Welcome back, race fans. This week, NASCAR returns to Chicagoland Speedway for the first time in six years, when it was an annual stop from 2001 to 2019. Alex Bowman was the last winner here at Chicagoland and one of three active drivers (Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin the other two) with wins at the track.
In this article, I will preview the track from a fantasy perspective and go over a few drivers who stand out as top targets for DFS going into practice and qualifying this weekend.
NASCAR DFS: eero 400
Track Preview & Fantasy Angle
Chicagoland Speedway is one of seven one-and-a-half-mile intermediate tracks in the Cup Series and the sixth intermediate race of the season. With there being no races here in seven years, I will definitely be weighing the track type history a little higher than overall track history this week. Looking at that angle, it has been Toyota drivers Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick dominating in 2026. They own three of the five wins between them and also lead the series with four Top 5 finishes in the five races, as well.
When it comes to the fantasy angle this week, I will be looking to build around 1-2 dominators and then look to place differential upside, which will be clear after qualifying on Saturday.
Top Pre-Qualifying Targets for DraftKings
Denny Hamlin ($11,000)
Coming in at #1 in my pre-qualifying model is Hamlin, who has two wins, three straight top-5s, and eight straight finishes of 11th or better on intermediate tracks. He also gets the edge on Reddick at the top with his experience here at Chicagoland with top 10 finishes in five of his last six trips, including a win in 2015.
Kyle Larson ($10,500)
Before knowing the starting positions for the race, Larson stands out as a nice pivot off the Toyota domination from Hamlin and Reddick. He has been very up and down this season on intermediate tracks, but does have top 5 finishes in two of his last three. Like Hamlin, he also has some standout track history with runner-up finishes in each of the last two and top 10s in five of six trips to Chicagoland.
Brad Keselowski ($8,000)
In the mid-price range, Keselowski stands out, checking multiple boxes this week. He arguably has the best track history here at Chicagoland with nine straight top 10s, including wins in 2014 and 2012. While I don’t think he gets a third win this week, I like the PTS/$ upside considering he is fourth in average (9.2) on intermediate tracks on the season. He has also hit value in multiple ways, starting the season with three straight top 10s, and while he has been 15th/13th in his last two, he has started outside of 25th, giving him double-digit place differential in both.
Erik Jones ($7,200)
Going even lower, we find Erik Jones, who is #4 in my pre-qualifying rankings this week. He is having a fairly solid season overall, sitting just 12 points behind the cutline for the Chase. He has been especially consistent on intermediate tracks, finishing 13th or better in three of his last four, and starting outside 20th position in each of those has led to some excellent place differential value. He was ok on the road courses, finishing 23rd and 20th, but was excellent before that with three straight finishes of 11th or better. One of my top value plays this week.
Fantrax is one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites in the fantasy sports industry, and we’re not stopping anytime soon. We are the most customizable, easy-to-use, and feature-rich platform in the industry, offering the greatest fantasy experience for your dynasty, keeper, redraft, and best ball leagues. Fantasy sports doesn’t sleep, and neither does Fantrax, with seasons running 365 days a year. Take your fantasy leagues to the next level now at Fantrax.com!
