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Sean's NASCAR DFS picks for DraftKings, FanDuel for the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway (2026). His top NASCAR daily fantasy lineup plays and DFS sleepers.
One race is down for the 2026 Chase for the Cup, as Darlington has been completed. Christopher Bell, who had seven second-place finishes before last week, obtained his first victory of the season to open up The Chase. Nine races are left to go, with the next one happening at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis. Gateway is a uniquely shaped 1.25-mile "flatter" oval track where each pair of corners features different degrees of banking. The degrees of banking are not large on either side of the track, giving it a closer-to-flat feel that is comparable to tracks like New Hampshire and Phoenix.
Regarding DFS strategies for this week's race, Gateway is a track where dominators will be important anchors for lineups. Drivers who make it out to the front often tend to stay there for longer stretches of time and accrue plenty of points from leading laps. With how the current Cup cars are built, passing can be a challenge, especially with heavy traffic conditions that can come into play. That being said, some drivers do present opportunities for offering Place Differential after their underwhelming qualifying runs. Considering the right drivers who can move up through the field for a solid finish is also important. It's all about picking the right driver combinations this week to obtain the right dominators and maximum upside for DFS success.
Below are my NASCAR DFS lineup picks for the Enjoy Illinois 300 on DraftKings and FanDuel this week. This slate locks on 9/13/2026 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.
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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.
Ryan Blaney
Starts 3rd - DK: $10.7K, FD: $13K
Ryan Blaney's third win of the season comes at New Hampshire! pic.twitter.com/mzSCiSuZa6
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 23, 2026
If there is one team in the field that is considered the team to beat at Gateway, it is Team Penske. They are the only organization in the Cup Series field with multiple Cup wins at Gateway. Ryan Blaney hasn't contributed to their win total, but he's been close several times, including a heartbreaking finish in 2024. That finish involved him running out of fuel on the final lap, leading teammate Austin Cindric to win.
In four Cup starts at Gateway, Blaney has three finishes of sixth or better, including two top-5 finishes. Blaney's 120 laps led are the most of any driver at the St. Louis track not named Kyle Busch, and Blaney has led multiple laps in all of his Cup starts at the site. Gateway is one of only five tracks in Blaney's Cup career with an average finish better than 10th (9.5).
In practice for this week's race, Blaney ranked first in 10 and 25 consecutive lap averages, showcasing how he has one of the best cars already through pre-race events. Considering his track history and equipment, it would not be a shock to see Blaney compete for the win and perhaps get redemption for his heartbreaking 2024 loss at the site.
Joey Logano
Starts 1st - DK: $10.2K, FD: $12.5K
Continuing with another driver from Team Penske, Joey Logano is another top target for DFS consideration. Penske has been great at flatter or shorter oval tracks this season, and it has shown through Logano's results. Both of Logano's wins this season came on shorter or flatter tracks (North Wilkesboro and Richmond), and Gateway falls under this similar track type.
Logano is the inaugural 2022 winner from the first Cup Series event at Gateway, where he led 22 laps. The No. 22 Ford driver is also the only racer in the field to have placed in the top five and gained positive PD in each Cup Series race at Gateway. Logano also led in three of his four Cup starts at the site.
"Don't let the boys get hot."
Joey Logano wins the pole at Gateway with a spectacular lap. The 32.817 lap was nearly three tenths better than anyone else and the only sub-33 second lap time.
Per the TNT broadcast, this is the largest lap time gap in qualifying since Chicagoland… pic.twitter.com/yvk1tgYHqH
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) September 12, 2026
In practice for this week's race, Logano ranked as high as second in 10 and 30 consecutive lap averages. Logano's equipment will be top-notch, and this is one of his best race tracks. Expect Logano to be an early dominator and one of the top drivers to compete for the win this week.
Austin Cindric
Starts 13th - DK: $8.2K, FD: $9.5K
There are some weeks where "stacking" an entire team's drivers for DFS is a viable strategy for success. For Gateway, this is a great week to consider a full Team Penske stack for a lineup, especially considering the Team's overall success. Austin Cindric is the cheapest of the three Penske drivers and the easiest one to fit into lineups.
In four Cup starts at Gateway, Cindric has one win (2024) and three top-15 finishes. He led multiple laps in the 2022 and 2024 events at the site and scored stage points in three different races at the St. Louis track. The No. 2 Ford driver's average finish of 11.0 at Gateway is the best of all tracks that are active on the current Cup schedule.
“We really kinda have nothing to lose. It’s been a fun mindset to be in but at the same time it’s kinda what you got when you’re the 15 seed”
Austin Cindric talks his team’s mindset going into Gateway where Penske should be strong again #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/OX9eukPRB2
— Braking Bob (@BrakingBob) September 12, 2026
In practice for this week's race, Cindric ranked fifth in 10 and 30 consecutive lap averages , while being fourth in 15 consecutive lap averages. Gateway is one of Cindric's best tracks, and unlike his teammates who start at the front with dominator potential, he provides solid PD upside. Cindric may not be the most competitive driver for the win, but for fantasy, he is worth rostering in all formats.
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Josh Berry
Starts 16th - DK: $7.9K, FD: $8,5K
Wood Brothers Racing is technically not Team Penske, but they might as well be considered a fourth Penske entry. WBR has a strong technical alliance with Penske, using some of the same equipment, and Penske trains and manages the pit crew. Combine this with how WBR's driver, Josh Berry, has been on an absolute tear the past couple of races, and there is another driver worth recommending for DFS.
Statwise, Berry's results at Gateway have not been very good, as the No. 21 Ford driver crashed in both of his prior two Cup starts at the site. However, Berry is on a current streak of six straight top-10 finishes with an average finish of 6.3 going into this week's race. NASCAR's oldest team has not obtained a streak of this many top-10s since 1976 with David Pearson.
Asked Josh Berry if his recent hot streak has helped him make progress on his 2027 plans. He said "Yeah" and then just smiled.
Berry said his cars have been better the last two months, and it's shown with six-straight Top 10s - the best such streak for the Wood Brothers since… https://t.co/mw0mMlWSyJ pic.twitter.com/Rrv6Sv4Ebt
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) September 7, 2026
Berry displayed top-5 speeds in practice in the 15-25 consecutive lap average categories, showing plenty of promise to add another top-10 finish to his streak. Fantasy players should continue to ride Berry's hot streak this week, especially when one of the closest comparable tracks happens to be where he had the best race of his current streak (New Hampshire), where he placed third and led 73 laps.
Ryan Preece
Starts 14th - DK: $7K, FD: $7K
Moving on from any Penske-associated rides, but sticking with Ford, RFK Racing is another team that can have some solid results this week. Ryan Preece may end up being one of the more overlooked drivers of the week despite being a Chase contender, but fantasy players should actually pay attention to the driver of the No. 60 Ford this week.
In three Cup starts at Gateway, Preece has two top-20 finishes with a best finish of 13th, which he obtained in last year's race at the site. Notably, Preece has scored positive PD in all three of his Cup starts at Gateway, even after he started no better than 29th in all three races. Preece also has been a consistent top-20 finisher in each of the last seven Cup races this season, with five of those being top-10s.
A DRAMATIC FINISH IN DAYTONA!!! 🏁🏆🌴
Ryan Preece secures the win!! pic.twitter.com/K5oAgScLAY
— NASCAR on USA (@NASCARonUSA) August 30, 2026
In practice, Preece displayed top-15 speeds in the 10-30 consecutive lap average categories. Although he may not have as much upside as most around his salary range, he is in better equipment and has displayed solid consistency over recent races that make him worth DFS consideration for this week's race.
Todd Gilliland
Starts 34th - DK: $5.3K, FD: $3.5K
For those looking for a deeper sleeper pick for DFS this week, consider Todd Gilliland as a highly favorable punt option. While his Front Row Motorsports teammates both qualified better than him, Gilliland has actually been the team's best driver in terms of finishing results at Gateway.
In four Cup starts at Gateway, Gilliland has two top-20 finishes. His best finish was 15th, which he scored in the 2023 Cup race at the site. Gilliland has also scored positive or neutral PD in three of his four Cup races at Gateway. He even led six laps during the 2024 race at the St. Louis track.
In practice for this week's race, Gilliland ranked ninth in 10 consecutive lap averages and 12th in 15 consecutive lap averages. With his starting position being deep in the field, Gilliland has plenty of upside to justify rostering him this week, especially when he is also one of the cheapest drivers to add on both DFS sites.
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