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Kyle Larson Opens the Championship Door for Others
Kyle Larson hasn't shown much weakness in the Chase thus far, but on Saturday at Phoenix Raceway, he opened the door for his competitors to make some ground. Hendrick Motorsports as a whole has struggled at the short, flat tracks this season, and that was apparent here again at Phoenix during practice and qualifying, as the No. 5 Chevrolet was just 13th-fastest on the board in practice. It got even worse during qualifying, as Larson ended up 22nd-quickest, meaning he will have to start mid-pack on Sunday. The good news for Larson is that he did finish third here at Phoenix in the spring race despite not having that good of a race car, so maybe the No. 5 team can work their magic again this weekend. In DFS, Larson ($11.0K on DraftKings) has very little dominator upside, but he could end up being an expensive tournament pivot with his Place Differential upside on Sunday.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
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Carson Hocevar Fast in Practice at Phoenix, But Disappointing in Qualifying
The Freeway Insurance 500 race weekend started off with a bang for Carson Hocevar this weekend, as the Spire Motorsports driver was the fastest for much of the opening practice session before spring winner Ryan Blaney ended up putting a faster lap on the board. Still, Hocevar ended up second-quickest and also had the second-best 10-lap average, so it was a bit surprising to see the No. 77 Chevrolet struggle in qualifying, with Hocevar ending up 28th in the session. To add to that, Hocevar made this comment after practice and before qualifying on Saturday: "We normally qualify really good and then we're just okay in the race. So hopefully we can really work on the longevity." In six career starts at Phoenix Raceway, "The Hurricane" has four finishes between 15th and 20th and two results of 28th or worse. Not the best track record. For DFS purposes, Hocevar looks to be a decent Place Differential pick this weekend, but his finishing upside is limited, as this just isn't a great track for him.
Source: PitByNumbers
Source: PitByNumbers
Josh Berry Has Positive Outlook at Phoenix
Fresh off yet another top-10 finish at Charlotte last weekend, Josh Berry will be looking to continue his hot streak in the second half of the year in this weekend's race at Phoenix Raceway, the Freeway Insurance 500. Flat tracks are where Berry excels at the most, as does Team Penske and Wood Brothers Racing, and the No. 21 Ford will roll off the starting grid from ninth-place on Sunday afternoon. Earlier this spring at Phoenix, Berry led 13 laps but ended up crashing out and finishing 32nd. However, his previous two starts at this track ended with seventh- and fourth-place finishes. At his $7.7K salary on DraftKings this weekend, Josh Berry is an interesting mid-tier play, as his Place Differential upside is limited, but his top-five finishing potential is there. He's not a slam-dunk DFS pick this weekend, but he's solid.
Source: MotorBiscuit
Source: MotorBiscuit
Chase Briscoe Gains his Third Win of 2026 in A Photo Finish at Charlotte
Joe Gibbs Racing's Chase Briscoe won the Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Briscoe started second in the race and ran inside the top five throughout the first stage. Despite battling with other drivers, he ended the first stage in second behind Kyle Larson and scored nine stage points. Briscoe lost positions through the second stage as it progressed due to his car not having as good of speed and handling as others around him. The No. 19 Toyota driver ended the second stage in seventh, adding four more stage points. Briscoe's pit crew however, kept executing pit stops very well, and he regained positions through pit stops. He returned to the top five during the final stage with improvements to his car and during his final pit stop on lap 207, he pulled out ahead of his teammate, Christopher Bell, for the lead. Briscoe kept staying ahead of Bell throughout the rest of the stage, but was losing ground to Bell in the closing laps. On the final lap, Bell finally made a move on the final turn to attempt to pass Briscoe. The two JGR teammates made contact, but Briscoe kept his car straight and stayed ahead of Bell at the checkered flag to earn his third win of the season. After the 32nd race of the 2026 season, Briscoe moves up to fourth in the championship standings with four races left.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Christopher Bell Misses Out on Victory at Charlotte by Inches
Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing was one of the top contenders for the win in the Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Bell began the race from 17th, but had one of the fastest cars right from the beginning of the race. He quickly made up positions in the first stage as went all the way up to third by the end of the stage. In the second stage, Bell worked his way up to the lead by lap 107 and went on to dominate the rest of the stage, collecting another stage victory in the process. Bell led the earlier parts of the final stage until a lap 207 pit stop under caution, when his teammate, Chase Briscoe, passed him on pit road. The two JGR teammates then battled for the win for the rest of the race with Bell chasing Briscoe. Bell could not make a move on Briscoe until the final lap, when Bell drove deep into the final corner and made contact with Briscoe. Despite rubbing against each other, Briscoe still finished ahead of Bell in a photo finish, leaving Bell to finish second after leading 93 laps. Despite falling short of the win, Bell moves to third in the championship standings, 51 points behind Kyle Larson with four races left in the season.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Ryan Blaney Finishes Third After Strong Run at Charlotte
Ryan Blaney of Team Penske ran well in the Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday. Blaney started the race from fourth and ran inside the top 10 throughout most of the race. During the race's competition caution on lap 35, he received a pit road penalty for speeding and spent the rest of the first stage trying to recover positions. Blaney did make it up to 10th and scored one stage point at the end of the first stage. In the second stage, Blaney showed plenty of speed as he drove up to second. He ended the stage in that position behind Christopher Bell and gained nine stage points. In the final stage, Blaney started off fighting for the lead against Bell and Kyle Larson, but faded away from the lead as the stage progressed. He continued to run inside the top five until the later parts of the race, when he began to pass drivers thanks to his great longer-run speed. Blaney climbed up to third, his eventual finishing position, to nab his third top-5 finish in a row. Through 32 races, Blaney is now fifth in the championship standings with four races left in the season.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Denny Hamlin Recovers from A Penalty to Finish Fourth at Charlotte
Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin finished fourth despite some setbacks in the Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Hamlin began the race from the 12th position, but quickly made moves to advance close to the top five in the opening laps. However, on the race's first pit stop, Hamlin was boxed into his pit stall on pit road and received a pit road penalty for equipment interference. Hamlin had to work back to the front from the 30th position and spent the rest of the stage regaining positions until he ended the stage in 12th. The No. 11 Toyota driver returned to the top 10, though, and remained there through the rest of the race. Hamlin finished third behind Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney at the end of the second stage, while he slipped back to fourth by the end of the race after a quiet final stage performance. With his fourth-place finish, Hamlin is now second in the Championship standings, 49 points behind Kyle Larson.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Kyle Larson Continues Strong Chase Momentum with Finish of Sixth
Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports ran well throughout the Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Larson began the race from the pole position at the front after qualifying was canceled due to rain on Saturday. He dominated most of the first stage except for a couple of laps midway through, when Bubba Wallace took the lead from him. By lap 59, Larson regained the lead and went on to win the first stage, earning 10 stage points. Larson continued to dominate the second stage until Christopher Bell passed him on lap 107. From there, Larson stayed inside the top five before finishing fourth after Bell, Ryan Blaney, and Denny Hamlin. Larson continued to fight for a top-5 running position through most of the final stage, but Chase Briscoe got by him through pit stops, and Josh Berry passed him before the end. This allowed Larson to finish sixth, his first finish outside the top five since the start of The Chase. After Larson's sixth-place result, he maintained the championship lead in The Chase by 49 points over Hamlin with four races left in the year.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Could Chase Elliott Be Worth Rostering In Charlotte DFS Lineups?
Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott will start ninth for the Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway after starting positions were given out by the NASCAR Rulebook for this week's race. In 15 Cup starts at Charlotte, Elliott has one win, eight top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 15.7. Elliott has been boom-or-bust in the last five Charlotte races with two top-10 finishes and three DNFs. Over the past 31 races this year, Elliott has two wins, 11 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 15.1. Outside of his DNF at Charlotte earlier in the season, Elliott has finished 11th or better in every race at 1.5-mile Intermediate tracks this year. Elliott does not offer much upside based on his starting position, but his overall consistency this season at Intermediate Oval tracks makes him a solid driver to consider for tournaments.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Is Bubba Wallace A Great DFS Option for Charlotte Lineups?
Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing will be starting eighth in the Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway after practice and qualifying were canceled on Saturday. This will mark Wallace's first top-10 starting position at a Charlotte Cup race since 2023. In 10 previous Cup starts at Charlotte, Wallace has just one top-5 finish, but he did also score positive place differential in four of the last six races at the site. After 31 Cup races so far this season, Wallace has 15 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 15.3. Wallace has been amazing at 1.5-mile Intermediate tracks this season with six top-10 finishes in seven races at the track type. Despite not having much upside based on his starting position, his equipment and overall finishes at the track type this year make him worth heavy DFS consideration.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Does Carson Hocevar Carry Top-10 Potential for Charlotte?
Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar is starting 11th for the Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway after starting positions were set by the NASCAR rulebook. This was due to practice and qualifying being canceled because of weather. In three Cup starts at Charlotte, Hocevar's best finish is 21st. He also scored positive or neutral Place Differential in his last two Cup races at the site. In 31 Cup starts this year so far, Hocevar has one win, 11 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 16.2. At 1.5-mile Intermediate oval tracks this season, Hocevar has three top-15 finishes. Although Hocevar does not have as much upside as other drivers in his salary range, he does have the equipment and is capable of competing for a top-10 finish. Expect him to score a new career-best finish in this week's race based on improved experience and equipment.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Chris Buescher Carries Top-15 Potential for Charlotte DFS Lineups
Chris Buescher of RFK Racing will start 13th in this week's Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway after practice and qualifying were canceled due to weather. In 14 Cup starts at Charlotte, Buescher has four top-10 finishes and an average finish of 19.8. Through 31 races so far this season, Buescher has 10 top-10 finishes and an overall average finish of 15.6. This includes three top-10 finishes at 1.5-mile Intermediate oval tracks like Charlotte. Considering his starting position, finishing history, and equipment, Buescher makes for a solid top-15 option for DFS lineups this week at Charlotte.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Chase Briscoe Dominates at Las Vegas for Second Win of 2026
Chase Briscoe was the dominant driver of the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Briscoe began the race from fourth position and ran behind his teammates Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs until a lap 45 caution, when Briscoe stayed off of pit road. He gained the lead and never looked back through the rest of the first stage, winning it and gaining 10 stage points. In the second stage, Briscoe continued his dominance until green flag pit stops, when he lost the lead to other drivers who stayed off pit road. However, Briscoe's car was so fast that he passed everyone ahead of him and beat out Austin Cindric to win the second stage. Much like the second stage, Briscoe dominated the race until his green flag pit stop, but was chased by Bubba Wallace through most of the stage. Briscoe held off Wallace and maintained the lead until Kyle Larson challenged him for the win in the closing laps. The No. 19 Toyota driver stayed ahead of Larson, even after Larson hit the wall on the final lap, making a desperate move for position, and went on to claim his first Las Vegas Cup victory. After obtaining his second win of the 2026 season, Briscoe moves up to eighth in the Cup Series standings with five races left.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Kyle Larson Recovers from Struggles to Finish Second
Kyle Larson nearly completed an incredible comeback to win the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but was one position short. Larson started sixth but struggled with handling early, forcing an extended pit stop in the first stage. After falling a lap down but getting back to the lead lap thanks to a caution, Larson went on to finish the first stage in 24th. In the second stage, Larson continued to move up through the field, passing other drivers until he finished the stage in 10th, gaining one stage point. In the final stage, Larson and his team improved the No. 5 car enough to compete for the win, as he continued to gain positions. Larson drove up to second and battled with Chase Briscoe in the closing laps. On the final lap, Larson positioned himself to make a move past the final turn, but got loose and hit the wall while Tyler Reddick clipped him and spun from behind Larson. Despite the damage, Larson still finished second and maintained the championship lead by 40 points over Denny Hamlin.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Tyler Reddick Recovers from A Penalty to Finish in Third
Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing scored a great finish in the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, but not without some struggles. Reddick began the race from fifth place and showed plenty of speed early in the first stage. He went on to place fourth at the end of the first stage and earn seven stage points. During the second stage, Reddick received a pit road penalty for having too many pit crew members of his team over the wall. Reddick spent the rest of the stage coming from the back and finished 11th. The No. 45 Toyota driver continued his ascent through the final stage, making it up to as high as third in the closing laps as he passed other drivers. On the final lap, Reddick tried to position himself to pass Kyle Larson on the final corner, but Larson smacked the wall, and Reddick could not avoid his car. Reddick spun through the infield grass into pit road, but still crossed the finish line to place third. With his best Las Vegas finish since March 2024, Reddick is now seventh in the Cup Series standings with five races left.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Austin Cindric Nabs A Strong Finish of Fourth at Las Vegas
Team Penske's Austin Cindric put together another strong performance for the 2026 season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the South Point 400. Cindric started Sunday's race from seventh and raced inside the top 10 throughout the entire race outside of pit stops. In the first stage, Cindric moved up a few positions and placed fifth at the end of the stage, earning six stage points. Cindric moved even closer to the front in the second stage, finishing second at the stage's conclusion behind Chase Briscoe despite initially being set back by a slower pit stop. He also led 33 laps in the second stage. In the final stage, Cindric continued to run inside the top five outside of pit stops and kept his car clean. Although he had one of the fastest overall cars, he did not have the speed or track position to compete for the win and settled for fourth, a new career-best finish at Las Vegas. Cindric's fourth-place result also marked the first time in his Cup career that he scored back-to-back top-5 finishes. The No. 2 Ford driver is now ninth in the Cup Series standings with 31 races completed this season.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Ryan Blaney Runs Well at Las Vegas and Finishes Fifth
Ryan Blaney of Team Penske ran well throughout the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, finishing in the top five. Blaney started 20th, but made up positions in the first stage to ultimately score stage points as he finished the stage in third. The No. 12 Ford driver continued to run inside the top five through most of the second stage outside of pit stops before finishing the stage in fourth. The final stage is where Blaney finally started to compete for the lead, as he did fight against Chase Briscoe early in the stage. However, he was unable to pass him and lost positions to other drivers, including Austin Cindric and Bubba Wallace. Blaney did go on to lead 10 laps in the final stage by running on the track while other drivers went to pit road before he eventually made his final stop of the race. He went on to regain positions through the race and placed fifth, earning his first top-5 finish at Las Vegas since March 2024. After 31 races this season, Blaney is now fifth in the Cup Series standings with five races left until the end of The Chase.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
Should DFS Players Roster Bubba Wallace at Las Vegas?
Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing will start ninth for the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This will be the third straight race at the site with a top-10 starting position. In 17 Cup races at Vegas, Wallace has three top-10 finishes and an overall average finish of 21.8. With 30 races completed so far this season, Wallace has 14 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 15.6. In practice for this week's race, Wallace ranked 26th in 10 consecutive lap averages and 12th in 15 consecutive lap averages. Despite the underwhelming practice speeds, Wallace has finished in the top 10 in most races at 1.5-mile Intermediate tracks this year. The No. 23 Toyota driver is best recommended for tournaments, but is also one of the better options for a top-10 finish in his salary range.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Is Chris Buescher A Playable DFS option for Las Vegas?
Chris Buescher of RFK Racing is starting 14th for this week's South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after qualifying. The last time Buescher qualified lower than this position in a Vegas race was in October 2024. In 19 Cup starts at the site, Buescher has 14 top-20 finishes and an average finish of 16.8. He placed in the top 15 in each of the last four Vegas Cup races. Through 30 races so far this year, Buescher has 10 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 15.7. In practice for this week's race, Buescher ranked fourth in 10 consecutive lap averages and sixth in 15 consecutive lap averages. Buescher's history at Las Vegas is solid, and he is in equipment capable of competing for a top-10 finish. Fantasy players could consider him a favorable DFS option for all formats.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Ryan Preece May Pay off Well as A Value DFS Option for Las Vegas
RFK Racing's Ryan Preece will start 12th after qualifying for this week's South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This will mark the third time that Preece will start in the top 15 in a Cup race at Vegas. In 13 races at the site, Preece has five top-20 finishes and an overall average finish of 20.6. He also placed 11th or better in each of his last three Cup appearances at Vegas. After 30 races so far this season, Preece has one win, 10 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 15.9. In practice for this week's race, Preece ranked 22nd in 10 consecutive lap averages and 14th in 15 consecutive lap averages. Preece's starting position does not leave much upside, but he has been a consistent top-15 finisher through most 1.5-mile Intermediate oval tracks this season. Overall, Preece is one of the better value drivers to consider with his salary under $7,000 on DraftKings, and is especially recommended for tournaments based on his performance so far this season.
Source: DriverAverages.com
Source: DriverAverages.com
Kyle Larson has A Perfect Points Day and Dominates Kansas
Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson completely dominated the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. Larson started second in the race after practice and qualifying were canceled due to rain. After the initial restart, Larson passed Joey Logano and never looked back, leading almost every lap of the first stage and taking the stage win. The second stage, much like the first, was dominated by Larson, with only Denny Hamlin and Austin Cindric able to challenge the No. 5 Chevrolet driver. Larson went on to win the second stage without much issue. In the final stage, Larson continued his dominance, leading most of the stage outside of pit stops, but Chase Briscoe finally challenged him. The two drivers ended up competing for the win in the later laps of the final stage, with Briscoe edging ahead on lap 238. Larson kept pace with Briscoe until Briscoe brushed the wall on lap 257, allowing Larson to challenge for the win again. On lap 261, Larson got by Briscoe for the final time as Briscoe fell back to fourth after hitting the wall a few more times. Despite Cindric making a run to catch Larson on the final lap, Larson had enough of a gap ahead of Cindric to hold on for his second win of the season. Larson led 235 of 267 total laps, setting a new track record, and he had a perfect points day by sweeping the stages, earning the fastest single lap, and winning the race. After his second win in now the last three races, Larson extends his championship lead to 26 points over Hamlin with six races left in the season.
Source: NASCAR.com
Source: NASCAR.com
