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We've got a standalone Xfinity race this weekend, so no Cup drivers coming in to run over the whole field!
Some really interesting plays, though, and a starting lineup that offers some nice place differential upside for some drivers but not a lot of it for some of the sport's top cars.
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 Alsco Uniforms 300 on DraftKings. Be sure to also check out our NASCAR Premium Tools for Xfinity Series including our DFS Lineup Optimizer and powerful Research Station.
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Xfinity DFS Lineup Picks - DraftKings
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Austin Cindric #22 ($10,900)
Starting 1st
Sure, Cindric doesn't come with PD upside since he starts first, but the dominator upside is too great to ignore here. Either Cindric or fellow front-run starter Ty Gibbs is going to get out front early and lead a ton of laps here, and I'm going to guess Cindric is the one that does that.
Why? Well, his record here, for one. In two Xfinity races, he has a win in 2019 in which he led 46 of the 75 laps, and then a second back in 2018 in which he led 59 laps before losing the race to Justin Allgaier. This is a place Cindric has looked just absolutely dominant so far. I mean...yeah, it's a two-race sample, but an average finish of 1.5???
Yeah, give me Cindric.
A.J. Allmendinger #16 ($10,700)
Starting 12th
Depending on how you build things, you might be able to fit in both Cindric and A.J. Allmendinger, the other top road course racer in the series.
Starting 12th offers some PD upside for A.J. this week, which is nice to have, because he probably won't be able to load up on laps led like Cindric will. But as a source of PD and some fastest laps with race-winning upside if he can move through the field fast enough, Allmendinger is a really, really strong play. Back in 2013, he won here in a Penske car, leading 73 of 94 laps, but the 2019 showing from Allmendinger is probably more indicative of what to expect: he didn't lead a lap, but finished third.
Miguel Paludo #8 ($9,300)
Starting 29th
One of my favorite PD plays of this race, Paludo will pilot the JR Motorsports 8 car and fires off 29th.
This will be Paludo's third Xfinity start of the season. The 37-year-old had a gear issue at COTA that dropped him to 34th, but he finished seventh in this car at the Daytona road race.
The Brazilian driver runs sports car races in his home country, where he's been winning races and championships for the past decade after a failed NASCAR career. But because Paludo's sponsor in Brazil is also a JRM sponsor, he's gotten a few chances this year to show what he can do in top-flight equipment. And hey, that Daytona run was really good. If he can keep the car clean, he's going to put up a big fantasy number.
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Preston Pardus #90 ($7,900)
Starting 39th
The equipment here is suspect, but in a race where one driver (Austin Cindric) seems to always dominate in laps led, I'm using most of my lineup this week to target PD guys, and Pardus feels like an obvious one.
He'll roll off 39th. In eight Xfinity races over the past three years, Pardus has an average finish of 23.9, with two top 10s last year.
While none of his Xfinity starts at at Mid-Ohio, Pardus has a lot of experience at various road courses, including multiple wins in the SCCA National Championships, a race where the best regional sports car drivers come together. He's won that race twice: 2017 at Indy and 2020 at Road America.
If Pardus isn't let down by the car itself, he should be able to crank out a top 20 run.
Kris Wright #26 ($6,200)
Starting 33rd
Wright makes his third start of the season in the 26 car. He was 18th at the Daytona road course before having engine issues at COTA that ended his day.
Wright's another road course guy, though he's been driving the 02 in the Truck Series this year on oval tracks, where he's been inconsistent. I think that's made his stock drop some, which is fine because it just helps drive his DFS salary down.
The 26-year-old driver has a lot of road racing experience. He was the 2018 IMSA LMP3 champion, and he's raced at Mid-Ohio in open-wheel cars. Wright should be another guy who has a top 20 if he runs a clean race and nothing breaks.
Joe Graf Jr. #07 ($4,700)
Starting 37th
Graf's 2021 season has been disappointing, as his average finish is just 26.7, a drop of about two spots from last year.
But he was 20th in his only road course race so far, and across five career Xfinity road course starts, he has an average finish of 22.4 and has been running at the finish in all five races. That speaks well to his ability to keep this car clean, and while you shouldn't expect more than a 25th place finish, that would still be a gain of 12 spots. And if this race goes a little chaotic, there would be even more upside for Graf.
Again, not the safest play, but I think there's some upside here, plus he's only $4,700, which can really help your lineup building.
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