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Chris Durell brings you DraftKings fantasy NASCAR advice, DFS lineups picks and sleepers analysis for Chris Durell brings you DraftKings fantasy NASCAR advice, DFS lineups picks and sleepers analysis for the Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway
This week the Monster Energy Cup Series travels to the Pocono Raceway for the first of two races at the Tricky Triangle. It is one of the most unique tracks in NASCAR with three unique turns modeled after other tracks. Turn one is banked at 14 degrees and was meant to resemble now retired Trenton Speedway. Turn two(tunnel turn) is much like Indianapolis Motor Speedway and is banked at nine degrees. Turn three has the least amount of banking at six degrees and was designed like the Milwaukee Mile.
From a fantasy perspective, the dominator effect is much less here with just 160 laps total combined with the random pit stop strategies. Over the last six races, only once(last year) has a driver led 100 laps at Pocono and in that same timeframe there has not been multiple drivers to lead 50 or more laps. With not a whole lot of place differential pop up with qualifying this week, finishing position will be huge. Let's now dive in and take a look at some of the top plays.
Daily Fantasy NASCAR: DraftKings and FanDuel DFS Lineup Picks - Pocono 400
Kevin Harvick(DK-$11,600 FD-$13,500)
It is very close at the top with Kyle Busch this week but I lean Harvick as he has been more consistent here. Busch did win the last race here at Pocono but Harvick has back to back runner-up finishes and four runner-up's in the last seven races here with six total Top 10's and the one race he didn't finish Top 10, he had an engine failure. He will start on the front row and was second fastest in final practice and is safe in all formats.
Erik Jones(DK-$8,400 FD-$9,700)
Jones is in just his second season in the Cup series so the sample size is small but he has been terrific here at Pocono finishing third and eighth in his rookie season. This time around, he will be starting back in the 25th position and was 15th and 14th in the two practices this week giving him near elite place differential upside. With a mid-tier price, he is also safe in all formats.
Aric Almirola(DK-$8,200 FD-$9,100)
Pocono Raceway has not been kind to Almirola who has been caught up in a crash or had an engine failure in four of the last six races here while driving the #43 for Richard Petty. He is now in the #10 car for Stewart-Haas Racing and shows up as the top place differential play of the week as he will start from the 34th position and followed that up with the fifth-fastest speed in final practice. He will be chalky but a great play in all formats.
Matt DiBenedetto(DK-$5,700 FD-$6,000)
Scrolling down into the value range, I will once again be looking at DiBenedetto. Like Almirola, Pocono has not been kind to him as he has experienced issues in three of the last four races here but I am willing to overlook that this week. He will start 32nd and posted the 25th fastest speed in final practice and with his value price allows us to stack two of the top drivers this week.
NASCAR DFS Cheat Sheet
Don't have the time to search multiple sites looking for NASCAR stats and data?
Check out my DFS NASCAR cheatsheet which includes Track History(2-Year Trend & Career), Track Type History(2-Year Trend), Current Form, Practice/Qualifying Data, and a weighted system to get an overall rank for each driver each race. Check out it now while it's still in BETA mode and FREE to everyone. Also, be sure to check out the Race by Race Trends Sheet.
DFS & Fantasy NASCAR Chat Room
If you have any questions leading up to the race hit me up in the chat below!
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