FlurrySports gives their NASCAR fantasy picks and other DFS lineup advice for the Pennzoil 400 NASCAR race, including Kyle Larson.
The NASCAR Cup Series continues its early-season west coast swing this Sunday just north of the Las Vegas Strip. The Pennzoil 400 will be the first of many races contested on 1.5-mile intermediate tracks this year.
As usual, track position and long-run speed should be paramount to success at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Because of that, it will be important to monitor how drivers perform in practice and qualifying on Saturday when making NASCAR fantasy picks this week.
Even before the full starting grid is set, there are plenty of historical stats and trends that can help build a strong lineup.
Let’s dive into a full NASCAR fantasy preview for the Pennzoil 400. Below, we’ll share our recommended lineup picks, take a look at this week’s featured head-to-head matchups and more.
NASCAR Fantasy Scoring Overview
For those who may be new to NASCAR Fantasy under the official rules this year, the good news is that the scoring system is fairly simple. Drivers in your lineup earn the same number of fantasy points as they do NASCAR standings points during the race.
The only new wrinkle this season is the increased number of points awarded to the race winner under the updated format.
The following list summarizes how drivers can accumulate NASCAR fantasy points:
- Outright Winner: 55 points
- Finishing Position: 35 points for second, 34 for third, and so on down to 1 point for finishing 36th or worse
- Stage Points: 10 points for a stage win, 9 for second, and so on down to 1 point for finishing 10th in a stage
- Fastest Lap of the Race: 1 point
Remember that each driver can only be used in your lineup ten times during the 36-race season. That’s where strategy comes into play, as fantasy players must decide when to deploy their top drivers and when to rely on sleeper picks.
Finally, NASCAR Fantasy also offers four head-to-head driver matchups each week. For every matchup you correctly predict, you earn an additional 10 points toward your weekly score.
Don’t worry, we’ll share our recommendations for those matchups later in this column.
Pennzoil 400 NASCAR Fantasy Picks
Lineup Locks
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Any well-thought-out NASCAR fantasy picks for a race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway must include Kyle Larson. Over the last six races here, he owns two wins, four top-five finishes and an absurd average finish of 4.3.
As if that wasn’t enough, Larson’s average driver rating of 128.7 during that span is more than 15 points better than the next closest driver. He’s the betting favorite to win the Pennzoil 400 for good reason and is a surefire fantasy selection this week.
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
There’s a strong argument that Christopher Bell was the class of the field in his runner-up finish at Phoenix last week. The JGR Toyotas have built an impressive track record at Las Vegas in recent years, and Bell has certainly contributed to that success.
Across the last six Cup Series races at LVMS, Bell owns a 9.5 average finish, four top-five results and the third-best average driver rating (101.7) among active drivers. The No. 20 team looks poised to remain among the sport’s elite early in the 2026 season.
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
What exactly has Tyler Reddick done to not warrant consideration as a NASCAR fantasy lineup staple this week? If the answer is simply failing to win a fourth consecutive race to open the season, just get out of here with that!
Not only are Reddick and the 23XI Racing team off to a blistering start in 2026, but he also brings solid Las Vegas stats to the table. In his last nine starts here, Reddick has recorded a runner-up finish and six top-10 results.
Drivers to Avoid
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
It was a tough outing for Chase Elliott last week at Phoenix. Long term, it’s reasonable to expect the No. 9 team to rebound. However, Las Vegas has not been particularly kind to Elliott in recent years.
Across the last six races here, Elliott has averaged just a 21st-place finish with only one top-10 result. With it still being early in the season, he feels like a driver better saved for other tracks later in the schedule.
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Las Vegas may be his hometown track, but backing Kyle Busch among our NASCAR fantasy picks feels like an ill-advised proposition this week. Since moving from Joe Gibbs Racing to Richard Childress Racing, Busch has struggled here, finishing 13th or worse in four of the last six races.
Add in how disjointed the No. 8 team looked with the new Chevrolet body last week, and Busch stands out as a driver to avoid.
Sleepers to Consider
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Since 2022, Ross Chastain has posted five top-five finishes in eight starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His 9.3 average finish across the last six races here trails only Kyle Larson among active drivers.
That level of consistency makes Chastain a very appealing sleeper option for NASCAR fantasy lineups this week.
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
The case for Ty Gibbs this week may rely more on momentum and vibes than historical stats. After finishing fourth at Phoenix, Gibbs appears to be a young driver ready to take the next step during his fourth full-time season in the Cup Series.
If the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas show strong speed again this weekend, Gibbs could easily outperform his fantasy expectations.
NASCAR Fantasy Driver Matchups and Predictions
The following are the four driver head-to-head matchups that are spotlighted by NASCAR Fantasy this week, along with our predictions for each.
Josh Berry vs. Ty Gibbs
Josh Berry may have won the Pennzoil 400 a year ago, but Ty Gibbs enters the 2026 edition with far more momentum. Neither driver boasts particularly strong Las Vegas stats, so we’ll lean toward Gibbs with the strength of JGR equipment serving as the deciding factor.
Prediction: Ty Gibbs
Daniel Suarez vs. Carson Hocevar
Believe it or not, Daniel Suarez owns a 10.2 average finish over the last six races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Those results came with Trackhouse Racing, but his new Spire Motorsports ride should be at least comparable to that of teammate and matchup opponent Carson Hocevar.
Prediction: Daniel Suarez
Ryan Blaney vs. Tyler Reddick
It’s been feast or famine at Las Vegas for Ryan Blaney over the last few years. Given Tyler Reddick’s edge in consistency and the red-hot start for 23XI Racing this season, this feels like a sneaky opportunity to go against last week’s race winner.
Prediction: Tyler Reddick
Chase Briscoe vs. Bubba Wallace
Over the last ten Cup Series races at Las Vegas, Chase Briscoe and Bubba Wallace have combined for three fourth-place finishes, with the rest of their results being 12th or worse. We’ll give the nod to Wallace based on his strong start to the 2026 season and a noticeably better Las Vegas driver rating between the two.
Prediction: Bubba Wallace
NASCAR Fantasy 36 for 36 Selection
Each week, we conclude our NASCAR Fantasy column with a 36 for 36 selection. For those who may be new to the game, this is a separate contest from the standard NASCAR Fantasy format. Managers must select one driver for each race throughout the season, with that driver’s fantasy points contributing to their overall total.
The catch is that each driver can only be used once over the course of the season. Think of it as a blend between NASCAR fantasy scoring (without a full lineup) and an NFL survivor contest, but without eliminations.
Although he does not have a win here, Ross Chastain’s average finish of 9.3 at Las Vegas dating back to the 2023 season is his best at any track. That mark also ranks second among active drivers over that six-race span.
While there may be some “safer” picks available, we’ll roll with Chastain here and save some of the top-tier favorites for later intermediate tracks.
36 for 36 Pick: Ross Chastain
