of his last five starts, finishing 17th or better in three straight. As a bonus, he has gained double-digit spots in three times in that same span. In this scoring system, I also like that he tends to be one of the more dependable options among the cheaper drivers. Ragan has completed 98.6 percent of the laps so far this year.
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