NASCAR South Point 400 DFS Preview

Photo Credit: nascar.com

DraftKings Preview

AustYn

The final 8 drivers have been decided in the NASCAR Playoffs and the series marches on to Las Vegas for the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. AJ Allmendinger pulled off the victory last week at the ROVAL, a track that has been very kind to him in the past. The win marks AJ’s 3rd of his career and even though there weren’t any playoff implications, it was a major win for Kaulig Racing. Hopefully Allmendinger will be back in the Cup Series next season to give the 16 team a shot to get a win prior to the Playoffs. Brad Keselowski, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace and Kyle Busch were eliminated from the championship hunt last weekend. Las Vegas Motor Speedway has aged in terms of the asphalt, as those hot summers and cold winters add character to the track, so tire wear will be a premium. Christopher Bell will sit on the pole for the event today. My strategy for today’s race will be a lot of history. There are a few drivers in the field who always bring their best to Vegas, and I do not think that is a coincidence. Also, the tire model they are using has been used at tracks “similar” like Kansas and Fontana. Practice speeds are crucial too, but not a major factor to me…really, it’s just a guide. To shed light on comparing this race to the March one, the practice speeds were 1 second slower…that’s massive. There will be 267 laps completed today, and I have a feeling we will have at least 1 driver leading 100 laps, hopefully we get him!

Top Pick: William Byron Starting 3rd ($10,600)

Starting in 3rd position, I like the #1 seed to take care of business in Vegas, He won here earlier in the season, and I just feel like he is a safe pick at this track. With practice speeds in the top-5 on average and overall, the 6-time winner this season is on a roll to win his first Cup Series championship.

Supporting Cast: Ross Chastain Starting 10th ($8,300) & Alex Bowman Starting 14th ($7,700)

Not often are you able to select 2 drivers capable of winning the race below $8.5k. With the Playoffs, pricing is skewed a little in favor of the drivers competing for the title and rightfully so. Chastain led over 50 laps in both races at Vegas last season and has an average running position of 5th in his last 3 according to TandemDraft. Alex Bowman won here last year and had an average running position better than 15th in his last 6 starts. These cars are competitive and do not be shocked if both finish in the top-10 today.

FanDuel Preview

Yacs

The Round of 8 begins today and the remaining drivers are scrambling to get into the Championship round. AJ Allmendinger won last week’s race at the ROVAL and even though a win didn’t do anything for him as far as playoffs are concerned, the win was big for him. Kyle Busch, Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain, and Brad Keselowski were all eliminated last week. At the moment; Bell, Buescher, Reddick, and Blaney are all on the outside looking in. This week is a change of pace heading out west to Las Vegas.

The 1.5-mile track will be a welcoming sight for some drivers still in it and at this point, they need great finishes to advance. My strategy today is a bit of a mixed bag. I looked at practice speed/lap average, Also, I looked at starting position. I don’t think focusing on prior results at Vegas will help tremendously, but it certainly does help. We’ll see what happens, but here is my lineup on FanDuel this week.

Getty

First Picks: Kyle Larson ($14,000) Starting 2nd; Chase Elliott ($10,000) Starting 35th

I picked these guys for opposite reasons, but nonetheless, I think you should have both in your lineups. Larson is a previous winner at Vegas and generally runs well here. Well, he runs well generally everywhere, but you get the point. Larson has a fast car and I think he will stay in the Top 5 all day long. No reason to over think here.

Elliott on the other hand, is starting at the back of the pack. For just !0K, I think that is a steal. Granted, he isn't racing for an advancing spot, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to make the climb. I won’t guarantee a Top 10, but he should climb quite a bit today.

Getty

Next in Line: Chris Buescher ($9,500) Staring 5th; Daniel Suarez ($6,800) Starting 36th

Buescher is still alive and I think he has a real shot of moving on past this round. His history here has been pretty decent. He has actually done a lot better than some of the drivers that would surprise you. He has a better average finish than Chase Elliott, Kurt Busch, and Christopher Bell at Vegas. His car fast in practice and now that Brad Keselowski is out, RFK is going to put their big efforts towards the 17 car. Look for Buescher to do well today.

Suarez is simply a climber. He should climb today regardless of how well he finishes. Considering that this isn't a short track, getting lapped shouldn’t be an issue. Don’t look at his previous results here, because you may get discouraged. I think $6,800 is a more than fair price for him and you should only pick him if you want passing points.

Final Pick: Alex Bowman ($7,500) Starting 14th

RGM Photography

Bowman is my final pick and I think he will do well today. He has a good history here and is even a former winner. He won here last year, and he finished 3rd back in the spring this season. He was the slowest of the Hendrick cars, but all of the Hendrick cars are super-fast. Considering that fact, I think he is almost a must pick at that price. Look for the 48 to be strong today.

Yacs