June 15, 2025
AJ Allmendinger is one of the best road course racers in the NASCAR Cup Series, but he's struggling to find speed this weekend at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. Allmendinger was just 30th-fastest on the speed chart in the opening practice session of the weekend and then improved to 21st-fastest in the second session. Allmendinger noted that he needed the car to be significantly better for the race on Sunday, and the No. 16 team may have gotten things pointed in the right direction, as Allmendinger qualified in eighth-place for Sunday's Viva Mexico 250. Still, though, the No. 16 Chevrolet doesn't seem to have race-winning speed--at least heading into race day. With his high starting spot and $9,300 salary on DraftKings, Allmendinger is a tournament play for DFS contests this weekend and will likely need to grab a podium finish if he wants to make the optimal lineup--something he hasn't done in the Cup Series since his win at the Charlotte Roval in 2023.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: NASCAR.com
June 15, 2025
Chris Buescher may have qualified back in 16th for Sunday's Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, but the No. 17 Ford looks to be much better than that in race trim. After qualifying on Saturday, Buescher took to X and commented, Our Fastenal Body Guard isn't starting where we hoped for but it's still bad fast. Felt great in practice, just need to execute all day and put ourselves in position for the final stage." Buescher is one of the premier and most consistent drivers in the Cup Series when it comes to road courses. Over the last 17 races on this track type, Buescher has finished 11th or better 15 times, including a win at Watkins Glen last year. This weekend, he had one of the fastest cars in both practice sessions on Saturday afternoon. At $8,400 on DraftKings, Buescher is a strong DFS play in all formats for the Mexico City race.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Chris Buescher X Account
June 15, 2025
Sunday at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Michael McDowell will be looking to have another strong road course run, and it looks like he'll have the car to accomplish that in the Viva Mexico 250. In practice on Saturday, McDowell's No. 71 Chevrolet was the fastest in the first practice session and then wound up qualifying fifth for the much-anticipated race on Sunday. As far as road course tracks go, McDowell is one of the best in the Cup Series, as he won the race at Indy Road Course back in 2023 and has finished eighth or better in 10 of the last 17 races on this track type. Heading into the race on Sunday, McDowell was very optimistic when being interviewed by Matt Weaver, and said that he believes his Spire Motorsports Chevrolet has the speed to contend rain or shine. McDowell ($8,200) is a strong tournament option in DFS contests this weekend, but offers little Place Differential upside since he starts fifth.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Matt Weaver
June 15, 2025
It was a tale of two practice sessions for Ryan Blaney at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Sunday, as the Team Penske driver was just 22nd-fastest in the opening practice of the weekend before posting the fourth-fastest lap in the final session. Overall, lap times out of the No. 12 Ford looked great in that final practice as well, and Blaney should contend for a top-10 finish if he has that same speed on race day. As far as qualifying goes, Blaney wound up 18th-best in that session, which means he has decent Place Differential upside at a relatively cheap price on DraftKings ($7,200). Blaney is a respectable road course racer and has finished 13th or better in seven of the last nine races on this track type. He probably won't challenge for the Viva Mexico 250 win on Sunday, but Blaney is a solid choice to contend for a top-10 finish this weekend.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Jayski
June
15,
2025
Alex
Bowman
is
still
feeling
the
effects
of
his
wreck
at
Michigan
last
weekend.
Before
qualifying
for
this
weekend's
race
in
Mexico
City,
Bowman
remarked,
"I
was
in
a
lot
of
pain
on
Wednesday,
but
I
got
a
lot
of
help
read more...
June 15, 2025
He's never won in the NASCAR Cup Series, and has just one top-five finish to his credit over 123 starts, but Todd Gilliland could be a legitimate dark horse to keep an eye on in this weekend's Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Gilliland showed consistent speed during the first practice session of the weekend and then backed that up with the fastest overall lap in the second practice. In qualifying, the No. 34 Ford ended up seventh-fastest, which is where Gilliland will start from in Sunday's race. Earlier this season, the Front Row Motorsports driver was able to post a top-10 finish at COTA (another road course similar to Mexico City), and Gilliland looks poised to challenge for another strong finish this weekend as well. As far as DFS goes, Gilliland is priced at $6,700 on DraftKings and is a very risky DFS pick due to his high qualifying position. Use him sparingly in your lineups.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: Pro Football Sports Network
June 15, 2025
Keep an eye on Zane Smith at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez this weekend. The Front Row Motorsports driver is starting to get into a groove with his new team, with finishes between sixth and 19th in five of the last six races. Additionally, Zane has been respectable in the Cup Series when it comes to road courses, with top-20 results in five of his last six starts on this track type. This weekend, the No. 38 Ford was mid-pack in both practice sessions for the Viva Mexico 250 and Zane will roll off the starting grid from 24th-place on Sunday. However, with a little bit of Place Differential upside and a relatively cheap salary on DraftKings ($6,000), Smith could end up being a very valuable low-dollar DFS play this weekend. Don't shy away from using Zane in your DFS lineups this weekend.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
June
14,
2025
It's
not
very
often
that
DFS
managers
consider
Cole
Custer,
but
he
may
be
a
viable
low-dollar
option
in
daily
fantasy
contests
this
weekend
in
the
Viva
Mexico
250.
Custer
isn't
particularly
known
for
his
road-course
prowess,
but
he
has
been
read more...
June
10,
2025
Joe
Gibbs
Racing's
Denny
Hamlin
became
the
winner
of
this
past
weekend's
FireKeepers
Casino
400
at
Michigan
International
Speedway.
Hamlin
started
the
race
from
the
third
position
and
ran
there
throughout
the
entire
first
stage.
He
won
eight
stage
points
as
read more...
June
10,
2025
Spire
Motorsports
driver
Carson
Hocevar's
performance
during
Sunday's
FireKeepers
Casino
400
at
Michigan
International
Speedway
held
promise,
but
ended
with
a
disappointing
finish
of
29th.
Beginning
Sunday's
race
from
the
14th
position,
Hocevar
ascended
a
few
positions
in
the
first
stage,
read more...
June
10,
2025
Kyle
Larson
of
Hendrick
Motorsports
had
an
up-and-down
performance
in
Sunday's
FireKeepers
Casino
400
at
Michigan
International
Speedway
that
ended
with
a
quality
finish
of
fifth.
Larson
began
Sunday's
race
from
the
fifth
position,
but
did
not
have
much
happen
to
read more...
June 10, 2025
Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing placed sixth during Sunday's FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Beginning the race from the 20th position, Chastain put together a mostly quiet but solid performance. He did not advance much through the first stage as he ended in 20th place and failed to score stage points, but that changed in the second stage. Chastain went up to the top five thanks to pit strategy, efficient moves under green, and staying out of trouble through wrecks. He ended stage two in the fifth position and gained five stage points. In the final stage, Chastain ran most of it inside the top 10 to 15, but made it up through the pack as other drivers dealt with fuel issues. The No. 1 Chevrolet driver climbed up to and finished sixth, collecting a new career-best finish at Michigan.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com
June
9,
2025
Chris
Buescher
had
probably
his
best
run
of
the
season
on
Sunday
at
Michigan,
where
he
finished
second
in
a
race
where
all
three
RFK
Racing
cars
placed
in
the
top
10.
Michigan
has
always
been
a
great
track
for
the
read more...
June 9, 2025
After coming perilously close to the playoff bubble after three straight crashes at Texas, Kansas, and Charlotte, Bubba Wallace recovered with a fourth-place finish at Michigan. When coupled with both Alex Bowman and Chase Briscoe failing to finish in the top twenty and scoring no stage points, this significantly strengthened Wallace's playoff position. Wallace ran in the top ten for most of the race, although pit strategy pushed him back occasionally. After finishing eighth in Stage 1 and seventh in Stage 2, he made a furious charge late in the race to drive from tenth to fourth in the last 22 laps, passing Kyle Larson on the last lap. He now sits tenth in the championship, 61 points ahead of Ryan Preece, who holds the final playoff spot in a tiebreaker over Kyle Busch.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
June 9, 2025
Ryan Blaney's 2025 bad luck continued at Michigan on Sunday. After taking the lead in the pits after finishing sixth in Stage 1, he fell out of the top 10 after pitting during the caution for Alex Bowman's crash. While driving up through the field, he blew a tire while running 12th and spun onto pit road to trigger the race's fifth caution. Although Blaney returned to the track for points, he finished four laps down in 32nd. The race had minimal impact for Blaney as he maintains his seventh-place points position, and since he won last week at Nashville, he remains locked into the playoffs. Blaney would definitely prefer for bad luck to befall him at this point in the season than during the playoff races.
--Sean Wrona - RotoBallerSource: Racing Reference
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