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Ready to gamble on some racing? NASCAR is heading to Sin City this weekend -- Las Vegas -- the gambling mecca of the Untied States. Just so happens, there are some good deals on the table.
After three Cup Series races, it's becoming a tad more clear of which teams have speed; and which don't. With that said, the first three events of the 2021 season have been an anomaly, with races at Daytona, a road course and the slickest mile and a half track out there.
What's that mean? You likely can't take anything from the first three races and apply it to this weekend's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But we can try!
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DFS Lineup Picks - DraftKings, FanDuel
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Ryan Blaney
(DraftKings $10,800 | FanDuel $10,700 | DK SportsBook +1300 )
There are plenty of surprises through three races this season, but at the top might possibly be Blaney.
After the first trio of events, Blaney sits a distant 24th in the championship standings, only having a bet finish of 15th. But again, you can't take much from the first three races to Las Vegas.
What you can take to the bank is Blaney's track record in Sin City. In the spring race last season, the No. 12 Ford paced the field for 19 laps and was leading late until a late caution flew. Blaney elected to pit, and could only rebound to 11th on a green-white-checkered finish.
Consider this: In nine Vegas starts, Blaney has three top-five finishes with three additional top 10s. His average finish is an impressive 9.7. Starting deep in the field (26th), Blaney's a solid pick.
Joey Logano
(DraftKings $10,000 | FanDuel $13,000 | DK SportsBook +800)
I think Team Penske is going to be really good this weekend. And if you're looking at trends, Logano is your guy for Sunday's race.
Dating back to 2019, Logano has been victorious in both spring races at LVMS. In each race, he's led at least 20% of the race, meaning he runs up front. In fact, with the exception of the playoff race at Vegas last September, Logano was on a streak of nine consecutive top-10 finishes in Sin City. No bones about it, it's one of his best tracks on the schedule.
If you want to go the safe, reliable route, Logano is stout, and likely have a shot at the victory.
Kevin Harvick
(DraftKings $9,700 | FanDuel $14,000 | DK SportsBook +600)
There's just something about Harvick on mile-and-a-half tracks. Last February, the No. 4 led a race-high 92 laps en route to an eighth-place finish.
That's not away from the norm since joining Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. In 10 Vegas starts driving the No. 4, Harvick has led laps in eight races; with 50% of those starts spending at least 47 laps in front of the field. Virtue of starting on the pole Sunday, expect Harvick to lead laps early and often, scoring you points.
Because of the prices, you may have to go either/or with Logano and Harvick. Neither is a bad selection.
Matt DiBenedetto
(DraftKings $9,000 | FanDuel $7,800 | DK SportsBook +5000)
Like Blaney, DiBenedetto needs something to go right this weekend. Fortunately for Wood Brothers Racing, the N0. 21 Ford finished runner-up in both events in 2020.
Sure, DiBenedetto will take the green flag from 30th position, at a track where clean air means everything. But in both events last season, the No. 21 team played the strategy game to get to the front. Expect nothing different on Sunday.
You can only hold a playoff-caliber team down for so long. For the price, DiBenedetto is a layup this weekend.
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Alex Bowman
(DraftKings $8,800 | FanDuel $9,500 | DK SportsBook +2000)
Being honest, outside of Team Penske, I really like Bowman this weekend, too. When discussing Vegas, he's honest: It's his favorite racetrack.
Prior to that aforementioned late-race caution last spring, Bowman was chasing down Blaney for the lead, and it would have been a real battle to see who visited victory lane. Like Blaney, Bowman pitted and finished a disappointing 13th.
If Homestead was any indication -- which it likely wasn't -- Hendrick Motorsports will be good again this weekend. Of the four HMS drivers, I predict the No. 48 will be the quickest.
Bubba Wallace
(DraftKings $7,000 | FanDuel $5,300 | DK SportsBook +6600)
Prior to the season beginning, there was much hype around 23XI Racing. Rightfully so. But it hasn't been dandelions, unicorns and rainbows for the team in the opening three races.
Wallace sits 16 in points with an average finish of 21.7. Sure, it's early, and I fully believe the No. 23 car will make the postseason, but the team needs a momentum boost, and Vegas could just be that track.
Last spring, Wallace picked up his best career finish on an intermediate track (sixth) at Las Vegas. With a team that has a much bigger budget, there's no telling where 23XI will run. But we'll get a better indication after Sunday.
Chris Buescher
(DraftKings $6,400 | FanDuel $5,000 | DK SportsBook +8000)
Raise your hand if you had Buescher leading a career high 57 laps last weekend at Homestead. Yeah, nobody did.
Not only was Buescher impressive and won a stage, but Roush Fenway Racing had its best intermediate race in years, with Ryan Newman placing seventh. Unfortunately for the No. 17 team, it faded to 19th late.
Because of that, Buescher will start 18th on Sunday. The team showed real speed last weekend, so to fill out your lineups, the No. 17 car is worth the risk.
Michael McDowell
(DraftKings $6,000| FanDuel $4,500 | DK SportsBook +12500)
McDowell has been the story of the 2021 season thus far, and that's not a bad thing at all.
It's refreshing to see new faces run up front, and McDowell's No. 34 team has three top 10s to start off the season, not lucking into any of them.
Running well means the No. 34 will start towards the front of the field (fifth), so that is a cause for concern given McDowell's career track record. But if you're basing it off his 2021 record, this is a steal. The Arizona native is looking to improve on a best finish of 18th in 14 starts at Las Vegas.
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