NASCAR DFS: Building an Optimal Lineup for Sunday's Brickyard 400

For the first time in history, NASCAR is heading to the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 4th weekend. Surely, the sport's top stars will rise at such a historic venue.

The 2.5-mile track drives very similar to Pocono Raceway, where the series was last weekend. For the longest time in late July, NASCAR would head to Indy before going to Pocono, but now the role's are reversed.

There's reason to base your DraftKings lineup for this week based off how drivers ran at Pocono. The Tunnel Turn at Pocono was built like all four corners at Indy. And usually, whoever runs well at one track is up front the latter. Let's see who you should have in your lineup for this weekend's Brickyard 400.

My DFS Lineup - Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400

Kevin Harvick ($11,000)

Career at Indianapolis: 19 starts, 2 wins, 321 laps led
Average finish at Indianapolis: 8.9

Harvick is one of the hottest drivers in NASCAR, earning three victories since the sport returned to action in mid-May. He's coming off consecutive top-two finishes at Pocono Raceway last weekend, and he's also the defending winner at Indy, so this is an obvious choice.

The fact Harvick starts from 11th is enticing, too. It's highly likely the No. 4 Ford will race to the front, lead laps and be in contention for the victory. After all, Harvick's 8.9 average finish is the best of active drivers at the track.

There's no doubt Harvick will be a factor for the win on Sunday. Since joining Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014, he's finished no worse than eighth. This is who you need to base your lineup off of.

Denny Hamlin ($10,100)

Career at Indianapolis: 14 starts, 0 wins, 112 laps led
Average finish at Indianapolis: 12.4

If there was a way to get both Harvick and Hamlin -- the two hottest drivers in the Cup Series -- on your team and still have a competitive back half, would you believe me? What's that, no? Alright, here we go.

Not only is Hamlin also coming off consecutive top-two finishes at Pocono, but he's been the standout at Joe Gibbs Racing this season. His record at Indy is solid.

No, Hamlin has yet to score a victory (remember the heartbreaker in 2018, yikes), but in the same time Harvick has been at SHR, Hamlin has just one finish worse than sixth. Starting the 400-miler in sixth is a tad concerning, but given the No. 11 car is the fastest thing in NASCAR right now, don't be concerned.

Joey Logano ($9,200)

Career at Indianapolis: 11 starts, 0 wins, 66 laps led
Average finish at Indianapolis: 10.9 

Oh, so now I'm telling you to choose the polesitter to be on your team, too? Yup.

Clean air is kingggg at Indy and Logano will have a ton of it to begin the race, meaning fast laps and laps led. Aside from 2018 (finished 13), Logano has ran near the front at every race at IMS since joining Team Penske in 2013, finishing no worse than eighth. Who owns the track now? Roger Penske. That's extra motivation right there.

Consider this, Logano has four straight finishes outside the top 10 this season. That's got to change at some point. He's too good, Team Penske is too good. They put it to rest this weekend and contend for the victory.

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Erik Jones ($8,100)

Career at Indianapolis: 3 starts, 0 wins, 10 laps led
Average finish at Indianapolis: 24.0

Jones' average finish at IMS throws out a red flag to choose him for Indy. But consider this: the No. 20 car starts 23rd on Sunday, meaning the only way he can really go is up, in terms of running against the elite teams.

Flashback to 2018, Jones finished runner-up to Brad Keselowski. Last year, he was taken out in the same wreck Keselowski was less than 50 laps into the race. He's also coming off his best result of the year, meaning there might be a slimmer of confidence running through the No. 20 team.

Racing around the playoff bubble, Jones needs solid finishes. Expect that this weekend and he's considerably undervalued for starting 23rd. Take him!

Ryan Newman ($5,900)

Career at Indianapolis: 19 starts, 1 win, 59 laps led
Average finish at Indianapolis: 16.0  

Since returning from missing three races following his last lap wreck in the Daytona 500, Newman has constantly finished in the teens. Expect that to change this weekend, as Indy is among his best tracks on the circuit.

Rewind to 2013: though he won the pole, who would have picked him to win the Brickyard? Not me. Think of last year. Needing a solid finish in the regular season finale at IMS to hold on to the final playoff position, he did that, too. Newman is always a solid pick at his home racetrack.

The fact Newman drew 14th for Sunday's race is a tad concerning, given he's only bettered that once since NASCAR returned. However, he's got three consecutive top-10 finishes at Indy, and we all know, he's nicknamed the "Rocketman" for a reason: he can clock in some fast laps.

Michael McDowell ($5,700)

Career at Indianapolis: 10 starts, o wins, 1 lap led
Average finish at Indianapolis: 27.7

Hold the phone, an average finish of 27.7 in 10 starts and I'm telling you to put McDowell in your lineup. You're damn right.

See, McDowell hadn't been in somewhat competitive equipment at Indy until 2014, but even then Leavine Family Racing wasn't what it is today. In 2017, McDowell finished 18th in the Brickyard, only to follow it up with consecutive 17th-place finishes the past two years for Front Row Motorsports.

Given McDowell starts 27th on Sunday, put this guy in your lineup. The No. 34 team has been on a hot streak of late, earning four top-15 finishes in the past seven races. Who knows what would happened last Sunday at Pocono if he wasn't run into the wall by Chase Elliott. Remember, he finished eighth in the first Pocono race, a track that drives very similar to IMS.

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