We stick to the short track racing this weekend as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series trades the high banks of Bristol for the flatter corners of Richmond Raceway. The three-quarter-mile, D-shaped oval will host Saturday night’s Toyota Owners 400, and I’m here to help you win some money playing NASCAR DFS at Fanduel.
If you play NASCAR DFS at both DraftKings and Fanduel, then you already know that Fanduel doesn’t reward dominator points to the same level as DraftKings. At some tracks, this means you can get away with one-dominator lineups that feature top-to-bottom balance. I don’t think that’s the case this weekend at Richmond.
With 400 laps on tap there are plenty of laps for drivers to lead, and as we saw last weekend at Bristol, short tracks can often allow several drivers to lead a significant amount of laps. I’ll be trying to assemble lineups with at least three drivers who I believe can spend some time out front and contend for a Top 5 finish.
Qualifying can always change that plan, especially if we see any big names end up starting at the back for whatever reason. If I think there is a driver who is a great bet to gain 20-plus spots, I’ll usually take it. If all the usual suspects qualify well, I’ll be hunt for some potential lap leaders.
Check back after the starting lineup is set on Friday, and make sure you get your Fanduel lineups locked in a day early for Saturday night’s Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway.
Must-Own Drivers
Kyle Busch ($15,300)
He hasn’t finished worse than sixth all season, posting a series-best 3.4 average finish and winning three times. He also happened to sweep both races at Richmond last year, and he owns six wins here overall. I see no reason to expect him to slow down this weekend, and no driver is offering a higher ceiling than Busch these days.
Joey Logano ($14,000)
Logano has been automatic at Richmond, posting a series-best 5.4 average finish and nine Top 10s over the last 10 races here. He’s also shown more than enough upside, winning twice and leading 25 or more laps five times. Throw in the fact that Team Penske has been strong all year, and you should feel pretty confident building around Logano this weekend.
Kevin Harvick ($14,000)
As I just mentioned, I love drivers with reliability and upside at Fanduel, and over the last 10 races at Richmond, Harvick has a 6.3 average finish and leads all drivers with seven Top 5s. He has cracked the Top 15 in all 10 races in that span, leading laps in seven of them. No, he hasn’t led as many laps as some other options, but he still has plenty of upside while offering a safer floor.
Difference Makers and Value Plays
Martin Truex Jr. ($12,700)
If you just look at his final results, you might not think Truex is worth the price tag this weekend. However, he has been absolutely dominant at Richmond recently, leading over 120 laps in four of the last five races here, and leading more than 190 laps twice in that span. No other driver has come close to leading that many laps on a consistent basis, and Truex will likely be my favorite pivot to the drivers priced at $14,000 or more.
Denny Hamlin ($12,500)
Normally an all-or-nothing option, Hamlin has kept the upside but found some consistency this year. He has two wins in the first eight races this season and just a single finish outside the Top 10. I don’t expect his hot start to come to an end at Richmond where he is a three-time winner and has six finishes of sixth or better in the last seven races.
Clint Bowyer ($10,800)
I’m a little shocked to see Bowyer priced so affordably this weekend. The guy is a short track stud, and he had cars capable of winning at both Martinsville and Bristol already this season. He is also a two-time winner at Richmond for his career, and he finished in the Top 10 in both races here last year, flirting with the win in the spring race. Bowyer is one of the few mid-priced options with a legitimate shot to lead some laps and contend for the win.
Aric Almirola ($10,200)
Almirola was locked in at Richmond last year, contending for the win in both races. He actually slid to 17th in the spring race thanks to drawing the wrong lane on a series of late restarts, but Almirola finished second and third in the two stages of that race. He came back in the fall and logged a fifth-place finish, and you won’t find a cheaper option on the board who was more impressive at Richmond in 2018. I love the upside at this price.
Jimmie Johnson ($10,000)
Solid finishes and reliability count for a lot in Fanduel’s scoring, and Johnson has been as dependable as any driver out there at Richmond. He has finished 11th or better in each of his last nine starts here, and he has even gained double-digit spots 11 times. Some place differential points would be nice, but I’ll have my eye on him in cash games regardless.
Daniel Suarez ($9,200)
After a bit of an uneven start, Suarez has hit his stride with Stewart-Haas Racing. He has four straight Top 15s and three straight Top 10s heading into Richmond, and he was always solid here with Joe Gibbs Racing. In four previous starts at the track, he has posted an 11.5 average finish, and he has gained an average of +11.3 spots per race. Suarez looks like a great value at this price no matter he qualifies, and he will become a no-brainer option if he starts deeper in the field.
William Byron ($7,200)
Byron is still trying to find his rhythm at the Cup level, but shorter, flatter tracks seem to suit him. In six combined starts at Phoenix, Richmond and New Hampshire, he has managed four Top 15 finishes. If he starts in the back half of the field, Byron could be one of the top bargains at Fanduel this weekend.
Sleeper Special
Ty Dillon ($6,000)
He is still struggling on the bigger ovals, but Dillon has actually been competitive on the smaller tracks this year. He has picked up Top 15 finishes at Phoenix, Martinsville and Bristol, and he has gained an average of 7.7 spots in those three starts. Dillon has also gained double-digit spots in two of his four starts at Richmond. If he qualifies somewhere outside the Top 20, he should be one of the safer sources of cap relief.
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