This week we head to another short track in Richmond. This week is also an impound race. For those of you who are new to Nascar DFS, the starting positions are not final until post qualifying tech which this weekend will start around 1 pm Saturday. We won’t have an official lineup until around 3:30 eastern time. Any updates to my article I will put on top of the driver breakdown in bold and will also do final thoughts after tech is completed. Please pay attention to any updates because if a car fails tech, they will forfeit their starting spot and start from the back. This can have a huge impact on who to play in cash and who to fade. The strategy as of right now is to find 1-2 dominators for cash games and then look for great place differential plays throughout the field.
As I eluded to tech has changed everything this week. Eight drivers failed tech: Jones, Elliott, Suarez, Johnson, Almirola, Hamlin, Tifft and Gase. I think everyone except Gase is a great place differential play now and should be considered for cash. Could see a lot of chalky lineups today. In cash I still think we play the 1-2 domintators. I still like Harvick over Kyle even with a competition caution most likely happening. Hamlin is my top play today now that he starts in the rear(30th). I will not be playing Newman in cash as he passed tech. You can use Almirola and/or Suarez in that price range now. Tifft is the lock value play now starting 36th. Feel free to message me on twitter @davidjr831 or in our Nascar Discord
Kevin Harvick (FD $14,000 DK $12,300)
Kevin Harvick unloaded fast here this weekend. After last weekends pre-race tech debacle, I think we have Mad Kevin Harvick on a mission. Mad Harvick equals Cash Harvick. In the last 6 races that we have raced here, he has finished 5th, four times and 2nd once. Starting on the pole, I can see Kevin getting out into the lead and dominating the first stage of the race. Clean air is important here as well so if Kevin can get out front, he can accumulate fastest laps as well. All things point to this being Kevin Harvick’s first win in 2019 so why not jump on board.
Kyle Busch (FD $15,300 DK $13,000)
As strong as I feel this is Kevin Harvick’s week, I think that Kyle is a great tournament pivot. Kyle Busch showed last week that you don’t need a clean race car to win a race. All Kyle did last year at Richmond was win both races and led over 100 total laps. Kyle qualified 5th and has the potential to get up front and lead laps. He was fast in the only practice they had this weekend.
Martin Truex Jr (FD $12,700 DK $9,800)
There was a time when Martin was top three is pricing on Draftkings. He comes into this weeks race priced 7th highest. At Richmond over the last five races, he has led 675 laps and has the best recent driver rating here at 116.5. Martin is another car that seems to have unloaded fast and at an impound race that is important because the crew really can’t do anything to the car until the race starts. I like Martin as a potential dominator this weekend and think he’s a great tournament play.
Ryan Blaney (FD $11,200 DK $11,100)
Ryan Blaney really wasn’t on my radar coming into this weekend. His career stats aren’t flattering as his best finish in recent races is 18th. However, there’s a few things that make Blaney an interesting play this weekend. First, Blaney has been really good recently finishing top 5 in four of the last five races this season. Second, Blaney qualified 29th which gives him a high floor and place differential upside for Draftkings. Last, on Fanduel Blaney is the 10th highest priced driver which basically makes me want to lock him into cash games over there.
Denny Hamlin (FD $12,500 DK $8,900)
Richmond is one of Denny’s best tracks. In the last seven races here he has 6 top six finishes while leading over 200 laps. Denny also qualified 18th this weekend and gives us a nice floor and good place differential upside. His price on Draftkings allows us to use him along with Harvick for possible cash game builds. If Denny can keep his pit penalties to a minimum we should see Denny have another great race at Richmond.
Ryan Newman (FD $7,500 DK $6,900) (DO NOT USE HIM IN CASH NOW)
At this moment, Ryan Newman is our cash game lock on both sites. Ryan qualified 31st and offers great place differential upside. In the last four races here, he has three top 15 finishes. Coming off a 9th place finish in Bristol, I can see Newman easily finishing in the top 20. Once tech happens we will see where Newman is really starting and see if there is more value that opens up.
Other Value Options (UPDATED)
Matt Tifft
Ty Dillon
Matt Dibenedetto
Once again, there can be updates once tech is completed. Check back for updates at the top of this article and look for my Final Thoughts that will come out after tech is completed. Any questions feel free to message me in Discord or on twitter @davidjr831
