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Sean Engel's NASCAR Cup Series DFS picks for the Goodyear 400. Check out his DFS sleepers and top plays on DraftKings and FanDuel for the Goodyear 400 (2025).
This week, the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Darlington Raceway for the Goodyear 400. This race is a part of NASCAR's throwback weekend, where several drivers in the field will be running throwback paint schemes to drivers of the past. Throwback weekend has been part of the Cup Series at Darlington for 10 years, and the tradition of old-school paint schemes coming back will also be a part of this weekend.
Darlington is one of the most unique tracks on the Cup Series schedule due to its unique layout. It is a 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval where each pair of turns completely differs in length and banking. Considered one of the toughest tracks by NASCAR drivers, this is a track where it is easy for drivers to screw up and make mistakes by hitting the wall. This week's race will be the first of two trips of the year to the site in the Cup Series.
Below are my NASCAR DFS lineup picks for the Goodyear 400 on DraftKings and FanDuel this week. This slate locks on 4/6/2025 at 3:00 p.m. EST. If you have further questions or want to discuss racing, you can find me on X at @SeanE247.
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DFS Lineup Picks - DraftKings, FanDuel
Once you've read this article, be sure also to check out all of our other weekly NASCAR DFS articles to help you set your optimal DFS lineups. You should also check out our NASCAR DFS lineup tools for the ultimate combination of DFS resources to help you win big, including our Lineup Optimizer, DFS Cheat Sheet, Research Station, and more.
Disclaimer: All the drivers presented as picks for this week's race are meant to be some of my top DFS recommendations of the week. They are not originally intended to fit all into one lineup.
Kyle Larson
Starts 19th - DK: $10.5K, FD: $14K
The most expensive driver on both sites this week, Kyle Larson, will be well worth paying up for Sunday's race at Darlington. The No. 5 Chevrolet driver historically has been one of the best overall drivers in the field at the South Carolina track.
A look at the Terry Labonte original from 2003 and the Kyle Larson throwback for Darlington. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/vH0X3J2lEY
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 26, 2025
In 14 previous races at Darlington, Larson has one win and nine top-10 finishes while leading 1,048 laps, the most of any active driver. Larson also led 15 or more laps in each of the last four Darlington races.
In practice, Larson displayed top-5 speeds in the 20, 25, and 30 consecutive lap average categories, showcasing his car as being best suited for longer runs. He also ranked seventh in overall lap averages and starts outside of the top 15 this week.
Considering his practice speeds and overall history at Darlington, Larson is a great overall choice for DFS lineups this week.
William Byron
Starts 1st - DK: $9.9K, FD: $12.4K
Darlington is an excellent track with a high starting position towards the front like William Byron. Four of the previous six Darlington races were won by a driver with a top-5 starting position, including Byron himself during the May 2023 Cup event at the site. The average amount of laps led by all drivers starting first during the last six races at Darlington is about 95 laps, with at least 37 led at a minimum.
"If you're gonna have flames on your car, you better be fast."
William Byron gets it done in Darlington qualifying (and lives up to the #NASCARThrowback paint scheme he's carrying)! pic.twitter.com/sMYhOYNsru
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 5, 2025
In 13 previous races at Darlington in the Cup Series, Byron has one win and six top-10 finishes. The No. 24 Chevrolet driver also scored four top-10s and led multiple laps in the last five Cup events at the site.
In practice for Sunday's race, Byron ranked fourth in five and 10 consecutive lap averages. He also ranked second in overall lap averages and will start first for this week's race.
Based on track history and top-notch equipment from Hendrick Motorsports, look for Byron to lead laps and be a factor for the win, making him one of the top DFS drivers to consider as an early dominator.
Brad Keselowski
Starts 20th - DK: $8K, FD: $8.5K
RFK Racing was strong at Darlington during the 2024 season, winning the first race at the site in May with Brad Keselowski. Although his teammates Chris Buescher (DK: $8,100 | FD: $8,000) is also a solid DFS option this week and Ryan Preece (DK: $7,200 | FD: $6,800) is an intriguing tournament option, Brad himself may be the most well-rounded option from the three car team for DFS lineups.
In 22 races at Darlington in his Cup career, Keselowski has 19 top-20 finishes, including five straight finishes of 14th or better with four top-10s, going into this week's race. Since 2022 at the site, Keselowski has an average finish of 11.0, which ranks third behind Larson and Denny Hamlin.
Keselowski ranked 16th in overall lap averages while displaying top-5 speeds in the five-, 10-, and 15-consecutive lap average categories in practice. He also barely qualified inside the top 20 for this week's race, opening up an opportunity to capitalize on solid upside. The driver of the No. 6 Ford is certainly worth consideration for all DFS formats this week.
Car showed great speed in practice today. Tomorrow will be a tough race, but we're ready to make it back to back. #6NeverQuits pic.twitter.com/WmjVsXSbdw
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) April 5, 2025
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Josh Berry
Starts 24th - DK: $7.8K, FD: $7.8K
Tire management is one part of racing that will definitely come into play at Darlington. Drivers who know how to manage and save the grip on their tires generally perform well at this track. This favors the skill set of drivers who come from a modified or short track racing background like Josh Berry.
Berry placed third after starting 33rd in this exact race one year ago while driving for Stewart-Haas Racing. He was also a capable performer in the Xfinity Series at Darlington, scoring four top-10 finishes in six total starts.
Josh Berry with the best 10- and 15-lap average so far
— Jordan McAbee (@FanRacingOnline) April 5, 2025
In practice, Berry ranked third in overall lap averages and had the best 10 and 15 consecutive lap averages. With his starting position being in the back half of the field this week, expect Berry to make use of his Wood Brothers equipment to compete for a top-10 finish as one of the better mid-tier DFS options available this week.
Austin Dillon
Starts 23rd - DK: $6.3K, FD: $5K
One value driver with a chance of being a sneaky value play for this week's race is Austin Dillon. The No. 3 Chevrolet driver is one of the more experienced racers in the field with 17 prior starts at Darlington.
Through his Cup career at Darlington, Dillon has 14 top-20 finishes and an average finish of 15.2 in 17 races at the site. In the last six races at the site, Dillon has four top-20 finishes and three finishes with positive place differential.
In practice for this week's race, Dillon ranked sixth in overall lap averages and displayed top-10 speeds in the five, 10, and 15 consecutive lap average categories. Based on his equipment and overall history at Darlington, Dillon is one of the better value options to consider for this week's race at Darlington.
Austin Hill
Starts 37th - DK: $5.9K, FD: $3K
Austin Hill will be making the first of his five scheduled starts this week for the 2025 season in the Cup Series in a third Richard Childress Racing entry. Hill is an Xfinity Series regular, making his first-ever Cup start at Darlington.
Bringing out the No. 33 at Darlington.@_AustinHill | @UnitedRentals pic.twitter.com/PosKk1LzAv
— RCR (@RCRracing) April 3, 2025
In eight Xfinity Series starts at Darlington, Hill has seven top-10 finishes while obtaining positive PD six times. He also led in four of the last six Xfinity events at the site and has a best finish of second, which he scored twice.
In practice, Hill ranked 31st in overall lap averages while ranking as high as 29th in 15 consecutive lap averages. Hill starts in the second-to-last position for this week's race, giving him high upside for as long as he can finish the race, making him one of the safest DFS options in the field. With his equipment provided by RCR, a top-30 finish is not out of the question, especially if other drivers end up having issues or crashing during this week's race.
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