NASCAR DFS Picks: COTA EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix:

This weekend, we’re headed to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Our EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix preview discussed the difficulty in predicting how drivers will handle a road course they’ve only been on for 54 laps in Cup history. Following the qualifiers yesterday, the picture shakes out to make a little more sense in which direction we want to go to make some cash in this afternoon’s race.

COTA is in Austin, Texas. It is a 3.4-mile road course with 20 turns and 133 feet of elevation change. This race aims directly at the “All they do is turn left” racing naysayers and provides a different type of competition for the drivers themselves.

If you’re looking for some race day recommendations, I’ve got you covered for both FanDuel and DraftKings. If you’re playing season-long, even if I am not sure of the independent salaries in your league, I’ll give you a variety of choices I like.

One note: Remember that a qualifying position (QP) is crucial concerning NASCAR fantasy. FanDuel rewards laps led with only 0.1 points, but you earn or lose 0.5 points for place differential. On DraftKings, it’s even starker: Laps led is 0.25 points, whereas place differential is +/- 1 point.

We’ll look at who I consider a good value today first.

Looking at FanDuel, Austin Dillon is officially cheap enough and has an ideal QP for this afternoon. Even though I listed him as a driver I was putting the brakes on, I love the qualifying position of 21, giving him space for movement at COTA and saving some salary to stack your lineup with the bigger names.

And the more prominent names are definitely expensive.

Chase Elliott is $14,000, but he is the only previous winner. Coupled with a QP of 12, I will find space for him in my lineup. Kyle Larson ($13,500) and Martin Truex, Jr. ($13,000) start in the teens and are experienced road course drivers.

These are your big three so try to have two of them in at least one GPP lineup.

Over on DraftKings, A.J. Allmendinger at $8,800 is an absolute steal considering he is starting in 20th position today at COTA and just won the Xfinity Series race there yesterday.

William Byron and Christopher Bell are my two favorite “sleeper” picks for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. They both have a salary that invites you to stack the middle if you want to fade all three big names. If I have to pick between them, Bell on FanDuel and Byron on DraftKings are my preferences.

Sundays are the best sports day of the week, and it’s a great day to make some money with a little bit of knowledge in your pocket. Therefore, here are some picks I’ll be entering into both GPPs and cash games today:

If you have any thoughts, questions, hopes, or dreams you’d like to share, hit me up on Twitter @thewonkypenguin. And, as always, good luck!