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 All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro slate locks at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $200K Engineer [$50K to 1st] (All-Star)
1. William Byron ($9,100) — For those scoring at home, Byron will be competing in the ASA National Super Late Model race (runner-up finish on Wednesday) and the Truck Series race at North Wilkesboro. Does he need any more of an advantage? He won at the short track in Phoenix earlier this season and recorded the fastest average lap time at Richmond.
2. Kyle Larson ($10,100) — The playing field is never even when Larson is racing. No one has raced a Cup car at North Wilkesboro. That sounds even, but this is a huge advantage for the most skilled drivers. They figure the track out quicker. Larson is a quick study.
3. Denny Hamlin ($8,800) — Much of his formative years were spent on flat, short tracks in the south. He’ll be ready for North Wilkesboro. Let’s not forget — as much as we would like to — Hamlin won the final iRacing contest during the COVID shutdown, and that was a race at North Wilkesboro.
4. Chase Elliott ($8,300) — In 2010, Elliott won a Late Model race at North Wilkesboro. He was the second fastest in the ASA National Super Late Model practice on Tuesday and finished Wednesday’s race in third.
5. Martin Truex Jr (9,300) — The JGR Toyotas have come to life. Truex has speed every week. On top of that, Truex won at the short, flat track in the LA Coliseum earlier this season. That track is still unknown to most teams. North Wilkesboro is an enigma wrapped inside a riddle.
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6. Kevin Harvick ($9,900) — The SHR Fords are strong at short, flat tracks. Harvick won at Richmond in 2022 and would have won at Phoenix in 2023 if not for a late-race caution. Harvick will be running the CARS Late Model race to get extra reps at this legendary North Carolina short track.
7. Christopher Bell ($9,500) — There’s a Cup Series and Truck Series race at North Wilkesboro this weekend. There’s also a CARS Tour race and an ASA National Super Late Model race that will feature Cup Series talent. Bell is running the Truck Series race, as if the short-track wizard needed any more help.
8. Brad Keselowski ($7,100) — He finished 12th in the CARS Late Model race. Ceteris Paribus (all things being equal), the Cup Series race is anyone’s race. All things are not equal. This track is unknown to some, but Keselowski and plenty of others are getting extra laps this week. Those laps are valuable.
9. Tyler Reddick ($7,700) — Short, flat tracks have never been his jam. That’s probably why he is getting extra reps in the Truck Series race. Those won’t be his first laps at North Wilkesboro. He participated in the testing session at this track in a Cup car back in March.
10. Daniel Suarez ($6,600) — Not only is he getting extra reps this weekend in the ASA National Super Late Model race and the CARS Late Model race, but he’s fast. Suarez topped the timing chart in the ASA STARS National Tour practice on Tuesday and finished the race in fifth.
11. Ross Chastain ($8,600) — It’s safe to assume that he won’t get into a fight in the All-Star race or that he won’t get intentionally wrecked. Then again, his enemies might see this as the perfect time to retaliate. If Chastain doesn’t face the wrath of his competitors, then his experience in the CARS Late Model race could propel him to a $1 million check on Sunday night.
12. Chase Briscoe ($6,800) — Short, flat tracks were never Briscoe’s strength in the Xfinity Series. That has changed in the Cup Series. The SHR Fords have been very competitive at these tracks over the last several seasons. Briscoe earned a top-10 finish in the CARS Late Model race on Wednesday.
13. Ryan Blaney ($7,400) — It’s disappointing that Blaney is not participating in the lower series races this weekend. His family is no stranger to grassroots racing. Regardless of the participation of the 2022 All-Star racing winner, Blaney is a top-tier short, flat track driver and could be a contender despite the lack of laps at North Wilkesboro.
14. Noah Gragson ($6,500) — It’s always a reach with Gragson. His equipment is not ideal and he’s a rookie. That uncertainty lowers ownership and creates opportunity. Gragson is running the ASA National Super Late Model race. The extra laps may separate him from other value picks.
15. Bubba Wallace ($6,900) — Is Bubba the best driver for North Wilkesboro? No one has any clue, but laps should matter. Bubba is running the Truck Series race on Saturday and he did win two Truck Series races at the short, flat track in Martinsville in 2013 and 2014.
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $200K Engineer [$50K to 1st] (All-Star)
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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.