As expected Hamlin will be uber chalk qualifying pretty bad, Truex also had a bad lap and will be a cash game option as well. MDB over Buescher for me today as Buescher qualified better. Clint Bowyer and Jimmie qualified really well and are gpp options for me today
Let me start this off by saying that this will be an unconventional article this week. The schedule for the Cup series this weekend is horrible for DFS content. Qualifying starts at 10:30 e.s.t. and we won’t have an official starting lineup until around 11:30-12. Lock is at 2 p.m. This week I am going to focus on drivers that run well here and did well in practice. If there happens to be a driver that has a bad qualifying lap and could become the chalk, check back here for an update just like this was a tech race. There are 167 laps Sunday and will be looking for 1-2 dominators in cash games with 125.25 dominator points available. Fastest laps typically come throughout the field and I expect that to be the same with the way this package has performed at tracks similar to this.
Kyle Busch (DK $12,000 FD $15,500)
Over the past 4 races here, Kyle has led 282 laps. If you take out his result from two years ago where he was taken out in an accident he has finishes of 8th, 1st and 1st in those races. Kyle has also qualified bad in recent weeks. I wish I could predict the future, but if I had to pick one of these top drivers to put up a sub-par time in qualifying I think it would be Kyle. He had top 10 practice speed in one lap and consecutive lap speed. No matter what happens in qualifying, Kyle will be a factor Sunday.
Denny Hamlin (DK $11,400 FD $14,000)
I want to write Denny up because I think he will be another place differential play who may become chalk on Sunday. As practice had ended, Denny’s car slammed the turn 4 wall and he will have to go to a back up car. In his interview, he basically admitted that his qualifying attempt tomorrow will probably be subpar setting himself up for next weekends qualifying draw instead of worrying about trying to go out and run a perfect lap. I have to believe Denny will become a place differential play Sunday. In the last five races here Denny has scored finishes of 3rd, 17th, 4th, 5th and 3rd. If his qualifying attempt goes like I think, he will turn into a great play Sunday.
Erik Jones (DK $9,400 FD $11,300)
Erik has had a great week with a win last weekend at Darlington and then the announcement he will be back in the 20 car next season at JGR. He started the weekend at Indy right with some great practice times, top 5 in both single and 10 lap consecutive lap times. In his Cup career at Indy he finished 2nd here last year and was involved in an accident the year prior. Depending on where he qualifies will determine whether Erik is cash staple or a good gpp play. Either way you should find a place in one of your lineups come Sunday.
Clint Bowyer (DK $8,300 FD $9,600)
The next couple recommendations are two of the bubble drivers for the playoffs that I think will have the best days Sunday. Clint Bowyer is sitting inside the playoffs at this point, 8 points ahead of the other 3 possible playoff drivers that can point their way in. Clint had a top 10 care in consecutive 10 lap speed. Last year, he led 37 laps here and finished 5th. Clint’s history is up and down here at the Brickyard, but knowing that he has to finish good here to secure his playoff spot, Clint is a good enough driver to be smart, gather stage points and secure a top 10 finish to get himself into the playoffs.
Jimmie Johnson (DK $8,000 FD $9,200)
Jimmie hasn’t made a lot of my articles this season and there is a reason why, he just hasn’t had a great season. However 7 time is just outside of the playoff hunt, 18 points back from Newman and Suarez. Jimmie will need to get stage points in both stages and needs to finish in the top 10 in order to have a shot at making the playoffs and not miss them for the first time in his career. Even before qualifying, I think that fact makes Jimmie a great tournament play because he will make the moves necessary to be up front by the end of the race and he showed that he has the consecutive lap speed to do it being top 6 in that in final practice. Don’t count Jimmie out just yet especially at the Brickyard where he has 4 career victories.
Chris Buescher (DK $7,100 FD $7,300)
I think you could easily substitute Matt DiBenedetto in this spot if he qualifies worse then Buescher. However with qualifying not until Sunday, I will look at Chris’ qualifying this season and see that he has been a dfs darling because he qualifies mid 20’s and finishes top 15 making him a great place differential play week in and week out. This is one of those drivers that you will need to pay attention to his qualifying spot to see if he is playable and what format this week. If he qualifies top 10, you may want to look at MDB and see where he qualified. Buescher has two finishes inside the top 15 in his career here and showed decent speed in his limited practice time.
Again look for updates at the top of the article to see if anyone else stands out after qualifying Sunday morning and look for my final thoughts to be out as qualifying is wrapping up. You can also follow me on twitter @davidjr831 and I will be updating qualifying progress there too.
