AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500: NASCAR DFS Picks

The first cut for the playoffs is down, and 12 drivers remain in contention as we head to Texas Motor Speedway for the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500.

Location

• Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas

Track Type

• 1.5-mile quad oval

Last 10 Track Winners

• 2021: Kyle Larson
• 2020(2): Kyle Busch
• 2020(1): Austin Dillon
• 2019(2): Kevin Harvick
• 2019(1): Denny Hamlin
• 2018(2): Kevin Harvick
• 2018(1): Kyle Busch
• 2017(2): Kevin Harvick
• 2017(1): Jimmie Johnson
• 2016: Carl Edwards

Last 10 Track Winners by Model

• Toyota: 4
• Chevrolet: 3
• Ford: 3

AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500: DFS Preview & Picks

Ryan Blaney’s lone win this season was the one that didn’t count for anything other than $1 million – the All-Star Race here at Texas Motor Speedway. He remains alive in the playoff hunt, and if the current pattern continues, he could become the 20th different driver to win in 2022. Twenty would set a new record for unique winners in any season.

Through the first three playoff races, no playoff contender has found himself in the Winner’s Circle, but we’ve gained plenty of information about the other drivers and how to approach this week from a DFS perspective. It will also be H-O-T this afternoon, meaning tires will still be the primary storyline on the 1.5-mile track.

Speaking of H-O-T, here are some of the primary contenders and their salaries for today’s AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500.

The Contenders

1. Kyle Larson ($14,000 FanDuel | $10,700 DraftKings)
2. Christopher Bell ($12,500 FD | $10,300 DK)
3. Chase Briscoe ($6,200 FD | $7,500 DK)
4. Ryan Blaney ($11,500 FD | $9,600 DK)
5. William Byron ($11,000 FD | $9,100 DK)
6. Kevin Harvick ($8,500 FD | $8,700 DK)

Larson is the defending regular-race champ here in Texas in 2021, with a 97.2 driver rating in the Lone Star State. He sits in fourth place in the playoff picture and could be worth every penny of his salary this afternoon. Bell has been a model of consistency yet finds himself in seventh place, a meager four points above the elimination line.  Briscoe and Byron currently sit beneath that line and have a lot to prove if they plan to move on when the second round ends. Harvick was eliminated in the first round after some crazy circumstances led him into impossible circumstances for the third playoff race. And finally, Blaney carries a 111.4 driver rating in Texas.

They say, “Don’t mess with Texas,” and I’m thinking it’s best to not mess with Blaney there, either.

AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500: DFS Values

Brad Keselowski vexes me. For a driver and crew who looked clueless for the entire first half of the season, Keselowski and RFK Racing seem to have turned a corner just in time to fly in the face of everything conventional about the NASCAR playoffs. He sits in pole position today, one week after teammate Chris Buescher won in Bristol. Keselowski is priced as a lineup filler, but there is reason to believe that the qualifiers weren’t a fluke. My biggest hesitation is that Joey Logano starts in the front row as well. Logano has the superior driver rating of the two, so it could be a case of the pole sitter not sitting there for very long.

Again, he vexes me.

DFS Picks

It is still good to load up on playoff contenders, even with all the weirdness that has occurred thus far. For those who play GPP tournaments, I would encourage you to differentiate with some long shots like Keselowski or Almirola. Still, the crux of lineups should be a mix-and-match combination of the remaining playoff contenders.

I am also planning to put a small bet on Blaney finishing in the Top 3, which is +300 on DraftKings.

Otherwise, here are two lineups I plan to enter, one for each site. If you have thoughts or want to discuss anything, hit me up on Twitter at @thewonkypenguin or check out my archive for other NASCAR and NHL writing.