RADIO
I can't begin to describe how weird it is to not be in Talladega, Alabama going into this weekend. For the past two races at this track, I've been up and down Talladega Boulevard, down in the pits asking all the tough questions (like how Brett Moffitt harnesses his Mustache Power), and most importantly, figuring out the best picks possible for your DFS lineups at the fastest Superspeedway in NASCAR. Although the mood may be different, I'm still ready to bag at my favorite racetrack on the planet.
The big topic people have been talking about is the new package on the cup cars for superspeedway racing. The package takes away aeroducts, and decreases the size of the throttle body to lower horsepower, along with various addons for safety purposes. These changes began formation after Ryan Newman's crash at the Daytona 500 in February, and the only practice scheduled to give us a glimpse of what to expect was canceled earlier this week.
Chef Boi and I have put together some content in video format where we dive into the strategy that has brought success consistently over the past few years. Armed with this strategy, multiple Eric Church albums, and a sweet pair of jorts for Sunday, you should have the perfect recipe for a successful Dega weekend (even if you're at home). After checking out my picks head over to YouTube to watch the NASCAR DFS Preview Show, and Episode 172 of the Garage Guys Fantasy Sports Podcast.
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DFS Lineup Picks - DraftKings, FanDuel
Be sure to also check out all of our other weekly NASCAR DFS articles and analysis to help you set your optimal DFS lineups, including the RotoBaller NASCAR DFS Preview Show on YouTube:
Joey Logano #22
(DraftKings $10,200 | FanDuel $13,000 | DK SportsBook +900 )
Logano's crew usually puts together a rocketship of a car for Talladega and Daytona, and I can't imagine that stopping anytime soon. Pairing the car with Loganos driving skill is an absolute force, and out of the higher-priced drivers, he's my favorite to bag the win. Since 2016, Joey has won at this track twice, and only finished three out of eight races outside of the Top 5.
Brendan Gaughan #62
(DraftKings $7,600 | FanDuel $5,000 | DK SportsBook +6600)
Gaughan is one of those guys that pop up at the superspeedway, and immediately bring life to the track. Last October, Brendan went sky soaring during the big one, and came out of the medical facility with pure adrenaline pumping in his veins (it was a wild moment). Starting in P39, I'll have a good amount of Gaughan in my lineups for a guy who has a lot of place differential upside.
Garett Smithley #78
(DraftKings $30,000 | FanDuel $??? | DK SportsBook +30000 )
Smithley wasn't even on the list to Race at Talladega, but after a mishap with a driver, he was given a seat in one of BJ McLeod's team cars. This will be Smithley's first NASCAR Cup race at Talladega, but dont let that scare you from playing him, he's starting in P40. Smithley was consistent with Top 12 finishes in his Xfinity Series races at this track, so we should expect to see some movement by the end of the race.
Tyler Reddick #8
(DraftKings $6,900 | FanDuel $9,300 | DK SportsBook +2800 )
Reddick at this price on DraftKings is insane to me, and I'm taking full advantage of it. Reddick is in an awkward spot starting P14 in Sunday's race, but with his record at Talladega, paired with a high confidence level coming off of a Top 5 finish, I want to have that energy all in my lineups. I'm thinking we'll see a Top 10 finish for Tyler in his Talladega Cup Series debut.
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Ryan Preece #37
(DraftKings $6,200 | FanDuel $7,200 | DK SportsBook +6600 )
Preece and his teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr. should be two popular plays this Sunday, but out of the two I'm going to have to go with Preece based on starting position. Preece usually ends up with the better end of the stick for DFS purposes at this track, and he's got two races under his belt with excellent place differential. Preece will be starting in P31 on Sunday.
Christopher Bell #95
(DraftKings $9,700 | FanDuel $8,900 | DK SportsBook +5000 )
Bell has been starting a lot from the rear lately, but the DFS sites have caught on to this, and have made sure he's not a cheap option. Since we aren't too worried about salary for superspeedway races, it's a no brainer to have some Chris Bell shares this Sunday. He'll be starting from P35, and should easily find himself in the Top 20 by the end of Stage 1.
Ty Dillon #13
(DraftKings $7,100 | FanDuel $6,800 | DK SportsBook +6600)
There's never been a more perfect combo than "Geico Dillon" and the Geico 500. I typically play a lot of Dillon at this track (and maybe make too many long-shot bets) due to place differential, and the fact that he's a smooth criminal when riding the concrete Dega waves. Dillon rolls off in P33, and should continue his trend of Top 15 finishes at this track.
Chase Elliott #9
(DraftKings $10,400 | FanDuel $13,300 | DK SportsBook +750 )
You cant not have some Chase Elliott this weekend in your DFS lineups with the blazing fast Hendrick equipment on the track. I do love some Bowman this weekend as well, and I encourage you to play him, but Chase starting from P11 should give a little more place differential edge than Bowman who starts from P8. Elliott has done decent at this track in his career, and with his recent success in 2020, It could drive him to repeat the win at this year's Geico 500.
For any and all fantasy NASCAR questions, find me on Twitter @GarageGuyChase and subscribe to the Garage Guys Fantasy Sports Podcast for Fantasy NASCAR and Fantasy Football talk. Good luck RotoBallers!
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Jordan McAbee anchors the team with his exclusive NASCAR DFS and betting picks, DFS projections and algorithm-predicted finishing order! Jordan had a 60+ unit betting profit in 2024 NASCAR, and a 25% average annual profit since 2018. He won the FSWA Racing Writer Of The Year award in 2023, and has been nominated for DFS Writer Of The Year in 2024.
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