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Justin Carter's DraftKings DFS lineup picks for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. Read his daily fantasy NASCAR advice and Xfinity sleepers.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to Phoenix on Saturday for the final race of the season. Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Austin Hill, and A.J. Allmendinger will race for the title, with the winner of the title being whichever of those drivers finishes ahead of the other three.
Of the three title contenders, Custer is the only driver with an Xfinity Series championship to his name as he won the title last season by taking the win at Phoenix. Will Custer add a second Xfinity title to his mantle before he heads off for Cup next year? Or will one of the others capture his first championship?
Here at RotoBaller, we want to help you make informed decisions about your DFS lineups, which is why I'll be breaking down the slates for the Xfinity Series. Let's look at some NASCAR Xfinity DFS lineup picks for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race on DraftKings. Be sure to also check out our NASCAR Premium Tools for Xfinity Series, including our DFS Lineup Optimizer and powerful Research Station. This slate locks on 11/9/24 at 7:45 p.m. EST.
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 Plays
Cole Custer ($11.0K)
I think you've got to call Cole Custer the favorite this weekend because he's shown before that he can do this, winning this race last year to claim the Xfinity Series title.
Custer led 96 laps in that race. Since returning to Xfinity in 2023, Custer has run three races at this track and has two poles and two top fives and has led 38 or more laps in each race.
Justin Allgaier ($10.8K)
It seems unfair that Justin Allgaier has never won an Xfinity Series championship. He's the elder statesman of the series and deserves to win a title at some point.
Maybe that point will be now. Allgaier has won twice at Phoenix in his career and he led 52 laps here in the spring before crashing out.
Aric Almirola ($10.5K)
Aric Almirola can't win a championship because he doesn't run full-time, but the No. 20 car could leave Phoenix with an owner's title. Almirola already has three wins this season in the Xfinity Series in 13 starts, with eight top 10s and an average finish of 9.7.
Xfinity win sims for Phoenix:
1. Aric Almirola 23.5%
2. Chandler Smith 16.2%
3. Cole Custer 10.5%
4. Justin Allgaier 8.8%
5. Sheldon Creed 8.6%Full win/T3/T5 sims plus values at @FDSportsbook and my sims for the driver's championship ⤵️ https://t.co/Z37xy6KBh6
— Jim Sannes (@JimSannes) November 8, 2024
He also has a ton of experience at Phoenix. He's run 26 Cup Series races where, with seven top 10s and an average finish of 15.0. He should be a top contender.
Chandler Smith ($10.3K)
Chandler Smith doesn't know what the future holds. He won't be back with Joe Gibbs Racing next year and has no plans yet for 2025.
Could he end the 2024 season with a bang? Well, he did win here back in March, leading 88 laps to win his first of two races. And his other win this year was at Richmond, which is probably the best comparable track to Phoenix.
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Mid-Tier Options
Austin Hill ($9.5K)
There are two clear championship favorites, but don't count Austin Hill out. The driver of the No. 21 car has four wins this season and usually runs well here. He led 21 laps in this race last season and finished seventh, then was fourth in March.
A.J. Allmendinger ($9.2K)
Of the four title contenders, I probably feel the least confident in A.J. Allmendinger, mostly because Kaulig Racing has seemed a little too slow this season. Still, he has a pair of top fives here in his career and the Championship 4 drivers often find their way up front.
Connor Zilisch ($8.5K)
Went out with a bang @RacePRG❤️ pic.twitter.com/1LDtpl90xG
— Connor Zilisch (@ConnorZilisch) November 8, 2024
Connor Zilisch, who'll run full-time in the JR Motorsports No. 88 car next year, has run three Xfinity races in his career. He has a win and a worst finish of 12th. He won the ARCA Menards Series West race at Phoenix on Friday in dominant fashion, leading 99 of the 100 laps.
Jesse Love ($8.3K)
It's been a solid rookie year for Jesse Love, who has one win and 17 top 10s in the RCR No. 2 car. Back in March, he finished second here, and last season he was fourth in the Truck Series race here in just his third Truck Series start.
Value Options
Ryan Sieg ($7.8K)
A strong season for Ryan Sieg comes to a close on Saturday. Sieg's average finish of 14.4 is the best in his Xfinity Series career—he's run full-time since 2014. He has just one top 10 at Phoenix on his resume, but was 12th in March and has six top 20s in a row at the track.
William Sawalich ($7.7K)
... 👀 ....
Here's what happened between Frankie Muniz and William Sawalich. https://t.co/sXtTwFwZ30 pic.twitter.com/QHoze3JDBA
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) November 9, 2024
Next season, William Sawalich will race full-time for Joe Gibbs Racing. This year, his two previous starts haven't gone well, but he does have two ARCA Menards Series West wins at this track and is getting some added experience by running Friday's Truck Series race. He was second in Friday's ARCA Menards Series West race.
Shane Van Gisbergen ($7.3K)
While Shane Van Gisbergen is still figuring out ovals, Phoenix is a place that seems to suit his driving style. He was sixth here in March, one of just five oval top 10s for him this season.
Parker Kligerman ($7.5K)
Saturday night will be the end of Parker Kligerman's career as a full-time driver. He was eighth here back in March and comes into this race with six finishes in a row of 12th or better.
Parker Retzlaff ($6.9K)
If you want to dig deep in the value, Parker Retzlaff was eight in Friday's practice session. He's struggled a bit lately, but there could be a little upside here depending on where he starts. I'd probably like it to be outside the top 20 to feel okay about playing him, so we'll see.
