A.J. Allmendinger Enters Playoff Picture With Surprise Bristol Top-10 Finish
Source: Racing Reference
Although A.J. Allmendinger famously won an Xfinity race at Bristol in 2021 while crashing across the finish line with Austin Cindric, his Cup Series performances there had never been too strong until Sunday. Allmendinger quietly earned a ninth-place finish at a track where he had only ever earned two top-10s in his previous 25 starts. Although he started eighth, he fell out of the top 10 early in Stage 1 and ran just outside the top 10 for most of the event (with the exception of earning one stage point in Stage 1). He didn't finally break into the top 10 until Lap 432, but he remained there for the rest of the race and was one of only two drivers along with Ross Chastain to finish on the lead lap without driving for a top-tier team. The finish moves him into unexpected playoff contention, as he sits a mere two points behind Kyle Busch for the final transfer spot.Kyle Larson Will Compete For The Win At Bristol
Source: DriverAverages.com
Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports will start third for Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Larson has a top-5 starting position at Bristol for the eighth time in his Cup Series career. In 17 races at the Tennessee short track, Larson has two wins, 12 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 11.0. Through eight races so far this season, Larson has one win and five top-10 finishes with an average finish of 13.8. In practice, Larson was fastest in the overall, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 consecutive lap average categories. With top-notch practice speeds, a high starting position that makes him a favorite to lead laps early, and great equipment, Larson is expected to compete for the win and is a core DFS option this week.Chase Elliott Is One Of The More Favorable DFS Options Available For Bristol
Source: DriverAverages.com
Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott will start 20th for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. It will be the second time ever in his Cup career that Elliott will start 20th or lower in a Cup race at Bristol. In 15 races at the site, Elliott has 12 top-20 finishes, including nine inside the top 10, and an average finish of 11.0. After eight races so far in the 2025 season, Elliott remains the only driver to place in the top 20 at the end of every race, with five top-10 finishes. In practice, Elliott ranked 18th in overall lap averages while ranking as high as eighth in 30 consecutive lap averages. Due to his great track history, favorable practice speeds, and overall upside, Elliott is worth rostering in all formats for this week's race at Bristol.William Byron Is A Solid DFS Option For Bristol Lineups
Source: DriverAverages.com
William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports obtained a starting position of 26th for this week's race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Food City 500. Byron is the only driver from Hendrick to fail to qualify inside the top 20 this week. In 11 races at Bristol, Byron has seven top-20 finishes, with four inside the top 10. In eight races so far this season, Byron has one win, six top-20 finishes, and an average finish of 9.5, which is the best of all full-time drivers this year. In practice, Byron ranked eighth in overall lap averages while displaying top-10 speeds in the 20, 25, and 30 consecutive lap average categories. With his high upside, despite his last two Bristol finishes being underwhelming, Byron is worth rostering in all DFS formats this week due to his equipment and overall 2025 performance.Could Tyler Reddick Be A Sneaky DFS Option For Bristol?
Source: DriverAverages.com
Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing will start in the 27th position for Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Reddick has the lowest starting position of the three 23XI drivers for this week's race. In seven Cup starts at Bristol, Reddick has four top-20 finishes and only obtained positive place differential twice. Through eight races so far this season, Reddick has seven top-20 finishes and an average finish of 11.8. In practice, Reddick ranked 15th in overall lap averages while displaying top-15 speeds in the 15, 20, 25, and 30 consecutive lap average categories. Overall, Reddick is one of the more favorable DFS options available in the mid-tier range for this week's race who is capable of placing in the top 20, especially with how solid his overall performance has been in 2025, regardless of track type.Is Bubba Wallace Worth Rostering For Bristol This Week?
Source: DriverAverages.com
23XI Racing's Bubba Wallace starts 22nd for Bristol Motor Speedway's Food City 500 this week. Wallace was the top qualifier of the three 23XI entries for Sunday's race. In 11 races at Bristol in the Cup Series, Wallace has seven top-20 finishes, including three of the last five Cup events. With eight races completed so far this season, Wallace has four top-20 finishes and an average finish of 17.8. In practice, Wallace ranked 35th in overall lap averages while ranking as high as 21st in 20 consecutive lap averages. Although Wallace's history at Bristol has been mixed, and he has run well during the season, his salary of $8,500 makes him a bit difficult to roster over other drivers with more upside and better history in the salary range. Wallace is playable, but exposure should be kept modest for DFS this week.Could Ross Chastain Be A Worthy DFS Choice For Bristol?
Source: DriverAverages.com
Trackhouse Racing's Ross Chastain obtained a starting position of 35th after qualifying for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. This will be the fifth time in his Cup career that Chastain will start 30th or lower in a race at Bristol. In nine previous races at the last great coliseum, Chastain has four top-20 finishes, which all came during his last five appearances at the site. Through eight races so far in the 2025 season, Chastain has six finishes of 12th or better. In practice, Chastain ranked 36th in overall lap averages while displaying top-20 speeds in the 15 and 20 consecutive lap average categories. Chastain looked off in practice but has been solid at Bristol in the last few years, obtained favorable results this season, and has plenty of upside this week. DFS players should utilize the driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet this week in all formats, as he is someone who can compete for a top-20 finish.Is Carson Hocevar Worth Rostering For Bristol DFS Lineups?
Source: DriverAverages.com
Carson Hocevar of Spire Motorsports will start ninth for Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Hocevar is the top qualifier of the three Spire entries in this week's Cup race at Bristol. In three Cup starts at the site, Hocevar has two top-20 finishes, a best finish of 11th, and scored positive place differential twice. After eight races so far in the 2025 season, Hocevar has three top-20 finishes, with only one inside the top 10. In practice, Hocevar ranked eighth in overall lap averages and displayed top-10 speeds in the five and 10 consecutive lap average categories. Due to his low upside, it is difficult to recommend Hocevar for any lineup outside of tournament lineups, especially when his overall 2025 performance so far has been lackluster.Should Fantasy Managers Avoid Rostering A.J. Allmendinger In DFS For Bristol?
Source: DriverAverages.com
A.J. Allmendinger of Kaulig Racing will start eighth for this week's Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Food City 500. This marks the first top-10 starting position at the site for the driver of the No. 16 Chevrolet since 2016. In 25 Bristol starts, Allmendinger has 10 top-20 finishes, with only two top-10s. Through eight races so far this season, Allmendinger has four top-20 finishes, including three of the last four Cup events. In practice, Allmendinger ranked 22nd in overall lap averages. Although Allmendinger's recent performance in 2025 has been solid, Allmendinger's practice speeds and overall Bristol history point to him not being one of the top value options available. It is recommended to fade Allmendinger in all lineups outside of tournaments.Is Ryan Preece Worth Rostering For Bristol Lineups?
Source: DriverAverages.com
RFK Racing driver Ryan Preece will start 29th for this week's Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Food City 500. Preece's starting position for this week's race is his second-lowest of the entire 2025 season so far. In nine races at Bristol in his Cup career, Preece has eight top-20 finishes, but the No. 60 Ford driver has earned positive place differential in all of his Cup appearances so far. In the first eight races this season, Preece has five top-20 finishes and an average finish of 17.9. In practice, Preece ranked 37th in overall lap averages and 34th in 10 consecutive lap averages. Despite his slow practice speeds, Preece is a great driver to consider for all formats in DFS this week based on his upside and his Bristol history of obtaining positive PD.Austin Dillon May Be One Of The Top Value Options For Bristol DFS This Week
Source: DriverAverages.com
Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing will start 17th for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. This will be the best starting position of Dillon's Cup career at the Tennessee short track since 2022. In 19 starts at Bristol, Dillon has 12 top-20 finishes and an average finish of 18.2. The No. 3 Chevrolet driver also scored positive place differential in four of his last five appearances at Bristol. With eight races completed so far this season, Dillon has four top-20 finishes and nabbed positive or neutral PD four times. In practice, Dillon ranked ninth in overall lap averages while displaying top-20 speeds in all other categories. Although he does not offer as much upside as others in the value tier, Dillon is still one of the better overall options to consider as he will compete for a top-15 finish based on equipment and practice speeds.Should DFS Players Consider Noah Gragson For Bristol Lineups?
Source: DriverAverages.com
Front Row Motorsports driver Noah Gragson will start 31st for this week's Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Food City 500. Gragson's starting position will be the lowest in his Cup career at the Tennessee short track. In two previous Cup starts at Bristol, Gragson's best finish is 12th. In the Xfinity Series at the site, Gragson is a two-time winner with four top-10 finishes in six starts. After eight races so far this season, Gragson has three top-20 finishes and four finishes with positive place differentials earned. In practice, Gragson ranked 10th in overall lap averages and almost ranked among the top 10 fastest in all other eligible categories. Based on his very high upside, equipment, and practice speeds, Gragson is a playable driver worth consideration for all formats this week.Riley Herbst Is In Play For Bristol DFS Lineups
Source: DriverAverages.com
Cup Series rookie Riley Herbst will start 25th for Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway after qualifying. This will be the first ever Cup start for Herbst at Bristol. In six previous races at the site in the Xfinity Series, Herbst has four top-10 finishes and gained positive place differential five times. Through eight races so far in the 2025 Cup Series season, Herbst has four top-20 finishes while collecting positive PD five times. In practice, Herbst ranked 12th in overall lap averages while displaying top-10 speeds in almost all other categories. Despite being a rookie, Herbst is worth consideration for all types of DFS lineups due to his equipment and upside based on his starting position in the back half of the field.Cole Custer Is A Safe And Cheap DFS Option Worth Consideration
Source: DriverAverages.com
Cole Custer of Haas Factory Team will start 33rd for this week's race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Food City 500. This will be the lowest starting position of Custer's Cup career at Bristol. In four previous starts at the Tennessee short track, Custer's best finish was eighth, his only top-10 finish at the site back in 2022. Custer has yet to score a top-20 finish this season but did earn positive place differential four times through the first eight races. In practice, Custer ranked 25th in overall lap averages and fourth in 10 consecutive lap averages. Considering his equipment and season-wide performance, Custer may not bring top results. Still, he is one of the more playable DFS options available, primarily due to his low salary of $5,900 on DraftKings combined with his incredible upside.Crew Chief Change Suggests Ty Gibbs Won't Lead Enough To Be A Strong DFS Option
Ty Gibbs has arguably been 2025's biggest disappointment because normally young drivers on top teams are supposed to rapidly progress while Gibbs has been significantly slower in 2025 since losing his old crew chief Chris Gayle to Denny Hamlin's No. 11.read more...