RADIO
Dave's NASCAR DFS Picks (Xfinity Series) for the Blue Cross NC 250 at Charlotte Roval (2025). Read his daily fantasy NASCAR advice and Xfinity DFS sleepers.
We're back for another round of NASCAR Xfinity Series action this weekend. Brandon Jones picked up his second victory of the year last week at Kansas. We listed Jones as a driver to target due to his strong track history at Kansas Speedway. Hopefully, you heeded that advice and won a few bucks in the process. This weekend, the Xfinity Series will go road racing for the seventh and final time in 2025. The Charlotte Roval is next on the schedule. The Roval is a unique road course, and prior history at the track is of the utmost importance for DFS purposes. We will take drivers' previous history at the Roval into account, as well as their finishes at the six previous road course races from this year, to gauge what to expect this weekend.
The Roval also marks the final race in the Round of 12. After this weekend, the top eight drivers in the standings will advance to the Round of 8, with the remaining four being eliminated from the playoffs. Jesse Love currently sits in eighth place and is five points to the good. Nick Sanchez, Austin Hill, Harrison Burton, and Sammy Smith are all within 14 points of Love, so we could see a lot of movement in the standings after Saturday's race.
Will anyone prevent Connor Zilisch from winning another road course event and posting his 17th consecutive top-five finish? Could Sam Mayer be the man to do so and win his third straight race at the Roval? Who will advance to the Round of 8 and who will be left in the dust? Let's break down some NASCAR Xfinity DFS lineup picks for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Blue Cross NC 250 at Charlotte Roval on DraftKings. Also, make sure to check out our NASCAR Premium Tools for the Xfinity Series, including our DFS Lineup Optimizer and powerful Research Station. This slate locks on 10/4/25 at 5:08 p.m. EDT.
Happy New Year! Save 50% on any Premium Pass using discount code NEW. Win more with our DFS, Betting and Season-Long Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! GAIN ACCESS*Please note: Xfinity Series qualifying takes place on 10/4 at 12:40 PM EST. Check back after qualifying for any updates.*
Xfinity DFS Preview - DraftKings
Be sure to also check out all of our other weekly NASCAR DFS articles and analyses to help you set your optimal DFS lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Top NASCAR Xfinity Series DFS Plays
Connor Zilisch ($16K)
Starts 1st
As dominant as Zilisch has been in 2025, he's saved his best for the road course races. Zilisch has finished inside the top five in all six road course events so far this year. He's scored victories at Portland, Watkins Glen, Sonoma, and COTA.
.@ConnorZilisch gets his road course revenge against teammate @shanevg97 at @RaceSonoma! pic.twitter.com/Bm6YKsiun9
— The CW Sports (@TheCW_Sports) July 12, 2025
He is by far the most expensive driver on the slate, but it's hard to argue against that given how good he's been on the road courses during his brief NASCAR career.
Priced at $16K, including Zilisch in your lineup will cause you to make serious sacrifices further down your card. However, given the high likelihood he will score dominator and fastest lap points, it's still a good idea to use Zilisch as an anchor and target other cheaper options to round out your lineups.
Sam Mayer ($11K)
Starts 7th
While Zilisch will understandably get all the attention this weekend, we shouldn't completely forget about Mayer, who has won the last two Xfinity Series races at the Roval.
REPOST to congratulate Sam Mayer!
He wins at the ROVAL as there's a battle for the final transfer spot behind him! #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/VQ8TrpwuXg
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 7, 2023
In four Xfinity Series Roval starts, Mayer has two wins, two top fives, three top 10s, and an average finish of 5.8, with his worst finish being an 11th-place result in 2022. Something about this track really suits his driving style well.
If you don't want to pay up for Zilisch, then Mayer is the perfect pivot.
Austin Hill ($9.7K)
Starts 16th
Hill is primarily known as a draft track specialist, but he's been very good on the road courses, too. He's finished inside the top five in all but one road course race so far this year. Hill has also finished inside the top 10 in this race for two straight years.
With Hill needing a big effort to make the Round of 8, look for him to come out swinging and post another quality road course finish this weekend.
Aric Almirola ($9.5K)
Starts 11th
Almirola went to victory lane in his last Xfinity Series start at Bristol last month. This will be Almirola's first road course race of the year, but he did finish ninth in this race last season.
His track history at the Roval in the Cup Series isn't spectacular, but he is one of the best drivers in the field and should post another strong result this weekend.
NASCAR Xfinity Series DFS Fades
Justin Allgaier ($10.5K)
Starts 2nd
Allgaier has two top fives and four top 10s in seven career Roval starts. However, he has not been great on the road courses in 2025. His best results on the road courses this year are a pair of sixth-place finishes at Sonoma and Watkins Glen.
Allgaier is not a bad road course racer, but for whatever reason, the results haven't been there this year. Leave him out of DFS lineups this weekend.
Austin Green ($7.4K)
Starts 10th
Green finished 30th in this race last year due to an engine failure, but he's had a good season on the road courses in 2025. He scored top 10 finishes at Mexico City, Chicago Street Course, Watkins Glen, and Portland.
I entered this weekend wanting to include Green in the majority of my lineups, but I don't think the value is there after he qualified 10th. Other drivers in this price range offer more value as a place differential target.
Kaz Grala ($7.2K)
Starts 9th
Grala is a good road course racer, but he doesn't offer a lot of place differential upside after qualifying ninth. There are better options in this price range.
Brennan Poole ($5.8K)
Starts 12th
I initially listed Poole as a value play, but he doesn't offer much upside starting 12th. He could sneak into the top 10. However, it's more likely than not that he scores negative place differential points, and that is not a driver that helps you for DFS purposes.
Mid-Tier NASCAR Xfinity Series DFS Options
Taylor Gray ($9K)
Starts 17th
Gray is on the expensive side this weekend, but it's for good reason. He has top 10 finishes at Sonoma, Mexico City, and COTA.
However, this is his first career Roval start. Initially, I had listed Gray as fade, but after he qualified 17th, I think he offers some place differential upside.
William Sawalich ($8.5K)
Starts 15th
Sawalich makes his first career Roval start this weekend. He's finished inside the top 10 in four of six road course starts this year, highlighted by a second-place finish at Portland in August.
Sawalich hasn't had the best 2025, but half of his top 10s this year have come at road courses. I like targeting him this weekend, especially after he qualified outside the top 10.
Nick Sanchez ($8.3K)
Starts 14th
Sanchez has top-five finishes in three of the last four road course races.
Christian Eckes ($8.1K)
Starts 18th
Eckes has been running better in recent weeks. He's finished inside the top 15 in 11 of his last 14 races. Eckes has also run well on the road courses this year. He has three top fives and four top 10s in six road course races in 2025.
Expect him to acclimate just fine to the Roval and post another solid finish this weekend.
Daniel Hemric ($7.7K)
Starts 27th
Hemric will be making his second Xfinity Series start of the year this weekend. He has a very good track record at the Roval. Hemric has two top fives, four top 10s, and an average finish of eighth in five career Xfinity Series Roval starts.
After qualifying 27th, Hemric offers gamers a ton of upside as a place differential target. Given his history at the Roval, Hemric is a must-start and is one of the best values on the card.
Harrison Burton ($7.3K)
Starts 28th
Burton has two top 15s in three Roval starts. He also scored top 10s at Mexico City and Watkins Glen earlier this year.
NASCAR Xfinity Series DFS Value Options
Alex Labbe ($6.9K)
Starts 21st
Labbe has seven career Xfinity Series starts at the Roval. He has one top five, three top 10s, and has never finished outside the top 15. Labbe also has three top 15s at the road courses this year. I like him as a potential place differential target.
Jeb Burton ($6.8K)
Starts 30th
Burton finished 15th in this race last year after starting 27th. He's also scored top 10s at Mexico City and Portland.
Daniel Dye ($6.6K)
Starts 38th
This weekend will be Dye's first start at the Roval. However, he scored top 15s at Mexico City and Portland and had positive place differential points in both races.
Dean Thompson ($6.4K)
Starts 33rd
Outside of a 32nd-place finish at Portland, Thompson has finished inside the top 20 in every road course race this year and scored positive place differential points in each race, too.
Jeremy Clements ($5.7K)
Starts 36th
Clements has six top 20s in seven career Xfinity Series Roval starts with an average finish of 16.3. Target him if he starts toward the rear.
More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis
The Keys to Weekly NASCAR Success
NASCAR is back, and it's time for you to win more with RotoBaller! Our NASCAR Premium Package for DFS and betting features several heavy hitters and proven winners.
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.
Five-time NASCAR Racing Writer of the Year finalist and fantasy industry legend Scott "The King" Engel is also in the crew, bringing you his weekly strategies and lineup picks. Set your winning DFS lineups with our award-winning team. He has been nominated once again in 2024 for this award.
