One of the most volatile NASCAR events on the schedule, Bristol will conclude this weekend’s round of 16. Looking at the track specs for Bristol Motor Speedway, it is a 0.53-mile oval track. Being the second smallest track on the Cup Series circuit, drivers are continuously on top of one another. Additionally, they run the 750hp low-downforce rules package, meaning this track is like a powder keg ready to explode. Bristol recorded an average of 10.0 cautions over the last four races, exceeding Daytona and Talladega respectively. It is especially important for drivers hoping to qualify for the round of 12 to be mindful of non-playoff drivers. Here, getting caught in a bad racing situation is common.
Due to the size of these short tracks, the laps pile up rapidly, as we saw last weekend in Richmond. The 500 laps required at Bristol are more than any other track on the circuit besides Martinsville. In using DraftKings, 500 laps is equal to 350 dominator points. There isn’t much change in roster construction from last weekend. To have the best chance of winning, one needs at least two drivers who can each lead a good portion of the laps (and fastest laps). In addition, you will want to ensure that you have a dark horse option in your arsenal. Two drivers have split the majority of the laps in each of the last three Bristol runs.
This week, the Money Train delves into the DFS options for Saturday’s Cup Series event in Bristol, TN. The selections are broken down between high salary, mid-range, and value play. Included are player salaries from both FanDuel (FD) and DraftKings (DK). Best of luck to everyone with lineups this weekend.
High Salary
Chase Elliott (12,500 FD | 10,500 DK)
Ultimately, the Gibbs duo controlled the race at Richmond. Chase Elliott, however, showed he had a car capable of competing for a win. During the second stage, he was able to control the lead at two different points, racking up 58 laps led. After colliding with Ross Chastain during a green flag pit stop near the end of Stage 2, his car sustained damage on the left rear, but he recovered to finish fourth after dropping a lap down.
Despite not having dominated Bristol, he’s always been a threat to lead laps, having led at least 23 or more in each of the past 5 Bristol visits. Last year, he racked up 88 laps at the May race. As a result of his fourth-place finish last weekend, he will start on the second row. Providing Hendrick Racing supplies him with a car that can match the performance of the front runners, I expect him to be a strong contender for most fastest laps and laps led. He is an excellent pivot option for those looking to avoid spending the heavy chalk money on Martin Truex Jr.
Kyle Larson (14,000 FD | 11,300 DK)
Larson was in line to emerge early after taking the pole last week. However, due to multiple pre-race violations, he would be sent to the back. Thanks to that letdown, he was unable to gain any serious ground on the leaders. While he did finish in a respectable sixth place, owner expectations were not met.
Despite finishing second at Bristol two previous times, Larson has already established himself as a dominant player when on his game. His lap-leading totals over the last six Bristol visits have proven that, having exceeded 200 laps twice. On four of those occasions, he has led 60 laps or more. If you’re looking at Larson as your top dog this week, consider adding Elliott as your second dominator and creating a Hendricks stack.
Mid-Range
Matt DiBenedetto (7,500 FD | 8,400 DK)
Following a mediocre finish at Darlington, DiBenedetto bounced back nicely for owners, earning 39.5 points on DraftKings. It was just two seasons ago at Bristol that he missed out on what was potentially a first Cup win. At the time, DiBenedetto (driving a Leavine Racing car) achieved a career-best finish of second while leading a race-high 93 laps. He has come quite close to winning several cup races since; one could argue that opportunity represented his best chance at achieving that goal. He will start 19th, which offers plenty of value, considering he tends to find his way among the top 15 drivers most race weekends.
Value Play
Ryan Newman (5,800 FD | 7,000 DK)
When it comes to tracks like Martinsville and Bristol, Newman is always one of my favorites. With his scrappy nature, getting by him on these poky short tracks has never been easy. The fact that he’ll start 24th in the running order could be a compelling attribute. Only twice has Newman finished outside the top 20 in his last 12 trips to Bristol. Two years ago, he finished 10th here after starting from as far deep as 30th. For owners looking for a cheap option that can hold up the bottom end of their roster, Newman is typically a good choice.
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