In case you missed it, my footnote-laden Enjoy Illinois 300 preview outlined the importance of being able to finish races. This information is brand new to most: Cars running more laps tend to score higher points.
But we are in a world where this tweet is simultaneously funny and poignantly true.
Scheduled tweet:
Tire problems for #NASCAR
— Matthew Selz (@theselzman) June 3, 2022
Chase Briscoe rolled his way into his first Cup Series pole position during qualifiers on Saturday with a best lap of 138.274 mph. Austin Cindric, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, and Ryan Blaney round out the Top 5 for this afternoon’s race at World Wide Technology (WWT) Raceway.
One interesting name to point out is Zane Smith. Smith will be filling in for Chris Buescher, who is out due to Covid-19 protocols. The rookie has three recent Truck Series races at WWT Raceway and qualified for his first Cup Series race in 32nd place. As you’re looking to round out your rosters, he could be a sneaky play for positional value.
Let’s take a look at other values following Saturday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 qualifiers.
FanDuel Values
| Driver | Salary | QP |
|---|---|---|
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | $5,500 | 27 |
| Kurt Busch | $7,800 | 11 |
| AJ Allmendinger | $3,500 | 35 |
| Justin Haley | $3,500 | 28 |
| Kevin Harvick | $8,600 | 20 |
DraftKings Values
| Driver | Salary | QP |
|---|---|---|
| Zane Smith | $5,400 | 32 |
| AJ Allmendinger | $6,200 | 35 |
| Austin Dillon | $7,500 | 29 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | $7,700 | 27 |
| Martin Truex Jr | $10,400 | 13 |
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is running the best I’ve seen him, and he seems to be enjoying intermediate tracks with a second-place finish at Dover and a seventh-place finish at Charlotte. Squeezed in between were races at Darlington and Kansas, each of which saw the No. 47 car cross the line in eighth place. His QP of 27 is the average of where he started at these other tracks and allows for some great positional movement. He is the most significant value on the board for those with a chance, albeit a long one, to win.
I remain high on the veterans this week, and Harvick remains a value, though Truex’s high salary could still cash as a value on DraftKings. And Ross Chastain remains one of the hottest drivers and has the most recent win on this specific track. With a QP of 10, we don’t have to be too wary of losing an abundance of positioning with the way he has finished in the previous two months.
The following table contains two lineups I’ll be looking to enter, one for each site, for the Enjoy Illinois 300. As we’ve been doing the past two weeks, I’m hosting a free NASCAR DFS contest on FanDuel for those looking to give this underrated game a try. It’s fun, and I appreciate everyone who has participated. Give it a shot, invite family and friends, and follow me on Twitter at @thewonkypenguin. And, as always, good luck!
FanDuel Lineup
| Driver | Salary | QP |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Busch | $13,500 | 12 |
| Martin Truex Jr | $13,000 | 13 |
| Kevin Harvick | $8,500 | 20 |
| Kurt Busch | $7,800 | 11 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | $5,500 | 27 |
| TOTAL | $48,300 |
DraftKings Lineup
| Driver | Salary | QP |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Truex Jr | $10,400 | 13 |
| Ross Chastain | $10,000 | 10 |
| Kevin Harvick | $8,500 | 20 |
| Kurt Busch | $8,200 | 11 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | $7,700 | 27 |
| Todd Gilliland | $4,900 | 22 |
| TOTAL | $49,700 |