After Brad Keselowski broke up the Joe Gibbs Racing four race win streak at Talladega, JGR got back into victory lane once again as Kyle Busch picked up his third win of the season last week at Kansas Speedway. It won't be without controversy though, as the #18 team was hit hard after a 5th lug nut was present but not tight in post race inspection. Crew chief, Adam Stevens and the front tire changer have been suspended one race and put on probation until December 31. NASCAR has now made it clear what they expect from the race teams concerning lug nuts moving forward. Statement received.
This week the drivers and teams travel to the East Coast for the AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway. Dover is a 1 mile oval short track with steep 24° banking in the corners. The track is often labelled the Bigger Bristol as both are steep concrete bowl shaped race tracks, with Dover having an extra 1/2 mile in length which creates more speed.
For daily fantasy this week we are going to try to identify one or two drivers who have the equipment and speed to dominate laps led and have a great shot at the win. Seven of the last 10 races here have seen one driver dominate over half the laps led and in the other three races two drivers dominated the laps led. Be sure to come back tomorrow and check the chat where I will update the final two practice speeds, weather permitting.
If you have any questions leading up to the race be sure to join the conversation in the chat below. I will also be sharing a link to a cheatsheet I developed and use weekly to help reduce research time. The cheatsheet includes driver salaries, track history(last 5 years), current form(last 5 races), Season Loop Data, and I also provide updated practice and qualifying rankings with a weighted system to rank all drivers. Check out the link in the chat room below and feel free to ask me any questions leading up to the race tomorrow night.
Daily Fantasy NASCAR: DraftKings DFS Lineup Picks
Jimmie Johnson - $10,700
The 10 time Dover winner is back as the most expensive option and the #1 value play this weekend for the AAA 400 Drive for Autism. They unloaded off the truck and didn't find speed in practice one ranking 21st which is also where they will start due to qualifying being rained out. They found speed in practice two, ranking 12th, and will most likely find even more in the final practice. He presents big upside this week with place differential points and if he can get up front early could also lead some laps and we all know he will contend for the win.
Kyle Busch - $10,200
He will be without a crew chief and front tire changer this weekend due to the suspension they received from NASCAR following the Kansas race. You can be sure the entire Joe Gibbs Racing team will be installing AND tightening all five lug nuts on each wheel. This might slow the pit stops down a bit but it won't stop JGR from producing extremely fast cars. The #18 car ranked 3rd in opening practice and was the fastest car on the track in second practice. Kyle has picked up three wins this season and has finished all but two races inside the Top 4 finishing positions. Look for him to run up front all day at Dover and contend for another win.
Kurt Busch - $9,100
Older brother Kurt usually gets overlooked with all the talented drivers around him. He is a terrific value option this week at $9,100 and has shown speed early on. He was 9th in first practice(which is where he will start), 5th in second practice and also posted the fastest 10 lap average in second practice. In the past five years(10 races) Kurt has one win at Dover but unfortunately it was his only Top 10 in that time. Look for that to change as he is coming in with momentum and confidence scoring five straight Top 10 finishes.
Kyle Larson - $7,900
It has been a very rocky start to the 2016 season for the #42 team as they have only picked up two Top 10 finishes and sit 21st in the Sprint Cup standings. He will get a terrific opportunity to improve on those results this weekend at the Monster Mile. He comes back here having raced in the Sprint Cup series four times with a Top 5 and three straight Top 10 finishes. He also presents some nice place differential value starting 23rd as he was slow in first practice but came out and found speed in practice two as the 6th fastest car and was also posted the 6th fastest 10 lap average in second practice.
Also Consider - Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Clint Bowyer
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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