The DFS NASCAR rankings below are based on a mixture of expected output and DraftKings Fantasy NASCAR salaries. The order is not based on the highest projected fantasy totals, but rather by the DFS value of each driver.
The DraftKings NASCAR Cup Series Food City Dirt Race at Bristol slate locks at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $350K ENGINEER [$100K TO 1ST] (CUP)
1. Kyle Larson ($10,900) — The best dirt-track racer ever is driving the fastest Gen 7 stock car in 2023. End of story.
2. Tyler Reddick ($10,700) — The second Bristol Dirt Race should have been won by Reddick but Chase Briscoe wrecked Reddick on the last lap. Nonetheless, Reddick remained composed, finished second and scored the most fantasy points.
3. Christopher Bell ($10,500) — There is a strong argument that Bell is the best dirt-track racer in the field. Larson, Reddick and Briscoe were statistically better in the 2022 Bristol Dirt Race but Bell still had a solid race.
4. Chase Briscoe ($10,200) — The scoreboard does not show it, but Briscoe was the second-best DFS pick at Bristol last season. That is until Briscoe went YOLO in the final turn. His slide job failed, and Briscoe turned a runner-up finish into a finish outside of the top 20.
5. William Byron ($10,000) — Bristol isn’t really a dirt track. It’s a slick and slow short track. Byron isn’t really a dirt-track racer, but he’s been a great short-track racer this season. Also, he’s running double-duty this weekend.
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6. Ryan Blaney ($9,500) — His grandfather and father are dirt legends. His family owns a dirt track. Last season, he methodically worked his way through the field in the Bristol Dirt Race, driving from 25th to fifth.
7. Joey Logano ($9,800) — Once again, Logano is running double-duty at the Bristol dirt track. That’s four practice sessions, two heat races and two races. Logano may not be a dirt-racing expert but no one has turned more dirt-track laps at Bristol. Also, no one has produced better results — he won the 2021 race and finished third in 2022.
8. Kyle Busch ($9,700) — His 2022 Bristol Dirt Race win was flukey but he put himself in position to win. Bristol has changed the track multiple times over the last two decades and Busch has won in every iteration. The track could be covered in marbles or molasses and Busch would still win.
9. Alex Bowman ($8,500) — During the last several offseasons, Bowman has dedicated himself to dirt racing. He’s become a regular in Tulsa for the Shootout and the Chili Bowl. Does this experience help his chances? It can’t hurt. His fast Hendrick Chevy doesn’t hurt either.
10. Ross Chastain ($9,300) — When will the doubters learn? What was the sentiment last week? “Chastain is good, but he’s not a great short-track racer.” He then went on to finish third. Is Chastain a dirt-track racer? He’s a racer and he’s performing at every type of track.
11. Denny Hamlin ($9,100) — If this is a dirt track, then Hamlin is too expensive. If this is a short track, then Hamlin is in play. His former JGR teammate won this race in 2022. Why can’t Hamlin?
12. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ($8,900) — His dirt-racing days are behind him. Stenhouse still runs some dirt races, but he’s mainly a dirt-racing team owner. That being said, Stenhouse has not forgotten how to rip the cushion. The decorated dirt racer was the runner-up in the 2021 Bristol Dirt Race.
13. Martin Truex Jr. ($8,700) — A very strong argument can be made that the Bristol Dirt Race is just a slower version of Bristol. It’s a low-speed short track. Case in point, Martin Truex Jr. — a driver with no dirt-track experience — won the first-ever NASCAR dirt race at Bristol (Truck Series 2021).
14. Daniel Suarez ($8,100) — His car will be fast enough and he has just enough talent. Suarez has been optimal in each of the first two Bristol Dirt Races. He may not make it three in a row, but his scores reveal that pit-road strategy and track position will be key on Sunday night.
15. Michael McDowell ($6,400) — This pick feels strange. McDowell is a road ringer not a dirt digger. Last year was the best season of McDowell’s career and those stats include a top-10 finish in the Bristol Dirt Race. In 2021, he finished 12th in the Bristol Dirt Race.
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $350K ENGINEER [$100K TO 1ST] (CUP)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is greenflagradio2) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.