On Thursday, we looked at what to expect from this afternoon’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway. The “Action Track” is sure to live up to its nickname, given what’s at stake for the drivers with only three races to go before the playoffs begin.
Top Value Plays for Federated Auto Parts 400
The lineup is set following the qualifiers on Saturday, and the results have opened up many values on the slate.
Kyle Larson will start in pole position for the third time this year, completing a lap at a blistering 117.177 mph. Ross Chastain will run alongside him, having just missed out on the pole with his 116.883 mph lap.
Rounding out the top five are Denny Hamlin, William Byron, and Alex Bowman. The Cup Series leader and final Hendrick Motorsports driver, Chase Elliott, will start in the 23rd position.
Five teams, including Brad Keselowski, were penalized prior to the qualifying laps. Each team will lose one crew member for Sunday, and they will not get to choose their pit boxes, a crucial strategic move for short track races like this.
Keeping all of that in mind, here’s a look at some of the values I see on the board.
FanDuel Values
| Driver | Salary | QP |
|---|---|---|
| Austin Cindric | $6,500 | 33 |
| Chase Briscoe | $7,500 | 15 |
| Tyler Reddick | $8,000 | 26 |
| Daniel Suarez | $8,800 | 24 |
| Chase Elliott | $11,500 | 23 |
DraftKings Values
| Driver | Salary | QP |
|---|---|---|
| Aric Almirola | $6,800 | 32 |
| Chase Briscoe | $7,700 | 15 |
| Kevin Harvick | $9,100 | 13 |
| Chase Elliott | $10,800 | 23 |
| Kyle Busch | $11,400 | 29 |
As I mentioned in our preview, Martin Truex carries an impeccable recent track record into this afternoon, and he will start sixth for the Federated Auto Parts 400 He is the highest-priced driver on the FanDuel board and the fourth-highest on DraftKings. While sixth doesn’t leave much room for positional movement points, I still see him as a value given his record here.
Chase Elliott provides huge positional value, even with his elevated salary, and I expect him to be chalky today because of it. And if he’s not rostered, chances are high that Kyle Busch starting in the 29th spot will be there instead. Most of the time, starting that low on a short track would be a giant red flag to avoid, but given the driver, it doesn’t scare me off too much.
Finally, Ty Gibbs in 14th place feels like a glow-in-the-dark sleeper for the Federated Auto Parts 400. He is affordable on both sites, and having a smattering of exposure to him would be worthwhile.
Federated Auto Parts 400 DFS Picks
Here are two lineups I plan to use in GPP tournaments this afternoon.
FanDuel Lineup
| Driver | Salary | QP |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Busch | $13,000 | 29 |
| Chase Elliott | $11,500 | 23 |
| Ryan Blaney | $10,500 | 10 |
| Chase Briscoe | $7,500 | 15 |
| Chris Buescher | $6,200 | 18 |
| TOTAL | $48,700 |
DraftKings Lineup
| Driver | Salary | QP |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Elliott | $10,800 | 23 |
| Kevin Harvick | $9,100 | 13 |
| William Byron | $8,600 | 4 |
| Ty Gibbs | $7,600 | 14 |
| Aric Almirola | $6,800 | 32 |
| Chris Buescher | $6,600 | 18 |
| TOTAL | $49,500 |
In what has now become a weekly tradition, I’m hosting a Fantrax Forty Free-For-All contest over on FanDuel. I am an avowed denier of alliteration, but it was just sitting RIGHT THERE, so I took advantage. Congrats to thomasteix23 and shaneomac248 on their tie for first place last weekend. It’s a fun way to try your hand at (or improve your cash game strategy for) NASCAR DFS. If you want to chat fantasy sports, hit me up on Twitter at @thewonkypenguin. Thanks to all who read these and to those who play. And, as always, good luck!