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Dave's NASCAR DFS Picks (Xfinity Series) for the Wawa 250 at Daytona (2025). Read his daily fantasy NASCAR advice and Xfinity DFS sleepers.
After an off weekend, the NASCAR Xfinity Series returns this Friday night. The race to the Xfinity Series Playoffs is on, and we only have four races left until the playoffs begin. Rookie sensation Connor Zilisch won the series’ most recent event at Watkins Glen. However, a freak accident in which Zilisch fell off his car in Victory Layne has left him with a broken collarbone. It was a scary situation, and we are all happy he is okay. Amazingly, Zilisch is slated to compete in this weekend’s race despite his injury.
With Daytona International Speedway next on the schedule, we should be in store for a wild race Friday night. The unique packages at superspeedways create the well-known pack-style racing. This means just one tiny mistake from any of the field’s 39 drivers could wipe out half the field. “The Big One” is always a worry on these drafting tracks. It’s long been debated what the best strategy is to avoid it. One thing is for certain: whether you are running up front or toward the rear, you never know when the Big One will strike.
Drafting tracks are big wildcards when it comes to predicting race winners. Anyone in the field has a chance to win due to the unique style of racing we see at these tracks. So, who will take the checkered flag this weekend? Can Zilisch continue his white hot streak? Will drafting ace Austin Hill score a victory and silence many of his critics from the last few weeks? Or will someone outside the playoff picture score an upset victory and punch their ticket to the dance? Let's break down some NASCAR Xfinity DFS lineup picks for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Wawa 250 at Daytona 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 8/22/25 at 7:38 p.m. EDT.
Featured Promo! Save 50% on any PGA Premium Pass using discount code MASTERS, this week only! Win more with our DFS and Betting Packages, get expert tools and advice from proven winners including the Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, betting/props cheat sheet and more. GAIN FULL ACCESS HERE*Please note: Xfinity Series qualifying takes place on 8/22 at 3:00 PM. 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.
Post Practice/Qualifying Updates
These lists might look radically different after qualifying. So make sure you check back after practice and qualifying for any updates.
Top NASCAR Xfinity Series DFS Plays
Austin Hill ($11k)
Starts Fourth
Dominator points are less predictable in these superspeedway races, so generally, it's not always the best idea to prioritize them at these tracks. However, Hill is a different beast and has led laps at Daytona, Talladega, and Atlanta this year.
Hill also led 56 laps and won the first two stages in the February Daytona race. Unfortunately, a mechanical issue would end his day, but he still showed great speed. He also had victories at Atlanta and Talladega earlier this year.
Hill's name has been in the news for all the wrong reasons over the last month. A victory at Daytona would silence his critics and would be a great response to all the controversy.
Hill is the best drafter in the field, and DFS gamers should feel confident building their lineups around him.
What a finish!!!!!
Georgia native @_AustinHill wins for the third straight time in Atlanta and fifth time in his last six. #XfinitySeries pic.twitter.com/oGF9mXi06X
— The CW Sports (@TheCW_Sports) February 23, 2025
Jesse Love ($10.7K)
Starts 10th
Both Richard Childress Racing drivers have been money on the superspeedways this year. Love is the most recent Daytona winner as he captured the checkered flag here back in February. He also finished inside the top five at Talladega and finished sixth at Atlanta back in June.
Both of Love's Xfinity Series victories have come on drafting tracks. Expect Love to be in contention for the victory again this weekend.
Justin Allgaier ($10.5K)
Starts Fifth
Allgaier scored a fourth-place finish at Talladega and was runner-up in the February Atlanta race. He also scored a victory at Daytona back in 2023.
The JR Motorsports veteran is currently embroiled in a fight with teammate Connor Zilisch for the regular season championship. With Zilisch banged up, this could be a great opportunity for Allgaier to re-take the series lead.
Justin Haley ($10K)
Starts 21st
All four of Haley's Xfinity Series victories have come at Daytona and Talladega. He also scored his lone Cup Series victory at Daytona back in 2019. He's one of the better drafters in the field and should be running toward the front most of the day.
Haley is on the more expensive side this week. However, he starts 21st after qualifying was rained out. That makes this price much more palatable.
NASCAR Xfinity Series DFS Fades
Connor Zilisch ($10.3K)
Starts First
It's generally been a bad idea to fade Zilisch this year. But outside of a fourth-place finish at Atlanta in June, Zilisch has not had much success with superspeedway racing. Even though he's been medically cleared to compete, he probably won't be 100%.
This price is just too expensive for a driver who's injured and hasn't been very good at drafting tracks this year.
Harrison Burton ($7.7K)
Starts Eighth
Burton has posted top 10s in three out of four races at drafting tracks this year. However, he is starting inside the top 10, and that might not be super helpful for DFS purposes. Burton doesn't have a lot of room to drastically improve upon his starting position. That will limit place differential points.
Mid-Tier NASCAR Xfinity Series DFS Options
Aric Almirola ($9.8K)
Starts 29th
This will be Almirola's first Xfinity Series start since Indianapolis in July. If you recall, that was the race where Austin Hill lost his mind and intentionally right-reared Almirola into the fence.
Given the dangerous speeds drivers travel at Daytona, as well as the fact that Almirola is a super nice guy, this probably won't be the weekend we see payback. That aside, this will be Almirola's fourth start at a drafting track this year. He's started both Atlanta races and posted finishes of third and seventh in those starts. Almirola wasn't so lucky at Talladega, though, as he crashed out of the race and finished 33rd.
Still, he is one of the best drivers in the field and is a good drafter.
Sheldon Creed ($9.5K)
Starts 27th
Creed has been very good at Daytona in his Xfinity Series career. In eight Daytona starts, Creed has yet to win at the track, but he does have three top-five finishes as well as five top 10s to his name. He finished third here back in February and also finished ninth at Talladega earlier this year. Creed also had a good showing at the June Atlanta race and led 37 of 41 laps before a crash ended his day.
Starting 27th, Creed is a great play this weekend. With all the calamity that tends to happen at Daytona, we could even see Creed secure his first career Xfinity Series win.
Jeb Burton ($7.5K)
Starts 13th
Burton has a runner-up finish at Talladega as well as a sixth-place finish at Atlanta on his resume this year.
William Sawalich ($7.3K)
Starts 24th
Sawalich hasn't had a ton of luck at the plate races so far this year. His best result is a ninth-place finish at Atlanta back in February. However, he starts toward the rear of the field and is live for those all-important place differential points.
NASCAR Xfinity Series DFS Value Options
Matt DiBenedetto ($6.6K)
Starts 33rd
DiBenedetto has posted top 15 finishes in every drafting race this year. That includes a fifth-place finish at Talladega back in April. By the way, his average starting position at the drafting tracks this year is 26.25, and his average finish is 10.75. That makes DiBenedetto a great place differential target this weekend.
Leland Honeyman ($6K)
Starts 35th
We're also adding Honeyman as a value play after qualifying was rained out. He's got an average finish of 13.5 against an average starting position of 25.76. Great place differential play.
Joey Gase ($4.9K)
Starts 25th
It's not often you get to save money and throw Gase in your line-ups, but this is one of the weeks to do so. The nature of this style of racing gives any driver in the field a chance to run up front and have a shot at the victory. Outside of Talladega, Gase has finished higher than his starting position in every superspeedway race this year.
Assuming he starts toward the rear of the field, Gase should land gamers valuable place differential points. If we get lucky and see a slew of wrecks that eliminate a bunch of cars, Gase could even sneak his way into the top 10.
