The NASCAR Cup Series will go short-track racing under the lights this week. The 3/4-mile Richmond Raceway will host the second race of the playoffs. The short tracks always provide some entertainment, but with some drivers needing points in the worst way, it could be desperation time. That being said, here is some FanDuel NASCAR DFS advice for Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400.
FanDuel NASCAR DFS Overview
In this NASCAR Cup Series DFS column, we will be using FanDuel prices and scoring. Their scoring includes the following:
- .1 points for leading a lap
- .1 points for completing a lap
- Add/subtract 0.5 points based on the difference in a driver’s finishing position relative to their starting position
- Points based on where the driver finishes
FanDuel NASCAR DFS | Race 28
Federated Auto Parts 400 Drivers to Consider
Denny Hamlin ($13,500)
The resident Virginia native returns to his home track. Denny Hamlin has the lowest average finish of all the active drivers in the last 10 races at the track. Hamlin also has the momentum of last week and when you add his 2nd place finish from the first race he is a pretty good pick. Hamlin should be your expensive NASCAR DFS pick this week.
Brad Keselowski ($11,500)
The driver of the deuce has a fairly good track record at Richmond. In the last 10 races, Brad Keselowski has a win and an average finish of 7.1. Adding to that is he has finished on the lead lap in all ten of those races. Keselowski is 12 points above the cut line so he doesn’t need to do anything crazy. Keselowski will be a good FanDuel NASCAR pick for this week.
Ross Chastain ($8,300)
The guy who shocked the NASCAR world and finished third in the Southern 500 makes the good side of this week’s list. Ross Chastain has been on a bit of a run recently if you exclude his wreck at Daytona. Never afraid to push the boundaries, look for Chastain to get another top-10 finish this week. The No. 42 will surprise some people once again.
Matt DiBenedetto ($7,800)
The NASCAR DFS value play this week is a guy who is auditioning for a new ride for next season. Matt DiBenedetto finished top-10 in the first race at Richmond this year. There’s reason to believe that he will outperform his history here at the track from his days driving lesser-quality equipment. DiBurrito is a good short-track racer and will continue his trend Saturday night.
Author’s note: The editor hates the “DiBurrito” nickname
Federated Auto Parts 400 Drivers to Avoid
Ryan Blaney ($9,500)
Ryan Blaney is absolutely horrendous at this track. It is something that Blaney, his team, and his fans can’t understand. A 23.4 average finish over his 10 starts at Richmond Raceway says it all. Only three times has he even finished on the lead lap. For a guy who is driving in some of the best equipment, that is not what you want at all. Steer clear of the No. 12 car in NASCAR DFS lineups.
Kyle Larson ($12,000)
It’s tough to read Kyle Larson this week. He could absolutely dominate the race and win or he could go down two laps by the end of Stage 2 and never recover. With him starting on the pole and having a $12,000 price tag in FanDuel NASCAR contests, it’s certainly risky to include him in lineups. This could turn out to be the fade of the week if you are feeling gutsy enough to do so.
Cole Custer ($7,500)
The driver of the No. 41 Stewart-Haas car makes the bad side of this list. On the Burnt Rubber Racing Podcast last week, Henry discussed the fact that some of these guys won’t be getting the best stuff from their teams because they have teammates in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Custer is on the wrong side of the SHR garage when it comes to this angle. Add in a 21st place average finish at Richmond for his career and Custer is one to avoid for Saturday’s race.
Michael McDowell ($5,000)
Michael McDowell has no momentum despite being one of the 16 drivers in the playoff field. In each of the last two races, he has scored negative points in FanDuel NASCAR DFS. Starting 16th this week, he has the potential to go forward and earn points, but his average finish here is 25.2. That figure includes a 27th place finish from earlier this season. McDowell is not worth taking in NASCAR DFS lineups.
Follow us on all of our social channels! Check out our Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok for more great FlurrySports content.
