RADIO
Hotlanta, NASCAR is returning to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend, just four months after its first visit to the Peach State this season. It also marks the first time since 2010 that AMS has hosted two Cup Series events in the same season.
The talk of the town this week hasn't featured the race this weekend, though, as AMS announced on Tuesday it would repave the track surface following this weekend's event. It will also increase the banking by four degrees in the corner and narrow the racing groove by 15 ft. in some parts of the track. But that's a topic for another day.
When it comes to playing fantasy NASCAR this weekend, this should be noted: The Quaker State 400 is the first Cup event at AMS that's scheduled to be fewer than 500 miles since 1966. Richard Petty won on that August afternoon, ahead of Buddy Baker and Sam McQuagg. Why's this important to you? It means, you need to be on your game early and often, as there isn't that final 100 miles to potentially lead at the end and rack up points. Let's see who fits the boat this weekend.
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Kyle Larson
(DraftKings $12,000 | FanDuel $14,500 | DK SportsBook +225)
If I'm being honest, it was challenging to come up with eight drivers to highlight for this weekend's race at Atlanta. That's not a bad thing, but it might make it hard to fill out the best fantasy lineup. Why, you ask? Many drivers are overpriced -- and near the same price. That makes it more difficult to pick which drivers you should go with.
But I can assure you, Kyle Larson is probably the easiest choice. Yes, he leads the series with four wins, but his productivity on 1.5-mile racetrack this season has been otherworldly, having led 836 of 1,526 (54.8%) all laps completed. And when Cup visited Atlanta in March, it was the No. 5 car that dominated (leading 269 of 325 laps), only to get passed by Ryan Blaney at the end.
Of late, Larson has been quite good at AMS, with four top-12 finishes in his last four starts. In his last two events alone at the venue, he's paced the field for 411 laps. I don't see how that changes this weekend.
Center your lineup around the No 5 team. Despite the price, the reward should be worth it.
Kevin Harvick
(DraftKings $10,900 | FanDuel $11,700 | DK SportsBook +1000)
Remember the time when Kevin Harvick was soooo dominant at Atlanta Motor Speedway? Oh, like leading north of 100 laps in six of the past eight races at the track? And he has one mediocre outing in March where he calls it the biggest piece of junk he's ever driven at the 1.5-mile track and it's like everyone forgets how good he truly is at the track.
Of course, you're only as good as the equipment you're given to compete in. And there's no hiding that this year has been a struggle for Stewart-Haas Racing, though Harvick still has 14 top-10 finishes on the season (tied with Larson and Denny Hamlin for the most).
But I'm not betting against Harvick at Atlanta. His prices skyrocketed this week due to a disappointing performance at Road America last weekend. Because of that, the No. 4 Ford will start from 21st position.
Kyle Busch
(DraftKings $10,300 | FanDuel $13,000 | DK SportsBook +750)
It doesn't take a genius to figure out Larson has the most speed on intermediate racetracks this season, but it's Kyle Busch whose had the most consistent finishes. In five events on 1.5-mile tracks, the No. 18 team has a series-best 4.4 average finish, including a win at Kansas Speedway.
Since finishing 10th at Homestead- Miami Speedway, the first mile-and-a-half race of the season, Busch hasn't had a finish worst than fifth. In March, he rounded out the top five at AMS, even after having a pit road penalty.
Outside of Hendrick Motorsports stranglehold on the top five lately, Kyle Busch has been next best in class -- and sometimes better. Busch will begin the 400-mile race from second on Sunday, and I'd expect him to be a factor early and often.
William Byron
(DraftKings $10,000 | FanDuel $11,500 | DK SportsBook +1200)
Though Road America didn't go as planned, William Byron continues to be consistently consistent in his fourth Cup season. And he won at Homestead in February, on a track surface that's aged similarly to Atlanta.
However, AMS hasn't been that kind to Byron since entering the Cup Series. In four starts, he has an average finish of 19th, but did place eighth in March. He was also one of just six drivers to lead laps.
Byron's stock is continuously improving, and this week his fantasy prices are more expensive than most. For that reason, feel free to shy away from the No. 24 team, as there are other drivers that also have high values. But starting 19th, I like his odds to gain you some additional points.
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Brad Keselowski
(DraftKings $9,200 | FanDuel $12,000| DK SportsBook +1400)
Since winning at Talladega Superspeedway at the end of April, the Cup Series hasn't been very kind to Brad Keselowski. In that 10-race stretch, he has just three top-10 results, with a best finish of third (twice). He event went through a streak of six consecutive finishes outside the top 10, which was his worst since 2011.
But over the past decade, Atlanta has suited Keselowski well. Prior to finishing 28th, four laps down in March, the No. 2 team had a streak of six straight top 10s at AMS. That's entering Kevin Harvick level at Atlanta.
On DraftKings, Keselowksi is well worth $9,200. However, on FanDuel, it's a bit of a tougher decision, sitting at $12,00 entering the weekend. Take into account, though, that he's finished inside the top two in three of the last five races at the track, including two triumphs (2017 and 2019). And with 14-1 odds of winning, that's a nice bargain to lay some money down.
Martin Truex Jr.
(DraftKings $9,000 | FanDuel $12,500 | DK SportsBook +1000)
Like Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr.'s last two months have been a mystery. The No. 19 team was the first team to win multiple races this season, and even got a third at Darlington Raceway on Mother's Day in dominating fashion. Since then, though, Truex has hit a dry spell.
In the eight races since Darlington, Truex has a best finish of third, but that was on a road course at Sonoma Raceway. In the five races on a non-road course, he has a best result of 11th at Pocono Raceway, two weeks ago.
But over the last 10 races at Atlanta, Truex has been among the league leaders, though having not visited victory lane. Entering Sunday's race, the New Jersey native has seven consecutive top 10s at AMS. The No. 19 car starts fifth on Sunday.
Daniel Suarez
(DraftKings $7,700 | FanDuel $6,500 | DK SportsBook +12500)
One driver to keep an eye on this weekend is Daniel Suarez. Not only has Trackhouse Racing been in the news of late for purchasing Chip Ganassi Racing, but the No. 99 team has shown speed in its debut season.
The first real glimpse of speed was in March at Atlanta. Suarez was racing inside the top five until he sped on pit road late in the 500-mile race and dwindled to 17th in the finishing order.
This season has been feast or famine for Suarez. Expected to run well last weekend at Road America, he had a transmission issue and finished 36th. Because of that, his prices are among the highest they've been all year on both DraftKings and FanDuel. But don't be surprised to see the No. 99 Chevrolet come through the field, despite starting 27th.
Ryan Newman
(DraftKings $6,100 | FanDuel $5,800 | DK SportsBook +20000)
Over the last season and a half, Ryan Newman hasn't had a lot to be pleased about from the competition standpoint. But he does have three top-1o results this season, with two of them coming on aged track surfaces.
Since his last top 10 at Darlington, Newman has just one top-20 finish in the last eight events. But that also came at a worn out track surface at Nashville Superspeedway.
If you're looking for a driver to perform well that doesn't cost a bunch this weekend, Newman might be your guy. He will take the green flag from 29th, which means there's a lot of ground to be made up. The No. 6 Ford finished 13th in the first race at Atlanta this season.
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