Welcome to The Chase, Ryan Preece! The Rocket Man needed a massive day at Daytona in order to secure his spot as one of the 16 drivers in The Chase, and that’s just what he did. Preece took the 60 to the front of the pack and found a way to end up in Victory Lane as the carnage of Daytona showed up late.

Preece getting a spot in The Chase might have been the right result, even if he took a long strange trip getting there. As you may remember, Preece was penalized for wrecking Ty Gibbs at Texas. The penalty was less about the wreck itself and more about the communication that made it seem premeditated. This was the act that let the drivers know they can handle their own business on the track as long as they don’t talk about it on the radio.

With one driver entering the field of 16, one driver ended up on the outside looking in. Shane Van Gisbergen was the first driver out when the standings settled. While this result is surely not what SVG or Trackhouse wanted, there is reason for optimism. The 97 has shown major strides on ovals and was a real challenger for The Chase despite only winning two of the four road courses this year. If he can continue to show improvement and win the road circuits he can definitely be one of the sixteen drivers next fall. The 2027 version of The Chase that will feature a road course which is certainly good news for the Kiwi.

While NASCAR is making strides to improve the racing at Daytona, Sunday was a reminder that they still have ground to make up. Fuel saving was prevalent, and movement was still challenging. Hopefully, we can get Daytona back to the days of compelling speedway racing. Clearly, NASCAR sees the problem, and hopefully, they continue to make strides to improve the product for the fans.

While it is hard to take too much away from a speedway race, there were a couple of drivers who stood out beyond Preece and SVG.

Gaining Ground

Harrison Burton

Riley Herbst was dealing with health issues, and 23XI decided to have Harrison Burton step in for Sunday’s race. This is not what I meant when I said that maybe Herbst can be the 2026 Harrison Burton last week. Burton had won Daytona 2 back in 2024. He actually claimed win No. 100 for Wood Brothers, which is a pretty cool piece of NASCAR history. He finished 12th on Sunday, but it was cool to see him back in a Cup ride, even if just for a moment.

A Lap Down

Carson Hocevar

We got the full Hurricane on Sunday as Carson Hocevar showed up early, made a push to the front, and ultimately spun and wrecked. He crashed with around 10 to go, which led to the late-race restart that stacked everyone up. It also ended the day for Erik Jones, who seems to be the car that gets caught up in other people’s carnage. Whether he wins or crashes, Hocevar finds a way to make things interesting. Keep an eye on the Hurricane this week as we head to Darlington.

Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington

The Chase begins this week with 16 drivers aiming to win a NASCAR championship. There is no better track to get things kickstarted than Darlington, and specifically, the Southern 500. This race requires drivers to endure a long, hot race while pushing their cars to the limits.

Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, and Chase Briscoe are the names at the top of most odds boards. These names may be a bit challenging to get to before we see cars on track, but if you like their chances this week, it is a good time to grab some Championship Futures. After the odds reset, Reddick is just 35 points short of Hamlin, while Briscoe is 45 points short. You can get the 45 at 9/1 at FanDuel and the 19 at 12/1. While I don’t think the entire field can catch Hamlin for the title, I trust these two options, especially with Darlington being the kickoff.

As for potential race winners outside of the favorites? Consider these names:

Bubba Wallace — 25/1 (Caesars)

Tyler Reddick’s 23XI teammate has been strong at Darlington and potentially better than some may realize. He qualified second here in the spring despite having a rough finish. He has four Top 7 finishes in his last seven starts at Darlington, including a sixth-place finish last fall. Bubba has started in the Top 10 each of his last seven trips to the track, so if you want the 23 on your card this week, you better jump in now.

Chris Buescher — 22/1 (Caesars)

Chris Buescher and RFK as a whole really show up at this track. He only has one finish outside the Top 10 in his last seven starts at this track. The 17 also qualifies strongly here, something that RFK typically cannot say. He is another car you probably want to grab sooner rather than later if you want the best of the number. The 17 is also someone I prefer in Top 5/10/Ford, but getting a little outright seems fun. You could also look at RFK to win when those odds are out, but with all three drivers priced longer than 20/1, it may make more sense to grab them separately.

Ross Chastain — 50/1

It has been a long season for Ross Chastain and Trackhouse this season, but we have seen the 1 car’s ability to contend even when he is not contending for a title. In this race last year, when he finished 11th, Chastain was basically a Top 10 car all day and spent almost 60% of the day in the Top 5. He had five straight Top 11 finishes before this spring, and that includes two Top 5 finishes and a seventh-place finish. If you are looking for a longer shot this week, the Watermelon Man could be the play.

This post-race newsletter is a new feature for 2026. We are looking for any and all feedback to continue to improve it. Is this helpful to you? Are there other features or information you would like to see included? Let us know on X or via email.

For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out our weekly episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

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Hello NASCAR fans! Kyle and Brian are in to get you set for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 as NASCAR heads to Daytona for the final race before The Chase. Consider subscribing to this newsletter if you have yet to do so. Also give Brian and Kyle a follow for more NASCAR betting and DFS thoughts in 2026!

Feel free to fade or follow any or all of the following plays or picks. For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out this weeks episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

DraftKings Values

Kyle’s Targets

Alex Bowman | $6,900 | Starting 20th

This has been an incredibly frustrating year for Alex Bowman between the poor performances, time missed due to injuries and the retirement announcement. However this is a potential opportunity for the 48 to shine.

At Daytona, he has Top 6 finishes in four of his last eight starts at the track including a 2nd in 2024. He should also have friends to draft with both at HMS and Chevy as a whole.

If Bowman was starting 28th or further he would be megachalk but starting 20th after an underwhelming season the field will be on him at a suboptimal rate. Take advantage of this chance to get some leverage on the field without getting overly aggressive.

Daniel Suarez | $6,700 | Starting 23rd

Mi Amigo makes for a very compelling target this week. He will be starting 23rd at $6,900 at a track where he has had success. In fact, Daniel Suarez has an impressive set of finishes at plate racing tracks.

At Daytona last Summer, Suarez ended up finishing 2nd. Beyond the second place, he has multiple top 10ish results showing the ability to move forward both at Daytona and Talladega. Suarez has friends throughout the garage including his Spire teammates who have a good chance at being near the front helping push each other.

Like Bowman, Suarez is a compelling pivot that will go a bit overlooked relative to optimal ownership due to the combination of price and starting position.

Cody Ware | $4,900 | Starting 25th

At Superspeedways salary is never a problem to find. This helps keep the minimal exposure on the bottom of the barrel options lower than it should be. Cody Ware is absolutely worth a look even if you end up leaving salary on the table.

At Daytona, Ware has only finished outside the Top 20 once in his seven starts. His best results at the track include a 4th and 6th place finishes. This is certainly a place where he will be much more comfortable running at or near the front if that is a place he ends up.

This week Ware just needs to avoid carnage, run wide open and push his way forward when it matters most.

Brian’s Targets

STACK THE BACK!

Denny Hamlin | $9,100 | Starting 30th

Bubba Wallace | $9,000 | Starting 26th

Carson Hocevar | $8,700 | Starting 28th

All three of these guys are starting in the back, extremely skilled at superspeedway racing, and fit nicely into any type of roster build this week. Absolute no-brainers.

Daytona GPP Lineups

Daytona Cash Targets

Cash is seemingly very easy this week. The names above can all be massive movers and salary limits wont be an issue. Trusting all of Frat Row seems less than ideal but all three drivers are very much in play. AJ Allmendinger, Ricky Stenhouse and Carson Hocevar are all tempting too. Cash at a track with so much room for carnage is certainly scary but the lineups can set themselves.

Favorite Coke Zero Sugar 400 Bets

Kyle’s Play

Alex Bowman Top Chevy +1300 (FanDuel) .3U

As a reminder, avoiding getting overexposed this week as Daytona can bring carnage and crazy. That being said, if you are taking shots, make sure you are getting properly paid out. At 13/1 Alex Bowman provides a compelling option. He has Top 6 finishes in half of his Next Gen Daytona starts. With Fords dominating the grid and some Toyotas being a factor, a Top 5 or so finish could cash this ticket for the 48. His Top 5 price is below 6/1 most books which feels a bit too short. Give me the potential wiggle room at double the odds.

Brian’s Play

Ha ha ha, bet at a superspeedway?! I threw my darts before qualifying and nothing seen in the session is or should change my mind. If you’re gonna bet this race, make 'em small, “FOR FUN” type bets just let you feel something. Next week we hit the window hard… Darlington baby!

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Final Coke Zero Sugar 400 Betting Cards

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Good luck on all your Coke Zero Sugar 400 bets and may your DFS Lineups cash! As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-Gambler.

Both Brian and Kyle are always on the hunt for opportunities especially with a night race. Make sure you follow both of us on X/Twitter to see if we make any additional adds to the betting card. Hopefully we get some fun racing and cash some tickets in the process. Enjoy this weeks race at Daytona.

Despite NASCAR moving the race up into the back-half of the storm on Sunday, Loudon was able to deliver a fun race on Sunday. There was a variety of strategies, a few real contenders and a whole lot of compelling racing.

Ultimately it was a Ryan Blaney on Sunday, delivering for bettors on the short prices. Despite starting 8th, the No. 12 team was able to lead a race-high 115 laps, winning Stage 2 in the process. He was even able to overcome a pit-road issue, to the surprise of nobody except the broadcast crew.

Blaney now appears to be the No. 2 seed when The Chase gets started at Darlington after a 70-point day at Loudon. He is 44 points clear of Ty Gibbs and another 20 points ahead of Tyler Reddick. The Penske intermediate package will have to be better if he wants to be a real threat when they get to Homestead.

Gaining Ground

Bubba Wallace

Bubba Wallace was very strong on Sunday, leading 22 laps and finishing 2nd. He drove to the front rather efficiently after starting 23rd. He was the only car who appeared to have anything for Blaney outside of Josh Berry. The No. 23 team has made massive strides this week, especially after faltering a week ago at Richmond. Wallace has made strides in the short-track package and reminded everyone that he is indeed the best 23XI driver in this package.

Josh Berry

He may not have a ride secured for 2027 yet, but Josh Berry showed everyone why he should be in consideration for many teams next season. He led 73 laps before ultimately finishing 3rd. There was a chance that he had the best car at the end, but he would have needed a late-race restart to see if he had enough to beat Blaney and Wallace. Maybe the No. 12 was saving a bit because of the sizable lead. Only time will tell if his time in the Cup Series is done, but Berry gave it everything he had on his way out if this is the end.

Tyler Reddick

I want to give Tyler Reddick some props for his performance on Sunday, despite NASCAR doing the dumbest things yet again. Reddick, along with the field, was forced to start on wets when NASCAR moved the race up into the storm. Sure, the No. 45 started way too hot and self-spun, but the track was dry by the time the race was originally scheduled to start. Reddick pushed through the nonsense, recovered, and drove to another Top 10 finish. The Chase schedule actually sets up nicely for Reddick, assuming he can find some consistency for 10 weeks.

A Lap Down

William Byron

The Hendrick team continues to get in its own way with a combination of slow rides, self-spins, and general dumb stuff. But Sunday looked to be different for William Byron, who was running in the Top 5 for a lot of the day. He finished 4th and appeared to be trending toward a really good day for that team. Unfortunately, he ended up hitting the wall after losing a wheel. The incident led to a 30th-place finish. Not only did it hurt his finish at New Hampshire, but it will cost them two crew members who will miss not only Daytona but Darlington as well.

Joey Logano

What a difference a week makes for Joey Logano. He followed up an impressive win at Richmond with a dud of a performance. He started 21st, and his 14th-place finish is actually better than it seemed like he would finish for the vast majority of the day. Sure, Big Bawl Paul took some gambles and secured track position, but Logano was never able to make it stick. The No. 22 will have one more chance to secure points and move up in The Chase standings this week at Daytona.

Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona

As we prepare for a superspeedway that already provides carnage and nonsense, this is your reminder to dial it back significantly this week. The last three winners of Daytona 2 include Chris Buescher, Harrison Burton, and Ryan Blaney. The winner can literally come from anywhere. This race also features a handful of names who are scratching and clawing to ensure they are in the field of 16 next week at Darlington.

Looking for potential winning lottery tickets? Consider these names:

Chris Buescher — 16/1 (BetMGM)

The No. 17 makes for an attractive option this week even at a less than ideal price. He is firmly in The Chase but definitely has some opportunity to move around the back half of the standings. At Daytona 2 specifically, Buescher has three straight Top 10 finishes, including a win in 2023. At all Daytona races since 2023, Buescher only has one finish outside the Top 10. At a track where shenanigans are always lurking, that kind of consistency is certainly eye-popping.

Ty Gibbs — 23/1 (Caesars)

Ty Gibbs makes for an interesting dart throw this week. He has an 8th and 5th in his last two Daytona 2 starts. In general, Gibbs has a wide range of finishes at Daytona, which is the case for many drivers. His price is certainly more appealing than the other names in his range. With books providing so many similar numbers, these odds feel good relative to the market.

Riley Herbst — 80/1

Looking for a real dart? Why not Riley Herbst? He has a 23XI machine under him that has won plenty of races this year. He had an 8th-place finish here in the 500. With nothing to lose, Riley can go balls to the wall searching for his first win. We have seen real strides from the No. 35 this year. Maybe he can be the 2026 Harrison Burton.

This post-race newsletter is a new feature for 2026. We are looking for any and all feedback to continue to improve it. Is this helpful to you? Are there other features or information you would like to see included? Let us know on X or via email.

For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out our weekly episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

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Hello NASCAR fans! Kyle and Brian are in to get you set for the Dollar Tree 301 as NASCAR heads to New Hampshire for some short track racing. Consider subscribing to this newsletter if you have yet to do so. Also give Brian and Kyle a follow for more NASCAR betting and DFS thoughts in 2026!

Feel free to fade or follow any or all of the following plays or picks. For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out this weeks episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

DraftKings Values

Kyle’s Targets

Ryan Blaney | $11,200 | Starting 8th

The most expensive driver of the slate also is the most compelling. The 12 had plenty of speed on Saturday and will start 8th. This opens up room for his car to be incredible, lead a ton of laps and pay off even if he doesn’t end up in victory lane. Clearly sportsbooks think he can be really good and have shortened his outright to 3/1 or shorter at most shops.

With short tracks like Iowa and Phoenix being the comps to this week clearly the #12 Penske ride is compelling. At New Hampshire, Blaney has been strong despite some weird finishing results. He is the defending champion of this track but also has an 18th, 22nd, and 25th. He was comfortably in the Top 5 for the vast majority of each race until one thing or another ruined his day.

With his prices getting so short at sportsbooks and dumb stuff so often happening to the 12, getting exposure on DraftKings seems like a much better way to back him this week.

Bubba Wallace | $8,500 | Starting 23rd

Ah shit, here we go again. Bubba Wallace is starting in the 20s at a short track. At Iowa, Wallace a legit contender for the win and had he not sped on pit road resulting in him being a lap down, he would have finished much higher than one lap down in 12th place. At North Wilkesboro, Wallace finished 6th after starting. Earlier this year at Phoenix, another strong corollary track, he started 28th and ended up finishing 6th.

At New Hampshire specifically, Wallace has a mixed bag in terms of finishes. He has a 3rd, 8th, 26th and 34th in the Next Gen Era. The goal is to add another Top 10 result to the ledger with the potential for even better. While he didn’t have the short run pace of his teammate Tyler Reddick, who put his ride on the pole, Wallace showed solid long run pace and appeared to love his car.

Look for the 23 to move forward, score stage points, finish near the front and pay of his price on DraftKings.

Chris Buescher | $7,600 | Starting 16th

Chris Buescher and RFK have been an afterthought of late but this could be the week they all show up. Brian will tell you why Ryan Preece is the name to target and honestly I like that shout. However the 17 has the majority of my attention. His $7,600 is short enough to be viable given his starting position.

Buescher doesn’t have a finish worse than 18th and his 5th in 2024 is his best. The 17 has been solid at the trio of Iowa, North Wilkesboro and Phoenix. Sure he hasn’t been incredible this week but we don’t need him to be incredible. A solid Top 10 finish would be just fine with some fastest laps or potentially laps led on a pit cycle.

I also like Buescher as a pivot from Austin Cindric, Brad Keselowski and others in his range. He has a much lower roster percentage with a similar range of outcomes. The floor on the 17 feels safer than the popular names in his range.

Brian’s Targets

Chase Briscoe | $10,000 | Starting 17th

Richmond was just the latest example of Briscoe continuing to improve at tracks where he was previously mediocre at, but where Truex Jr. & the 19 excelled. New Hampshire is no different, as Chase has finished top 10 here just once, while Marty was maybe the best in the Series for a time. Briscoe looked more than adequate in practice, and he’s no stranger to moving through the field. It’s also telling that numerous pre-practice favorites qualified a little worse than expected, so his starting spot isn’t all that worrisome, to me anyways.

We know what this team is capable of, especially once they find track position. And for a race that could see 2-tire calls, rain delays, wet (more like damp) weather tires, I like the 19 camp to be a little aggressive in finding some. If, no, once that happens, watch out!

Josh Berry | $8,200 | Starting 2nd

The last two visits to New Hampshire have been incredible for Josh, with him finishing 2nd in both of them. He looks to have brought that same speed and a bit of confidence back to the New England track, where he was one of the best in practice and put it on the front row in qualifying. Although I’m interested in the 21 at the betting window, (price dependent), I do like his combination of dominator potential and lower roster % than the other true dominator contenders.

Ryan Preece | $7,300 | Starting 18th

Ryan had some serious long run pace in practice and was surprisingly speedy in qualifying. Both great signs for the native New Englander who sits 50 points outside The Chase currently. The driver he’s chasing, Shane van Gisbergen qualified 5th, so the 60 will have to get weird to make up the gap, and that’s what I’m banking on here.

Preece will essentially be boom or bust in this race, with him needing to make up ground on SVG before Daytona. This aggressive strategy, particularly running long and/or 2-tire calls, paired with his apparently strong long run speed, could be a major win for those who roster him.

New Hampshire GPP Lineups

New Hampshire Cash Targets

Cash has a ton of potential if you can make the puzzle pieces fit. Team Penske has options that can be fit in easily. To Chase Elliott or not is a sizable question but the field will be on him HEAVY. Bubba Wallace is my favorite value, but you cant play everyone. Chase Briscoe, Daniel Suarez and RFK could be useful as well.

Favorite Dollar Tree 301 Bets

Kyle’s Play

No Post Qualifying Bets to Add

At this point, there is nothing compelling enough to add to the card. Bubba Wallace is compelling at his current numbers but the placement numbers don’t really reflect his outright price. Ty Gibbs, Chase Briscoe and Joey Logano are all compelling numbers at the best of their numbers.

I will be on the hunt for potential opportunities closer to the Green Flag dropping but with weather on the horizon and potential for nonsense, being conservative with adds at this point feels like the move.

Brian’s Play

YUCK!

As of now, with weather threatening the race, and a starting grid not entirely reflective of what we saw in practice, I can’t responsibly call out any particular markets. I think Josh Berry will be strong, with his placements (top 3 & 5) being semi-attractive, as well as Chase Briscoe T10 -125 (ScoreBet). However, if the weather does come into play like in 2024, we could be in for a circus, so I’m playing it safe and staying on pit lane for this one… for now.

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Good luck on all your Dollar Tree 301 bets and may your DFS Lineups cash! As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-Gambler.

Both Brian and Kyle are always on the hunt for opportunities especially with a night race. Make sure you follow both of us on X/Twitter to see if we make any additional adds to the betting card. Hopefully we get some fun racing and cash some tickets in the process. Enjoy this weeks race at New Hampshire.

Has the Penske garage actually found something? Was Joey Logano inevitable? Maybe the NASCAR schedule is finally giving the No. 22 team an opportunity to thrive. Whatever the reason, Logano is getting the job done.

He won for the second time in four weeks, vaulting himself comfortably into the Top 10 of the Chase standings. The other two races included a Top 3 finish at Indy and a finish at Iowa that did not represent the level of his car. Had he not been trapped a lap down, he likely would have been flirting with a Top 5 finish.

With NASCAR heading to New Hampshire and Daytona to finish out the regular season he may not be done. At Loudon, Logano has had a mixed bag of results in the Next-Gen Era, but he has a 2nd- and 4th-place finish in his last three starts. He is priced among the favorites prior to practice and qualifying.

The question now becomes: Can he be a force in the Chase? I don’t love his numbers around 15/1, but another win could see those odds slashed even further. Get in now if you want some No. 22 on your futures card.

Gaining Ground

Gaining Ground

Chase Briscoe

Chase Briscoe was arguably the best car on Saturday despite not finding Victory Lane. He led a race-high 171 laps. That total is good for the third-most laps led at Richmond in the Next-Gen Era.

Richmond Raceway is traditionally somewhere Chase Briscoe has struggled, even with Joe Gibbs Racing. Before his 2nd-place finish on Sunday, his best finishes were a pair of 11th-place results in 2022 and 2023.

Briscoe seems to be finding his form at the right time. Sunday’s 2nd-place finish was his sixth Top 6 finish over the last seven races, with Atlanta being the outlier. This performance has vaulted the No. 19 into a strong position in the Chase standings.

Tyler Reddick

Tyler Reddick and the No. 45 team deserve some love this week. After starting 32nd, Reddick did a great job staying on the lead lap and finding ways to move forward. He had an issue in Stage 2 that easily could have derailed his day and left him floundering at the back of the field.

Ultimately, he finished 11th, largely because of strategy. Both he and Christopher Bell tried to stay out and run long. As the No. 45 team heads to New Hampshire, Reddick will have a decent chance to qualify well, as he did in 2023 and 2025.

A Lap Down

Bubba Wallace

After strong showings at short tracks, Wallace looked to be in a prime position for Saturday’s race after qualifying sixth. However, Wallace went in the wrong direction, finishing 20th and two laps down. His teammate Reddick made massive strides throughout the race despite his poor starting position.

It was a curious race for Wallace, but he has a good chance to bounce back this week.

Austin Dillon

The 2026 Austin Dillon wars go to the AD3 faders. While his price was outrageous before practice and qualifying, his odds became much more appealing afterward. But Dillon was basically MIA from the jump on Saturday night. He finished 19th and two laps down.

Dillon will go back to obscurity until 2027, when the great debate gets going again.

Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire

Among the favorites, Joey Logano and Christopher Bell make a ton of sense if you can get the right prices. Bell at 5/1 or better and Logano at 6/1 are both compelling. Maybe the bridesmaid will kiss the lobsters and avoid another runner-up finish. Logano is coming off a win and has two Top Four finishes at Loudon.

Josh Berry, on the other hand, is in the Austin Dillon seat this week, with his price far too close to 10/1. Clearly, he can be good at New Hampshire and has shown speed on short tracks of late, but the numbers are simply too short at this point.

Beyond the favorites, two names stand out:

Ty Gibbs — 14/1 (FanDuel)

Ty Gibbs’ ascension on this track type has been real in 2026. Iowa, North Wilkesboro and Phoenix are all popping on Win the Race’s track comparison tool as the best comparable options. The No. 54 has a win at Iowa and two Top 4 finishes across that trio of tracks.

Getting Gibbs at double digits feels really good, and even better at the 14/1 FanDuel has posted. That number could see a sizable shift after practice and qualifying.

Bubba Wallace — 35/1 (FanDuel)

I was on the fence with Bubba Wallace this week. His prices at 20/1 made sense, but I wasn’t sure if I could get there. At 35/1, however, count me all the way in.

He had 6th-place finishes at both Phoenix and Iowa. His New Hampshire performances are boom-or-bust, much like the driver of the No. 23. He has a 3rd and 8th on his resume at this track. At this price, that is more than enough to have my money this week.

Championship Bet

Chase Briscoe — 15/1 (Caesars)

After a run of issues and poor results had some questioning whether Chase Briscoe would make the Chase, the No. 19 car has quietly put itself into prime position with two races left in the regular season.

He is currently fifth in the standings and should start within a reasonable range to be a real factor. Sure, Denny Hamlin may make any bets not on him look foolish, but given Briscoe’s place in the standings relative to the drivers around him on the odds board, it is worth a gander in my opinion.

This post-race newsletter is a new feature for 2026. We are looking for any and all feedback to continue to improve it. Is this helpful to you? Are there other features or information you would like to see included? Let us know on X or via email.

For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out our weekly episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

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Hello NASCAR fans! Kyle and Brian are in to get you set for the Cook Out 400 as NASCAR heads to Richmond for some short track racing. Consider subscribing to this newsletter if you have yet to do so. Also give Brian and Kyle a follow for more NASCAR betting and DFS thoughts in 2026!

Feel free to fade or follow any or all of the following plays or picks. For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out this weeks episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

DraftKings Values

Kyle’s Targets

Joey Logano | $11,000 | Starting 10th

What a difference a month makes for Joey Logano who was basically left for dead as someone who would matter for being a real contender. Whether it is a track type that allows him to flourish or if the 22 team actually found something is not really important. Logano will start 10th, has a real shot to win and lead laps in the process.

At Richmond, Logano has been strong with five of his last seven starts resulting in Top 7 finishes. Those results have come from a variety of starting positions. In fact, Logs finished 2nd in his only other start from 10th.

On DraftKings, Logano has 50 plus points in five of seven races with 123 being his best day which featured 222 laps led. With his performance at North Wilkesboro and what he showed at Iowa before getting trapped a lap down, there are obvious reasons for optimism at the 22 this week.

Logano pairs well with many of the names at the top especially teammate Ryan Blaney.

Bubba Wallace | $8,500 | Starting 7th

I am going back to the well with Bubba Wallace this week. Obviously not starting outside the Top 20 takes him out of the big mover bucket and introduces room for the dumb stuff to hurt a bit more. The 23 has been so strong on this track type thus far this season. He was a race winning car at Iowa but a speeding penalty killed any chances of that. Before that he was really strong at North Wilkesboro even if he had no shot at catching Logano.

At Richmond, Bubba is much improved. Despite finishing 28th last year, Wallace was a legit threat, leading 123 laps and spending over half the race in the Top 3. The year before featured a Top 5 finish in Richmond 2. In Richmond 2 he was arguably better despite getting a worse finish. He spent 60% of the race in the Top 5.

With Bubba starting by the race favorites and seeing a $500 price increase this week, I expect the field to be more hesitant to play the 23. This should open up the leverage opportunity GPP builders are searching for.

Zane Smith | $5,400 | Starting 24th

Finding value plays this is going to be very necessary with the candy at the top of the player pool. So when looking for vegetables to eat you will need to dig, double-check and add some hot sauce to make sure they hit. Zane Smith is the sub 6K option that grabbed my attention most. Clearly things didn’t go great at Spire for the Zane but his run at Richmond last year was impressive. He was able to finish 11th after starting 29th.

This year, despite the qualifying spot, the 38 seems solid. The long run was there which is typically great for field movers. The Fords in general seemed to nail the set up so I am looking to piggy back the manufacturer this week. It will be important for Smith to avoid getting lapped early but he should be starting far enough forward to avoid the initial pressure from the leaders.

While the Zane Train has not been a dominant force at this track type, he has not derailed either. In fact, he continues to improve his performance and finish. At this price anything inside the Top 20 should be just fine especially with what opens up at the top.

Brian’s Targets

Ryan Blaney | $10,700 | Starting 1st

It’s as simple as copy and paste for the no.1 spot this week. Blaney unloaded with an absolute rocketship again, posting the top splits in practice and grabbing the pole by a somewhat significant margin. Even if he doesn’t win the race, another 100+ laps led accompanied by a ton of fastest laps are on tap for the 12-team. Outside of a disaster, Blaney will be needed to cash in my opinion.

Austin Dillon | $8,300 | Starting 16th

Based on my mid-week thoughts, you probably thought I was completely out on AD3… “Not so fast my friends” (Lee Corso is a legend). Austin has turned this place into his personal stomping ground the past two seasons and he did nothing in Friday’s practice and qualifying sessions to make me think he won’t compete once again. Yes, he qualified 16th, but he showed strong, and eerily similar falloff in practice to the previous two visits. The 3-team knows exactly what they need here, and have had this race circled since the schedule was announced last season. He may not win again, but Dillon should find his way to the top 10 in short order.

Daniel Suarez | $6,500 | Starting 20th

Hola mi amigo! As a result of controversial finishes, and AD3’s back-to-back wins, Daniel has flown a bit under the radar here the last two seasons. In 2024 he led 93 laps and finished 10th, followed in 2025 by a 7th-place run. Both somewhat significantly for our purposes came after starting 21st, one spot worse than he’ll fire off this year. Additionally, the 7-car was solid back at North Wilkesboro as well, parlaying a 17th place start to a 9th place result. Those trends combined with a decent car in practice and a projected modest roster percentage make Suarez a fun addition to lineups.

Richmond GPP Lineups

Richmond Cash Targets

The Cash streets are tough this week. Seemingly Tyler Reddick and Kyle Larson provide a ton of safety given where they start, but both drivers have a laundry list of issues this season. SVG and Austin Cindric are the cheap potential movers but neither one of them feel anywhere close to safe. Blaney feels great and should lead a ton of laps. You could make the case Denny Hamlin or Joey Logano should replace Larson or Reddick but this can impact the overall lineup. Good luck this week if you are playing Cash.

Favorite Cook Out 400 Bets

Kyle’s Play

Austin Dillon Top Chevy (BetRivers) 1U

After having a typical Austin Dillon practice and qualifying the sportsbooks have started to float numbers on the 3. Sure, his outrights north of 20/1 are still not at their normal spot but its entered a much more bettable range.

Thus far, Top Chevy at BetRivers is the most compelling at 5/1. When you consider his early outrights were around 7/1 this number feels like a gift. It feels even better when you consider you get to avoid Penske and all the Toyotas with this wager. A top 5 features a shorter number and opens up Dillon finishing 6th behind all Toyotas and Fords.

The back to back winner should be strong this week, winning the race is possible but not probable so I will attack this market to get paid out and mitigate some risk.

Brian’s Play

Shopping Awesome Austin Dillon Aux Markets

Sportsbooks aren’t doing us any favors, with most of the shops who actually have odds, and there’s just a couple, only having outrights posted. We’ll have plenty of time to shop with the race not going green until 7pm et, or 4pm out on the west coast, the best coast, for sports.

One of the drivers I’m eagerly awaiting numbers to populate on is Austin Dillon. His prices were sickening leading up to Friday’s on-track action, and not at all playable. Now that he’s floated back out to around 20-1 to win at most places, I think we might see some interesting placement and top Chevy prices.

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Final Cook Out 400 Betting Cards

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Good luck on all your Cook Out 400 bets and may your DFS Lineups cash! As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-Gambler.

Both Brian and Kyle are always on the hunt for opportunities especially with a night race. Make sure you follow both of us on X/Twitter to see if we make any additional adds to the betting card. Hopefully we get some fun racing and cash some tickets in the process. Enjoy this weeks race at Richmond.

Ty Gibbs won his second NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday with a combination of skill and strategy. Obviously, the late call to take two tires, jump teammate Christopher Bell, and hold on for dear life was clutch. But Gibbs had the speed, even overcoming a penalty to get back into position in the first place.

While he has his detractors who assume his Cup Series run is less about ability and more about nepotism, the talent is obvious. The consistency from the 54 team has been almost unmatched to this point. His good has been frequent, and his bad has been minimal. He has fifteen Top 10 finishes, tied for second with teammate Denny Hamlin. He also shares second place with Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell, all of whom have ten Top 5 finishes. He only has five races where he finished outside the Top 20, and three of those finishes came at Daytona, Talladega, and Atlanta, where carnage is the expectation.

While a Cup Series Championship is likely a bridge too far in 2026, it is not as crazy as it may have seemed coming into the year. Currently he is second in points and he trails only Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney from an odds perspective. In a format that requires consistency, Gibbs could have a real shot as NASCAR heads to Homestead for the final race of the year.

Gaining Ground

Ross Chastain

It has been a rough season for Trackhouse as a whole, but Ross Chastain, who was the face of that team outside of road courses, has been atrocious. He has five Top 10 finishes this year and 11 finishes of 20th or worse.

On Sunday, he spent 99% of the race in the Top 10, almost 60% in the Top 5, and even led 40 laps. A lucky caution after staying out could have vaulted Chastain into a win for the first time since the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. When teams are struggling like the 1 team, a day like Sunday can remind them that it is possible to squeeze out a strong finish.

Josh Berry

There are a lot of question marks surrounding what Josh Berry’s future may look like. He has already been replaced at Wood Brothers and will not be getting the same resources as his Penske “teammates.” And yet, he was able to work his short-track magic to finish 4th. He spent over 63% of the race in the Top 10. He only has four races this season with more than 50% of the race in the Top 10, and with less information than he has had all year.

A Lap Down

Bridesmaid Bell

For a lot of teams, multiple runner-up finishes would be a tremendous run of results. However, for the 20 team, given where his outright odds sit every week and the equipment he comes to the track with, it is simply not good enough. In fact, Christopher Bell has finished 2nd in six of his last ten and four of his last five. You can see how dejected he is as he falls short each and every week. You’d think eventually things would turn around for CBell, but he is really testing that theory.

Tyler Reddick

Here we go again with the 45. On Sunday, Tyler Reddick finished single-digit laps before wrecking hard into the wall. Was it all his fault? No, but clearly he felt he could have done more, making a point of apologizing to Erik Jones, who was caught up in the wreck.

Reddick leaves Iowa 4th in the regular-season standings despite a fiery-hot start to 2026. Obviously, he still has a great opportunity to win the Championship, but a feast-or-famine run in the Chase format will have you behind the 8-ball and force this team to take gambles it should not need to.

Bubba Wallace

Speaking of 23XI, Bubba Wallace had a roller-coaster weekend in Iowa. He left a lot to be desired, qualifying 26th despite looking strong in practice. He was instantly a mover when the race got going, even finding the front to lead 35 laps. However, a penalty on lap 108 all but ruined his impressive day. Ultimately, he was able to finish 12th as the first lap-down car. The car and the driver clearly have something special, but for one reason or another, they find ways to ruin strong performances. Wallace is currently in the Chase, but he should be much higher than the 14th position he currently holds. Only time will tell if Wallace and the 23 team can find some much-needed consistency.

The Austin Dillon 400 at Richmond Raceway

All jokes aside, the Austin Dillon conversations are incredible this week. He is currently 10/1 or shorter at the vast majority of books and around 3/1 for Top Chevy. These odds on Kyle Larson, William Byron, or even Carson Hocevar wouldn’t be shocking. But Austin Dillon is consistently priced as one of the longest options on the board, approaching 100/1, if not longer.

However, Richmond has been the Austin Dillon playground each of the last two years. Sure, two years ago, it took a right hook to make sure he won the race, even if NASCAR took it away along with his Playoff spot shortly after. Dillon came back in 2025 and found a way to win without shenanigans. So obviously, every Tom, Dick, and Harry lined up this week to back AD3, and the sportsbooks made sure they didn’t get caught with their pants down. There is no chance I am betting on an AD3peat (shouts to Brandon on X for that one) at anything close to what books are currently hanging.

At this point, there are no real bets I want to make, but there are a couple of interesting names that have a real shot at being in the mix on Sunday.

Joey Logano — 8/1 (BetRivers)

The story on Joey Logano’s 2026 has made a rapid turnaround. He went from a total afterthought to very much in the conversation. Whether that is a real improvement or just track luck, he is very much compelling this week.

This season on the trio of Martinsville, Iowa, and North Wilkesboro, he has a win, a Top 3, and a 14th. His Iowa run was much, much stronger than his finish, but ultimately, he was trapped a lap down with the vast majority of the field.

At Richmond, Logs has five finishes of 7th or better, including a second and two fourths. Now he heads back with real momentum and a clear plan. This number could be chopped come Sunday morning.

Bubba Wallace — 17/1 (FanDuel)

There is no doubt about it: I am ready to be hurt again. Bubba Wallace has been incredibly strong this year on short tracks, including Iowa and North Wilkesboro in recent weeks. Last year, he led 123 laps while running over half of the race in the Top 3. His finishing position of 28th was not indicative of his performance, but neither was his 12th last week at Iowa. That can be the Bubba experience.

Ty Gibbs — 11/1 (Caesars)

Could Tyrone go back-to-back this week? It is not out of the question. For Richmond, Win the Race has Iowa, Martinsville, and North Wilkesboro as the best comparable tracks. Gibbs has a win and two 4th-place finishes. Gibbs’ other win this year came at Bristol, another short track. Gibbs hasn’t had success at Richmond, with only one Top 10 in six starts, but things are different this year for the 54.

This post-race newsletter is a new feature for 2026. We are looking for any and all feedback to continue to improve it. Is this helpful to you? Are there other features or information you would like to see included? Let us know on X or via email.

For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out our weekly episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

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Hello NASCAR fans! Kyle and Brian are in to get you set for the Iowa Corn 350 as NASCAR returns from its one week hiatus. This week NASCAR heads to the corn fields of Iowa. Consider subscribing to this newsletter if you have yet to do so. Also give Brian and Kyle a follow for more NASCAR betting and DFS thoughts in 2026!

Feel free to fade or follow any or all of the following plays or picks. For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out this weeks episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

DraftKings Values

Kyle’s Targets

Kyle Larson | $10,200 | Starting 2nd

The Kyle Larson bug finally got me. Iowa has been an HMS playground over the past two seasons. Sure, William Byron has had the results but Kyle Larson has been quite strong. And of course the dumb stuff could happen yet again and force me to regret this thought but the 5 has speed and he is WAAAYYYY overdue. As a reminder, he hasn’t found victory lane since Kansas 1 in 2025.

The best part about targeting Larson on DK, is a Top 5, while less than ideal, doesn’t totally derail lineups. He can lead a bunch of laps, like the 80 he had in 2024, get fastest laps and ultimately finish 3rd.

Ryan Blaney can easily be the dominant option but with the issues on pit road the 12 team has dealt with and other stupid stuff that can happen, pivoting to Larson as one of your two dominators could be a way to get some leverage on the field.

Trusting Hendrick could prove to be a fools errand yet again but I am going to try to avoid the banana peel this week.

Bubba Wallace | $8,000 | Starting 26th

Considering cost, Bubba Wallace might be the best play on the board. He will be starting 26th on Sunday giving him all the room in the world to score a ton of DraftKings points. He is a strong short track racer who can find grooves assuming he doesn’t run into trouble.

At North Wilkesboro a couple of weeks ago, Wallace turned his 26th place starting position into a 6th place finish. Per Win the Race, North Wilkesboro rates out as the top comparable track to this week at Iowa. At Iowa specifically, Wallace started 15th in 2025 before finishing 6th. His 2024 run was fine but nothing especially impressive.

23XI has a ton of speed this season and there is little reason to not expect it to show up this week in the corn fields. Look for the 23 to move forward, rack up DK points and be a critical lineup piece.

Austin Cindric | $7,200 | Starting 12th

I have been on him all week and I’m not backing off now. Despite not qualifying like his teammates, Austin Cindric rewarded my early week optimism with an impressive practice. He was one of the best cars on the short run and didn’t have horrendous fall off. Surely he will glean something from his teammates that are starting in the front two rows.

For DraftKings, Cindiric starting outside the Top 10 is great. It has him close enough that the field won’t hammer him but far enough back that he has room to move forward, improve his position and reward those who roster him.

Last year, despite not getting the finish he deserved, Cindric had a strong car. He spent over half of that race in the Top 3. Sure, trusting him to get the finish is a bit worrisome, but that should keep his ownership down and make him a phenomenal leverage play.

Brian’s Targets

Ryan Blaney | $10,700 | Starting 1st

Blaney is the man to beat here in Iowa, and I expect him to be at the front for most of the day yet again. Like we saw at Martinsville, the 12 car unloaded extremely fast, and he grabbed the pole. Unlike the trip to Virginia though, I don’t suspect we’ll see him going to the rear for any late changes to the car. This presents him, the inaugural race winner here in 2024, where he led 201 of the 350 laps, the opportunity to repeat that performance by dominating for most of the race.

There may be some lingering concerns about Blaney’s pit crew, and how the new Stage Break rules will play out, but barring an invasion of mutant locusts destroying his car, Ryan should run up front and contend for the win all race. In fact, a dominant, even semi-dominant performance is the expectation considering that front row qualifiers have accounted for 71.8% (503 of 700) of all the laps led over the first two races in Iowa! Blaney’s short track prowess will be on full display.

Ty Gibbs | $8,200 | Starting 6th

The Gibbsinator has arrived. Ty has been a literal machine in this package this season and boasts the 3rd best average finish behind Hamlin and Blaney, in this 750hp package. In those 6 races, Ty has a win at Bristol, three 4th place runs, a 6th, and a worst result of 13th at Nashville. But most importantly, he was AWESOME at North Wilkesboro, WTRs top comp track, most recently. Like Blaney, the 54 camp is in a great spot to start the race, as top 10 starters made up the top four finishers in both trips here so far.

Ty Dillon | $5,200 | Starting 31st

Well, I had to squeeze at least one half of the Double-D’s in here somewhere, and now I (We?, haha) have Ty^2. Dillon looked… “Okay” during practice, about as good as you’d expect from the 10-team, and qualified 31st so expectations should be tempered. That said, this Ty also did well at North Wilkesboro, finishing 16th, and somehow managed a 12th place in Nashville some weeks back. At $5,200, Dillon allows us to grab numerous salary eaters, and presents some tasty potential as a team who has, and will make interesting strategy calls for track position.

Iowa GPP Lineups

Iowa Cash Targets

The Cash streets are loaded this week as Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, William Byron and more start in the back and can be big movers. Ryan Blaney is the dominator to use but it can really hamper the movers you are able to target. I dont hate using Ty Gibbs and/or Brad Keselowski to save some salary. Daniel Suarez, SVG, Cole Custer and the Toddfather could make some sense if you are willing to dive deeper.

Favorite Iowa Corn 350 Bets

Kyle’s Play

Bubba Wallace Top Toyota (11/1) and T10(+220) (FanDuel) .5U and 3U

I’m grabbing the Bubba Wallace lines FanDuel dropped after practice and qualifying. The 23 has shown plenty of speed on this track type, made real movement at North Wilkesboro and has shown up in Iowa.

With the issues some of Joe Gibbs Racing had in practice, the Top Toyota market feels much more open than it typically does. The T10 price is a great way to get paid out on the 23 if he can’t get far enough forward to cash that Top manufacturer ticket but still has a really strong day.

Brian’s Play

Ty Gibbs Top 5 +180 (FanDuel)

I played this last race at Indy, and despite it not hitting, he was probably the 2nd best, maybe the best, car on the day. Gibbs won stage 1, finished 3rd in stage 2, and led 46 laps (2nd most) on the day, ultimately finishing 12th. This came a week after leading the 3rd most laps (47) and finishing 4th at North Wilkesboro, a much better comparison to this week’s venue of Iowa Speedway.

I understand that our bud Tyrone hasn’t finished better than 21st here, but the 2026 version of the 54 has collected the orb and “powered up” as they say in the Sega Classic Altered Beast. Gibbs has been a top tier contender in this package, finishing 4th (Phoenix), 6th (Darlington), 4th (Martinsville), WIN (Bristol), and the aforementioned 4th at North Wilkesboro. It’s quite clear that he’s rounding into form as a Cup Series driver, and neither he or the team are making race crushing mistakes like we saw the previous two campaigns. I also like Gibbs to Win at anything 10-1 or longer, but beating Blaney amongst the corn will be difficult, so this offers some protection at a decently priced entry point.

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Final Iowa Corn 350 Betting Cards

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Good luck on all your Iowa Corn 350 bets and may your DFS Lineups cash! As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-Gambler.

Both Brian and Kyle are always on the hunt for opportunities. Make sure you follow both of us on X/Twitter to see if we make any additional adds to the betting card. Hopefully we get some fun racing and cash some tickets in the process. Enjoy this weeks race at Iowa Speedway.

Hello NASCAR fans! Kyle and Brian are in to get you set for the Brickyard 400. This week NASCAR heads to Indianapolis for a crown jewel race on the calendar. Consider subscribing to this newsletter if you have yet to do so. Also give Brian and Kyle a follow for more NASCAR betting and DFS thoughts in 2026!

Feel free to fade or follow any or all of the following plays or picks. For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out this weeks episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

DraftKings Values

Kyle’s Targets

Tyler Reddick | $10,200 | Starting 3rd

Not sure any Cup Series driver has had a worse runout over the past two months than Tyler Reddick. The 45 started the season on fire with victories in three straight wins and four of the first six races. Reddick has finished 30th or worse in 4 of the last 7 starts and a 25th place on top of that. The two races he didn’t have issues or incidents he finished 2nd at Pocono and 8th at Atlanta. So if he can avoid the stupid stuff, he has a real shot at popping in a big way.

At Indianapolis, despite not being happy with his car, Reddick showed a ton of speed both in practice on Friday and in qualifying on Saturday. At this track, the 45 has been strong with a 2nd place in 2024 after starting on the pole. His 2025 race ended poorly but he was a strong car for a good portion of the race. His teammate Bubba Wallace was the car to ultimately find victory lane in that race.

Pocono, one of the races where Reddick was awesome, is a fantastic comp for this week. Not only did he finish 2nd in 2026 but has four Top 6 finishes in his five starts at the track. Kansas, Texas and Michigan also pop on the Win the Race track comparison. Reddick should have won Michigan if he didn’t have issues late and we know how good the 45 can be on 1.5 mile tracks.

Look for the Red Dog to get off the schnide this week and potentially find a home in victory lane.

Chris Buescher | $8,500 | Starting 15th

Chris Buescher didn’t get much attention on the pod but is someone who started to get my attention a bit more as I was prepping for the newsletter. In 2026 the 17 had a Top 10 at all the comp tracks listed on Win the Race.

His IMS history is not overly insane but he was strong at the 2025 version despite not finishing in the Top 10. With track position being important, I like the chances of not only maintaining but moving forward as well.

Look for the ownership to fall short of what it should be given his price tag and starting position. The 17 has Top 5 upside and will provide some solid leverage on the field.

John Hunter Nemechek | $6,600 | Starting 17th

If I am being 100% honest, I left Saturday a little underwhelmed with both Legacy cars especially after testing their qualifying run at the end of Friday’s practice. That being said, Legacy has been a team on the accent on similar tracks in 2026. Pocono was the teams best race with both JHN (4th) and Erik Jones (6th) both finishing Top 6. Neither driver has been incredibly impressive at IMS but JHN does have a 12th place finish from 2024.

While both Legacy options are compelling and Jones has a bit better stats at comp tracks, Ill take the discounted price and extra starting positions on JHN who has the potential to run just as strong this week which is ultimately all we care about.

Brian’s Targets

I’m gonna call this core the Slumpbusters!

Tyler Reddick | $10,200 | Starting 3rd

Reddick hated his car after practice, then went out and posted the fastest lap of all the Toyota’s. That tells me that they made the right changes to make him more comfy on this difficult rectangle. He’s been awesome at this track since being in the Cup Series, and despite being mired in a tremendous slump, I expect another awesome race from the 45 at Indianapolis. He’s been the 1B to Hamlin in this package this season, and fairly close to Denny at that. The skyfall has to end at some point, and with Iowa, Richmond, and Daytona closing out the regular season, the parachute needs to be deployed now!

William Byron | $9,700 | Starting 21st

Byron was awesome with a capital A in practice on Friday, and that’s matters much more than where he qualified for me. Track position can be made up on pit road, where the 24-team excels, and on restarts which should see cars going 3 and 4-wide at times on the straights. HMS as a whole looked pretty competent on Friday, and the fact that the stable’s biggest threat, Kyle Larson, only qualified 10th, is a strong indication that Hendrick cars unloaded in and stayed in race trim. Byron is a top 10 car with a ceiling as high as anyone at Indy.

Zane Smith | $6,000 | Starting 30th

The Zane train will need to boogie to stay on the tracks, but as long as no mistakes are made, the 38 should contend for a top 20. And if the strategy works out in their favor, a surprise top 10 isn’t entirely out of the cards, as is the same for everyone here. He was strong in practice, exhibiting decent long run pace, and like his teammates, will be making calls for track position if the situations present themselves. The ceiling is decent for Smith, who, like Reddick, is looking to break out of a small slump.

Indianapolis GPP Lineups

Brickyard Cash Targets

Tyler Reddick or Denny Hamlin and potentially both make a ton of sense at the top. Chase Elliott, William Byron and Bubba Wallace are expensive options that can be big movers. For cheaper targets Zane Smith, Ryan Preece and Austin Cindric are very much in play. Depending on what you do at the top you may be able to squeeze in a little more expensive options.

Favorite Brickyard 400 Bet

Kyle’s Play

Carson Hocevar Top Chevy +550 (FanDuel) 1U

Getting Hocevar on my betting card with any sort of value was one of my goals and FanDuel gave me the 77 in the Top Chevy market at a very palatable +550. He clearly had the speed both in practice and qualifying putting it on the pole. Hocevar has also show the ability to regain track position when he has something happen. I don’t have the same belief in HMS as the market odds and I will take my shot on the 77 holding his lead on the Chevys and cashing this ticket for me.

Brian’s Play

Ty Gibbs Top 5 +150 (BetMGM)

Not a ton of markets out there calling my wallet, but I want exposure to Ty Gibbs. To do that,I’m headed to the Top 5 market where the 54 is priced around EVEN across the board… Except for MGM and 365 where he’s +150! Gibbs was great in Friday’s practice session, then posted a lap in qualifying good enough for a 2nd row starting spot beside Tyler Reddick. Our guy Tyrone has stepped up his game this season, and continues to prove me and other haters wrong. I do think he’s a potentially winning car on Sunday, but already holding a Reddick and Toyota ticket(s) makes this the bet to make on Gibbs.

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Final Brickyard 400 Betting Cards

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Good luck on all your Brickyard 400 bets and may your DFS Lineups cash! As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-Gambler.

Both Brian and Kyle are always on the hunt for opportunities. Make sure you follow both of us on X/Twitter to see if we make any additional adds to the betting card. Hopefully we get some fun racing and cash some tickets in the process. Enjoy this weeks race at North Wilkesboro.

Joey Logano DOMINATED North Wilkesboro on Sunday as NASCAR returned to the track for its first points-paying race since 1996. As Denny Hamlin would say, that’s just short track racing!

Logano led 323 laps throughout the race, earning an absurd 73 points. He was continually able to find the front and led second place by several seconds. He basically had the race many bettors and bookmakers assumed his teammate, Ryan Blaney, would have. This points day vaulted the No. 22 into the top 15 of the regular-season standings, making a spot in the field of 16 for The Chase seem much more likely.

Gaining Ground

Shane van Gisbergen

Whether you call him Shane van Gisbergen, SVG, or simply Guggenheim, the show put on by the No. 97 was remarkable. We have seen on ovals how strong he can be when track position is there. A rainout in qualifying assured he would start near the front on Sunday, and the Kiwi took full advantage.

SVG ran in the top five for the vast majority of the day, leading the second-most laps (49) in the process. In fact, leading the race led to potentially the quote of the season:

“I’m leading, what the f*** do I do now?”

As we head to Indianapolis, van Gisbergen will be in position to qualify late and potentially run near the front yet again. He is getting closer and closer to locking up a spot in The Chase despite winning only two of the four road courses on the 2026 NASCAR calendar.

Bubba Wallace

Bubba Wallace rebounded nicely on Sunday, putting together a complete race. The No. 23 car managed to finish sixth after starting 26th. While Wallace has been the strongest 23XI Racing driver in the short-track package, he reminded everyone of the potential he has.

This was also a great result for the season-long standings, especially after his penalty at Atlanta. Wallace is currently 13th in the standings, 15 points clear of SVG and 15 points behind William Byron. I’ll be curious to see if the No. 23 can find some magic at IMS.

A Lap Down

Hendrick Motorsports

Can we punt HMS to the moon?

This team headed to North Wilkesboro seemingly trending in the right direction. Yet it was William Byron in 12th, Kyle Larson in 15th, Chase Elliott in 17th, and Alex Bowman in 26th, as all four drivers finished multiple laps down.

The No. 9 was probably the best overall car on the day after making some noise near the front, but a lack of long-run pace continues to plague this team.

As we move forward, the outright odds will continue to be enticing, but we must stay away. Outside of Elliott on 1.5-mile tracks, HMS has not shown race-winning ability. Don’t let the sportsbooks entice you with the candy.

Tyler Reddick

Tyler Reddick and the No. 45 team can’t seem to get out of their own way. Ultimately, it was a 30th-place finish and just seven points for Reddick as he continues to tumble in the standings.

Not only is his points lead cooked, with Denny Hamlin now up by 68 points, but Ryan Blaney—who had an underwhelming day by his standards—is now just 19 points away from passing Reddick for second. With five races left before The Chase, it will be interesting to see if the No. 45 team can get its mojo back.

For more thoughts post Window World 450, check out this weeks instant reaction.

Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

This week, NASCAR heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 400, a crown jewel race on the calendar. This will be the third Brickyard 400 of the Next Gen era. Bubba Wallace is the defending champion, while Kyle Larson won in 2024.

Per the Track Comparison tool on Win the Race, there is a strong crossover to Pocono, which was dominated by Denny Hamlin, who—much to no one’s surprise—is the odds-on favorite this week.

Behind him are Larson, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, and Ryan Blaney. Everyone else is listed at double-digit odds. Sportsbooks have been slow to post lines this week, with Caesars and FanDuel being the only widely available books currently offering odds.

At this point, there are no bets I really want to make, but there are a couple of interesting names that pique my interest as we wait for other books to post their opening numbers.

Chase Briscoe — 14/1 (The Score)

Indiana native Chase Briscoe seems to be rediscovering some of the speed he showed in 2025 as he heads to a track where he’s performed well. In 2025, Briscoe won the pole and ran inside the top 10 for most of the day before ultimately finishing 18th.

Using the Pocono comparison, Briscoe won the 2025 race and was much stronger than his 12th-place finish would suggest.

Joey Logano — 22/1 (Caesars)

Trying not to be a prisoner of the moment, but Joey Logano was truly impressive on Sunday at North Wilkesboro. Last year at the Brickyard, Logano was a legitimate contender until late tire issues in Stage 3 derailed his race. It was the second Penske car to suffer tire problems during the 2025 Brickyard.

Erik Jones — 40/1 (The Score)

These are the kinds of tracks where Jones Boy can show up. He started on the second row last year, but contact ruined his day, and he ultimately finished 36th.

He was really strong at Pocono this year, with Legacy Motor Club finishing fourth (John Hunter Nemechek) and sixth (Jones). Both Jones and his teammate JHN are probably better placement targets, but I don’t hate a small sprinkle on the outright.

This post-race newsletter is a new feature for 2026. We are looking for any and all feedback to continue to improve it. Is this helpful to you? Are there other features or information you would like to see included? Let us know on X or via email.

For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out our weekly episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

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Hello NASCAR fans! Kyle and Brian are in to get you set for the Window World 450. This week NASCAR heads back to North Wilkesboro for the first points paying race since 1996. Consider subscribing to this newsletter if you have yet to do so. Also give Brian and Kyle a follow for more NASCAR betting and DFS thoughts in 2026!

Feel free to fade or follow any or all of the following plays or picks. For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out this weeks episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

DraftKings Values

Kyle’s Targets

Ryan Blaney | $10,700 | Starting 1st

Despite not being the best car in practice, Ryan Blaney will have the ultimate track position after “earning” the pole after Window World 450 Qualifying was rained out. Even with some drivers pointing out that this track should provide a bit more movement potential than most short tracks, it could be a long day for the field sitting behind the 12.

This race will also feature a body that is much easier to damage, ideally preventing drivers from ARCA braking around the corners, making their own room to move forward. There is a potential for Blaney to lead the vast majority of laps assuming his pit crew can avoid a major meltdown.

Ryan Blaney is incredible at Martinsville, Iowa and Gateway which are the strongest track comps to this week. He has multiple Martinsville wins, an Iowa win and other strong finishes. We also have a bit of Phoenix crossover at North Wilkesboro and we know what the 12 can do there. We have a very real possibility of Blaney finishing in victory lane for the second straight week.

Austin Cindric | $7,200 | Starting 14th

Austin Cindric is one of my favorite targets coming into the week especially if you need leverage. He will start 14th, which will likely be too far forward for the vast majority of the field. His $7,200 price tag is easy to fit into a variety of builds especially if you want to be invested at the top.

Cindric has won Gateway and found two Top 8 finishes at Martinsville, one of which was this year. His 2025 Iowa finish wasn’t the one he deserved after spending more than 50% of the race in Top 5.

Cindric is also an interesting long shot outright if you can get 50/1 or better. The 2 Car will look especially sweet in victory lane with the Rusty Wallace MGD tribute scheme. Ultimately he probably doesn’t get there but I expect him to have an outside shot if things fall right. That performance should more than reward those of us who deploy him on DraftKings.

Riley Herbst | $5,800 | Starting 34th

A rained out qualifying really hurt Riley Herbst who appeared to have real speed. He was one of the strongest cars in practice, especially on the long run. While the practice session was a bit wonky with cars waiting to go out, 2 sets of tires and other factors, Herbst looks to be a real threat for movement potential. Of course, Herbst will have to keep his car on the lead lap especially early, but if he can, he could be a real mover.

Despite being replaced for 2027 at 23XI, Herbst has continued to work on his craft and take advantage of the rockets his team is providing. He finished Top 10 at Chicagoland and San Diego. He added other strong finishes at a variety of tracks including Pocono and Texas. While I expect the 35 to be popular relative to his price tag, I still expect him to be under owned relative to his potential output. He could top the 23XI garage come Sunday night.

Brian’s Targets

No qualifying, no tire wear in practice equals no passing which equals NO FUN! This is looking every bit the merry-go-round we mentioned in our preview show, where track position and tire-strategy will be the determining factors. So… Good Luck! haha.

Christopher Bell | $10,200 | Starting 3rd

I wanted to believe in Ryan Blaney, but the Bell tolled on Saturday during practice. Christopher, now sans his cast, was blazing around the short track, looking to finally be back to, or very close to 100%. He was the fastest car in single lap speed, and EVERY SINGLE 5-lap segment. Starting 3rd allows him to move up a couple spots, while also being the dominator he can be here. I’m not fully counting Blaney out, but it sure seems like the 20-car will be the one to beat come the race.

Alex Bowman | $7,000 | Starting 25th

Not someone I’d usually target in this package, but Bowman’s pace in practice peaked my interest. He was relatively quick compared to the cars he fired off with, and was able to turn 76 laps during the session. A session in which he posted the 3rd best 20, 25, and 30-lap averages. HMS looked strong on Saturday, and despite the 48 essentially being the “test” car, he should still exhibit good pace. Bowman is priced a few $100 below guys starting ahead him with similar ceilings in my opinion, so I’ll save the salary.

Shane van Gisbergen | $6,800 | Starting 8th

This is my hail mary play this week. Shane is apparently a short track monster, going out and grabbing a 3rd place finish in Trucks. Yeah, you’d like to say, “so what, the truck series is garbage.” But considering the field included defending champ Corey Heim, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Carson Hocevar, and a handful of other strong Truck regulars, that’s impressive as hell. Shane then jumped into his no.97 Trackhouse Cup car, and turned in a top 10 practice session. The top 10 starting spot, improvements on ovals, and past strong showings on short tracks, have me excited about the Kiwi on Sunday.

North Wilkesboro GPP Lineups

North Wilkesboro Cash Targets

Cash this week seems to have some easy buttons with qualifying getting rained out. Kyle Larson, Chase Briscoe and others all make compelling targets. These weeks can get tricky with the field piling in on a few names. Getting the dominator(s) right will be a challenge as well as the cheap options. The names above are the names that stand out above the rest.

Favorite North Wilkesboro Bet

Kyle’s Play

Ross Chastain Top 5 +2500 and Top Chevy +5000 (FanDuel) .2U and .1U

With NASCAR running night races the last two week and the World Cup finishing up, sportsbooks have been slow to post much outside of outrights.

That being said, Ross Chastain is someone I want to get on the card but the price has to be right with the 8 ball he is currently positioned behind. He has to drop to the rear and do a pass through penalty to start Sunday’s race. This will make it difficult to get back to the lead lap. If he can, the potential is there for a strong day. His car showed real speed in practice depsite some early issues.

FanDuel has his Top 5 odds at 25/1 with Top Chevy being listed at 50/1. I am going to throw some couch change on both to see if he can really pop. The most likely scenario has a frustrated Watermelon Man ending his day laps down but if he hits the jackpot and ends up up front on strategy, the reward will have been worth the investment.

Brian’s Play

Well, in all too normal fashion, books are slow playing the release of post-practice lines. Thus, there isn’t much to shop, and as a result, nothing to grab. However, I am curious to see where Austin Cindric and Alex Bowman open at most shops for Top 10s, as I think both could be sneakily good in the race. I’m also hoping to see some fun matchup prices for those two.

Latest Episodes

Final Window World 450 Betting Cards

Brian Betting Card

Kyle’s Betting Card

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Good luck on all your Window World 450 bets and may your DFS Lineups cash! As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-Gambler.

Both Brian and Kyle are always on the hunt for opportunities. Make sure you follow both of us on X/Twitter to see if we make any additional adds to the betting card. Hopefully we get some fun racing and cash some tickets in the process. Enjoy this weeks race at North Wilkesboro.

Despite the massive delay due to lightning and rain, the Quaker State 400 delivered an incredibly entertaining race that made it hard to look away. EchoPark Speedway provided opportunities for different strategies, compelling movement throughout the field, and a refreshing lack of unnecessary chaos. Many drivers looked like legitimate contenders at various points during the race, but every time Ryan Blaney found the speed and the answers needed to ultimately reach Victory Lane.

The No. 12 team has now vaulted itself into legitimate contention for the regular-season championship. They sit just 65 points behind Denny Hamlin for the overall lead and 41 behind Tyler Reddick for second. With the upcoming schedule, multiple wins before the The Chase are very much in play for Blaney and the No. 12 team.

Gaining Ground

Ryan Blaney

Ryan Blaney had an absolute rocket on Sunday night, moving through the field with ease. The No. 12 won both Stage 1 and Stage 2 before ultimately finding Victory Lane, leading 171 laps in the process. That is the most laps led on a drafting track, surpassing a record set by Richard Petty in 1964.

Blaney was the favorite entering the race, but with so much potential for Superspeedway chaos, it’s extremely difficult to justify backing an outright favorite at double-digit odds on these tracks. He earned the win and rewarded everyone who lined up behind him in Hotlanta.

Carson Hocevar

Carson Hocevar continues to garner attention both on and off the track because of his antics, but Sunday night provided another reminder of just how talented he is behind the wheel. The No. 77 was a fixture inside the top five for most of the night despite starting 14th and suffering a flat tire before the end of Stage 2.

You could argue the No. 77 was the second-best car of the night and had a legitimate chance to win. He had to gather it up coming to the checkered flag when Bubba Wallace made a move to his inside. Had that not happened, perhaps he could have squeezed Blaney for the win, much like his current teammate Daniel Suárez once did.

Hocevar ultimately finished third, cashing placement bets and Top Chevy wagers. He’ll continue to be a compelling betting target anywhere outright speed is a premium.

Ty Gibbs

Ty Gibbs and Superspeedway racing have been like oil and water throughout his Cup Series career. However, the No. 54 team shined on Sunday night. Gibbs led 32 laps and came home with a top-five finish after starting 23rd.

The patience and poise the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has shown throughout the season continue to translate into consistent finishes. Gibbs currently sits fourth in the season-long points standings and appears poised to make a legitimate run in The Chase.

A Lap Down

Kyle Larson

Despite showing the speed to contend for the win, Kyle Larson once again found trouble. He took a trip through the infield at the end of Stage 2 and was later caught up in the final accident that forced the race into overtime.

The No. 5 has shown plenty of speed at drafting tracks, but he always seems to find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, resulting in another disappointing finish.

Another race passes, and the winless drought continues for a driver widely considered one of the best in the sport.

Front Row Motorsports

Many people, myself included, entered Atlanta with high expectations for Front Row Motorsports, particularly Zane Smith. The team had shown plenty of speed in recent weeks, but they spent most of Sunday’s race riding near the back of the field with little ability to move forward.

Smith finished 30th, while teammate Todd Gilliland came home 19th and won his In-Season Challenge matchup despite also spending most of the evening among the back markers.

For more thoughts post Quaker State 400, check out this weeks instant reaction.

Window World 250 at North Wilkesboro

NASCAR heads to North Wilkesboro this week for its first points-paying race there since 1996. The short track has a chance to showcase its full potential after returning as the home of the All-Star Race.

Patience will be important this week because we have very little historical data to work with. The All-Star Race isn’t particularly useful as a comparison given its unique format.

Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney opened as co-favorites at roughly 5/1 across most sportsbooks. Christopher Bell has been the biggest mover after opening between 8/1 and 9/1 at some books. Those numbers have disappeared, with Bell now joining Hamlin and Blaney atop most odds boards.

With that said, these are the drivers grabbing my attention early in the week.

Chase Elliott — 16/1 (FanDuel)

Our friends at Win the Race identify Iowa, Martinsville, and Gateway as the closest comparable tracks to North Wilkesboro. This free tool does a great job highlighting track similarities.

Those comparisons help explain why Blaney and Bell sit atop the betting board.

The other driver who immediately stands out is Chase Elliott. Most sportsbooks have him priced closer to where I’d expect, but FanDuel’s 16/1 feels like outstanding value.

Elliott has multiple top-five finishes, including a win at Martinsville, along with a top-five finish at Gateway since 2025.

William Byron — 16/1 (Caesars)

Like his teammate, William Byron becomes a compelling target whenever his number reaches 16/1.

Byron owns two Martinsville victories and one at Iowa, along with multiple additional top-five finishes across those comparable tracks. Gateway hasn’t been quite as kind to the No. 24, but after showing impressive short-run speed at Chicagoland, a win no longer feels as distant as it did for much of the season.

Joey Logano — 16/1 (Caesars)

The No. 22 has been an absolute disaster this season, looking more like a cement truck than a race car. He’s lacked speed at the vast majority of tracks.

However, if you’re looking for a driver who excels on this style of track and has the racecraft to capitalize, Logano deserves consideration. He owns multiple top-five finishes across Martinsville, Iowa, Gateway, and Richmond since 2024.

The Penske cars have consistently shown up at this type of track. I’m not sure I’ll have the courage to place the bet myself, but there’s certainly a strong case to be made.

This post-race newsletter is a new feature for 2026. We are looking for any and all feedback to continue to improve it. Is this helpful to you? Are there other features or information you would like to see included? Let us know on X or via email.

For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out our weekly episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

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Hello NASCAR fans! Kyle and Brian are in to get you set for the Quaker State 400. This week NASCAR heads back to Atlanta for some speedway racing. Consider subscribing to this newsletter if you have yet to do so. Also give Brian and Kyle a follow for more NASCAR betting and DFS thoughts in 2026!

Feel free to fade or follow any or all of the following plays or picks. For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out this weeks episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

DraftKings Values

Kyle’s Targets

William Byron | $9,700 | Starting 26th

William Byron has been a compelling target for me all week. He has two wins at this track in the Next-Gen era. Based on some of the short run speed we saw at Chicagoland, there is reason to believe this could be his third win.

With so many viable targets throughout the player pool, spending up on a few drivers this week feels great. For me it came down to Byron or Christopher Bell. While both are clearly compelling targets, it appears based on projections, that Byron should come in with less ownership especially relative to what it should be.

Bell is clearly someone I want to play but I do worry way too many pile in on him this week and fading him becomes the ideal strategy. Maybe the wrist will act up, maybe he won’t be as aggressive as the track requires and he gets caught up, either way his downside could outweigh the potential reward of a driver who can clearly win at this track.

Put me on Team 24 this week.

Ty Gibbs | $7,500 | Starting 23rd

Ty Gibbs might be my favorite mid-range option this week based on cost, project ownership and starting position. The 54 will be starting 23rd which is the start of a range where you can consider adding a driver to your roster.

At Atlanta, Gibbs has been strong with more good results than bad results. Before his last two 30th plus place finishes he was 14th, 10th, 17th and 9th. A top 10 finish this week feels well within range. He has teammates and fellow Toyotas who will be able to draft with him on Sunday.

Gibbs has improved in terms of his decision making this season has been noticeable. Expect him to be aggressive like the track demands but patient enough to avoid the non-sense.

Connor Zilisch | $5,800 | Starting 25th

This click is going to feel awful for the field at large. Last time we saw Connor Zilisch on an oval he was crashing on lap 1. In fact, he finished a fraction of the laps at Nashville, Michigan and Pocono. At a place where carnage will show up, his name will be unclickable for many.

However, this is the leverage opportunity in a player pool that offers so many compelling targets that the field will pile in on. It has been a mixed bag at Atlanta for CZ. He has an 11th place finish in 2025 and a 30th place finish this year. At a track that produces chaos the range of outcomes are visible for all of the Cup Series regulars.

Sure he could wreck and finish 30 something on Sunday, but what you win if you get it right is much more compelling than if he wrecks like many expect.

Brian’s Targets

Where are we? Atlanta! What type of racing are we getting? Drafting! What does that mean? STACK-THE-BACK! I said it on the show, and I’ll say it here, analysis means “diddly poo” in this type of racing. So, below are my three favorites “back-markers” 😜 for the Quaker State 400.

Tyler Reddick | $10,500 | Starting 31st

Won here in the spring; Only driver in Series with an avg. finish inside 10th (9.44); Tops Cup with two wins and four Top 5 results at drafters since last season; AND, his luck has to turn around… right?!

Bubba Wallace | $7,900 | Starting 22nd

Probably the best car, if there is such a thing, here in the spring; Tied with four others for 2nd-most Top 10s in this package (5) over the nine races since last season. Includes two in the three ATL visits.

Zane Smith | $6,800 | Starting 34th

All aboard the Zane “chalk” Train this week. He has the fourth best average finish at drafters (14.78) since 2025 and has cracked is one of the four driver tied with Bubba for 2nd-most Top 10s in this package over that span.

Atlanta GPP Lineups

Atlanta Cash Targets

Cash at Atlanta 2 feels so easy. So clearly it means something will fail. Atlanta brings carnage and unpredictability. The names above are some of our favorites. I would plan on mixing and matching some of the names to avoid being totally shut out this week.

Favorite Atlanta Bet

Kyle’s Play

Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Daniel Suarez Top Chevy +1600 (FanDuel) .25U Each

Both Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Daniel Suarez provide strong value and proper payout potential on two guys who I already have on the betting card. Both drivers are available at 16/1 which is higher than a good chunk of the top outrights. If either guy has a strong day but falls short to Penske, 23XI or another non-Chevy your card does not go totally dust.

Brian’s Play

Daniel Suarez Win (35/1) and Top Chevy (17/1)

Yeah… this race, although likely to be less chaotic than what the O’Reilly Series produced, will still be a shit show. As a result, the only additions I’ve made, and will make are Daniel Suarez to win +3500 (Bet365) and Top Chevy +1700 (FanDuel). If you haven’t played anything yet, I’d still look in these ranges, as Kyle mentioned on the show, Reddick was very long in the spring, and the last couple lap chaos will certainly jumble up the field.

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Final Quaker State 400 Betting Cards

Brian Betting Card

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Good luck on all your Quaker State 400 bets and may your DFS Lineups cash! As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-Gambler.

Both Brian and Kyle are always on the hunt for opportunities. Make sure you follow both of us on X/Twitter to see if we make any additional adds to the betting card. Hopefully we get some fun racing and cash some tickets in the process. Enjoy this weeks race at Atlanta.

Chase Briscoe found Victory Lane at Chicagoland as Sunday’s race delivered compelling action from start to finish. The win was especially impressive because the No. 19 held off all three of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, leading 51 laps in the process. Strategy also played a massive role, as the No. 19 came to pit road before William Byron, giving Briscoe the track position he needed to secure the victory.

Briscoe wasn’t the only Joe Gibbs Racing driver to impress at Chicagoland. All three of his teammates joined him in the top 10, while 23XI Racing placed three of its four drivers there as well. Tyler Reddick was the lone exception after a punctured radiator ruined his race. As a result, Denny Hamlin extended his lead in the regular-season championship standings. A sentence that still boggles my mind.

As incredible as the start of the season was for the No. 45 team, the past few weeks have been equally rough, with major issues at Michigan, Sonoma, and Chicagoland. With seven races remaining before the Chase, it will be interesting to see if anyone can catch the No. 11 for the regular-season crown.

Gaining Ground

William Byron

Ultimately, William Byron and the No. 24 team didn’t have enough to secure the win, but this was the most competitive race they’ve put together all season. Byron won both Stage 1 and Stage 2 while leading 94 laps. He ultimately finished fourth as the top Chevrolet.

Unfortunately, Byron and Hendrick Motorsports lacked the long-run pace needed to match the Toyotas. Their short-run speed was evident, and had the race featured a late caution, Byron may have had another opportunity to challenge for the win. Even so, Hendrick Motorsports appears to be making progress, despite still sitting a tier behind Toyota.

Alex Bowman

It has been a roller-coaster season for Alex Bowman, but Chicagoland provided another highlight with a top-five finish. It marked his third top five of the season, joining top-three finishes at Talladega and Texas.

Unfortunately, there have also been plenty of disappointing results, along with time missed due to health issues. Between those health concerns and the rumors surrounding his status for 2027, Bowman has to feel much better about the direction of his season after leaving Chicagoland.

A Lap Down

RFK Racing

There was plenty of optimism surrounding RFK Racing entering Chicagoland, and after Saturday’s qualifying, that optimism appeared justified. Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher both qualified inside the top five and looked poised to capitalize.

However, the excitement quickly turned to frustration. Ryan Preece was involved in a Lap 1 accident that left him multiple laps down.

Buescher showed solid speed early but was forced to back up on pit road because one of his wheels wasn’t fully tightened. From that point on, the No. 17 spent most of the afternoon as a backmarker before salvaging a top-20 finish.

Keselowski, meanwhile, faded almost immediately after the green flag and was never a factor. After starting fourth, he dropped into the mid-20s by the middle of the race before finishing 21st.

For more Chicagoland thoughts check out this weeks Instant Reaction. We are going to recap each race on the YouTube feed following each race. Check it out below!

Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Preview

We’re set for another week of superspeedway-style racing in Atlanta. While EchoPark Speedway isn’t quite Daytona or Talladega, it presents many of the same challenges that can turn a race into complete chaos.

At first glance, the betting board appears attractive, with nearly every driver listed at 10/1 or longer. In reality, it’s something of a mirage, as the vast majority of legitimate contenders are bunched between 10/1 and 20/1, leaving bettors to figure out who provides the best value.

If you’re looking to back a few drivers this week, patience is the best approach. Full Tank Phil has one of the best betting strategies I’ve seen for this track: divide your normal unit—whether that’s $10, $100, or more—across a handful of drivers. Somewhere between four and six drivers seems to be the sweet spot.

Qualifying shouldn’t change much this week, so don’t feel compelled to chase short numbers. If you’re looking for a few names to consider, here are the drivers I’m circling.

Daniel Suárez — 40/1 (BetMGM)

With consistency hard to find at superspeedways, Daniel Suárez has managed to provide exactly that. In seven Atlanta starts, Suárez has a win, two runner-up finishes, and a top five in the spring version of Atlanta.

We’ve also seen Spire Motorsports bring speed nearly every week this season. If I can get the No. 7 at 35/1 or better, I’m interested. BetMGM was offering the best number as of late Monday night. I need at least 35/1 to bet him, and that number still appears widely available.

Alex Bowman — 33/1 (Caesars)

Alex Bowman at 30/1 or better is another number worth considering. While he hasn’t been dominant at Atlanta overall, both of his top-five finishes here came in the fall races in 2024 and 2025. Bowman also finished third earlier this season at Talladega, another drafting track. He is worth a look in the six pack.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — 50/1 (Bet365)

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is consistently one of my favorite superspeedway targets, but sportsbooks usually price him shorter than I’m willing to play. This week, though, a few books are finally offering numbers worth considering.

As of late Monday night, Bet365 had him at 50/1, while BetMGM was offering 40/1. Both prices are compelling, especially considering Caesars has him at just 28/1, which is much closer to his typical market price.

Stenhouse had three consecutive top-six finishes at Atlanta before this spring’s race. Unfortunately, despite qualifying third, he was caught in an incident and ultimately finished 36th. I like the chances of the No. 47 being in contention at the end, and at these odds, I’m willing to invest.

This post-race newsletter is a new feature for 2026. We are looking for any and all feedback to continue to improve it. Is this helpful to you? Are there other features or information you would like to see included? Let us know on X or via email.

For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out our weekly episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

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Hello NASCAR fans! Kyle and Brian are in to get you set for the Eero 400. This week NASCAR returns to Chicagoland for the first time since 2019. Consider subscribing to this newsletter if you have yet to do so. Also give Brian and Kyle a follow for more NASCAR betting and DFS thoughts in 2026!

Feel free to fade or follow any or all of the following plays or picks. For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out this weeks episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

DraftKings Values

Kyle’s Targets

Denny Hamlin | $11,000 | Starting 1st

Are we set up for another Denny domination? It sure feels like it is play. Hamlin is the favorite across sportsbooks being priced at 3/1 or shorter. Despite not liking his car in practice, he was able to qualify on the pole and set himself up for Sunday.

While we have not run at Chicagoland since 2019, we can use some of the tracks from 2026 to get an idea of where we should expect things to go. He qualified on the pole at Pocono, Michigan and Nashville. Hamlin converted all of those starts into race wins. At Las Vegas, Hamlin ran in the Top 3 basically all day and found victory lane. At Kansas and Vegas, the 11 was the dominant car, leading over 130 laps in each start.

Maybe Kyle Larson will have something for the 11 this week but he hasn’t won since Kansas 1 of 2025. The 5 should be rock solid on Sunday but I am not sure we see him do enough to end up in victory lane. Pay the price this week and lock in the 11 to DraftKings lineups.

Austin Cindric | $7,000 | Starting 23rd

You never feel great about recommending Austin Cindric on DraftKings especially with the issues Penske has had thus far this season. However, Cindric has been much improved on ovals. At Kansas and Texas he finished 12th and 15th respectively. He also finished Top 15 at both Pocono and Michigan.

In practice on Friday, the 2 showed good speed in the short run and solid speed on the long run. In fact, he showed up in the Top 10 in the practice model on Win the Race. Starting 23rd opens up plenty of opportunity for Cindric to make up ground and potentially really reward those that look his way with a safeish floor built in. He also builds in a possible leverage opportunity with his projected ownership.

Ryan Preece | $6,700 | Starting 20th

It was clear starting on Friday, RFK has speed especially on the long run. While Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski may be tough to get to on DraftKings, their teammate Ryan Preece feels like a compelling target. He will start 20th at $6,700. It should open up plenty of room to move forward and score DraftKings.

If Chicagoland runs anything like Las Vegas, Kansas and Texas Preece can be quite good. At all three of those tracks Preece finished Top 15 including two 11th place finishes. If it looks more like Pocono or Michigan it can be a long day. But as we have seen with RFK in general, they all tend to perform together. This is especially true for the 6 and 60. When one has speed they all tend to have speed.

With so many compelling options at the top, Preece offers a nice salary discount with movement potential. Fire up the 60 this week!

Brian’s Targets

Kyle Larson | $10,500 | Starting 2nd

Sometimes, despite trends and data pointing to the competition (Toyota), you gotta go full Jethro Gibbs in NCIS, and follow your gut. This week, and pretty much all of it, mine has been telling me to back the 5-car, and so far, that’s looking like a solid direction. Larson immediately jumped to the top of the speed charts in practice on a green track, then backed that pace up in Saturday’s qualifying session, missing out on the pole by just .001 seconds to Denny Hamlin.

Larson’s extended winless streak is well documented, but it’s not like he’s lacked speed or finished well in this package. In fact, since the beginning of last season, Larson has the best average running position (8.03) and average finish (8.19). While also leading the highest % of laps, and ranking 2nd in True Performance and Speed Rating according to WTR in this package. The 5-team enters this weekend riding four straight top 5 finishes, and a sour taste in his mouth about Chicagoland, where he finished runner-up during the final two visits, and notched results of 7th or better five times, with four Top 5s, over six total races. He’s due, both this year, and in Chicago.

Bubba Wallace | $8,700 | Starting 8th

“Come on and slam, and welcome to the jam…Welcome to the Space Jam!” Yes, Bubba Wallace and 23XI are back on their ‘ish with two amazing schemes for this weekend, including Tyler Reddick’s Jordan Brand No.45, and Wallace’s No.23 30th Anniversary Space Jam car. As if that isn’t enough to want to play him, Bubba was also one of the fastest cars, both in short run, and long run pace practice. He doubled down that speed in qualifying by posting what wound up being the 8th fastest lap, despite going out 20th overall. Bubba’s results in this package have also been very good, posting 4 top 10s in the six races, including a 3rd just a few weeks ago in Michigan, and a 5th place finish at Kansas a couple months ago. This starting spot will likely scare some off the 23, so I’ll gladly take the dip in roster % on one of the fastest cars/teams in the field.

Corey Heim | $7,500 | Starting 28th

Yep, it’s Heim Time again. Maybe not race winning, but certainly for another strong run out of the 67 car. Don’t be fooled by his 28th place qualifying effort as Corey was the 2nd overall car out in the session, which continued to get much faster as it went on. He was the 6th fastest car in Friday’s FULL FIELD 50-minute practice, and of the 35 cars who laid down a 10-lap stint, the 3rd best. Lastly, unlike the full-time Cup Series drivers, Heim was able to prepare for this weekend since his first victory back in San Diego. Which, as we saw there, a new track, benefited him tremendously. I’m not saying another win is coming, but I’m also not saying it isn’t… haha.

Chicagoland GPP Lineups

Chicagoland Cash Targets

Cash this week features a couple decisions but there are very compelling targets. At the top its either Denny Hamlin or Kyle Larson. I feel much stronger about the 11 being there all day and contending for the win. Tyler Reddick feels like a smash given his starting position. Corey Heim should have plenty of speed and reward his backers. I chose McDriver here but he does a pass through after starting in the back so I don’t fault anyone who pivots off of him.

Favorite Chicagoland Bet

Kyle’s Play

Ryan Preece T-10 +340 (FanDuel) .75U

The books clearly are not prioritizing NASCAR odds late on July 4th. However, the fine folks at FanDuel posted a plethora of potential targets. As I mentioned in the DraftKings section, Ryan Preece is a compelling option this week. Sure he did not qualify to level of his RFK teammates, but that is helping his numbers this week.

Preece has been strong at the combination of Texas, Las Vegas and Kansas which provide a good barometer for what to expect this week. We also see the RFK boys ride together whether that is good or bad. Assuming Preece can find the track position he can be firmly in the Top 10 come Sunday night.

Brian’s Play

Slim Pickins

Considering it’s not only July 4th, the 250th birthday for our great country, and right in the middle of the World Cup’s Round of 16, I am not shocked that most books don’t have much. I’m also not shocked at the prices at those which are open, as books continue to squeeze us at the window. That said, Bubba Wallace and William Byron are on my short list of targets for when more markets are released, with Top 5s being the focus

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Good luck on all your Eero 400 bets and may your DFS Lineups cash! As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-Gambler.

Both Brian and Kyle are always on the hunt for opportunities. Make sure you follow both of us on X/Twitter to see if we make any additional adds to the betting card. Hopefully we get some fun racing and cash some tickets in the process. Enjoy this weeks race at Chicagoland.

Once again, Shane van Gisbergen reminded everyone of his road course dominance. A week after an early wreck end his day at Naval Base Coronado the Kiwi won both Saturday’s O’Reilly and Sunday’s Cup race. In Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350, he led 74 of the 110 laps. This came despite being incredibly frustrated with his car throughout the weekend.

SVG leaves Sonoma in The Chase after his win, even though he gave up Stage 1 and Stage 2 points. He will have some work to do on the ovals if he wants to remain there. It still isn’t especially likely, but being in The Chase at this point of the season with only two road-course wins shows just how much progress he has made across the board.

Gaining Ground

Joe Gibbs Racing

Joe Gibbs Racing was the standout of Sonoma beyond Shane van Gisbergen. All four of its cars showed tremendous speed including Ty Gibbs who qualified on the pole. Despite staying out to win both Stage 1 and Stage 2 the 54 was able to come home 3rd on Sunday.

Chase Briscoe was nearly perfect, but that was not good enough as he finished second to SVG. A late mistake cost him his best chance to pass the No. 97 and potentially win the race. The No. 19 made it harder on the Kiwi than anyone else has at a road course this year.

Christopher Bell may have been the best Toyota on Sunday. He reminded everyone how strong he can be after an underwhelming day in San Diego, where he got out of the car to avoid further aggravating his injured wrist. Bell finished in the top five despite staying out for stage points at the end of both stages. If not for an issue on pit road, he may have been the car chasing down SVG late.

Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin came away from Sonoma a winner despite suffering a spin that buried him deep in the field. The spin was the result of contact with Mr. Classic Collision, Carson Hocevar. Based on Brad Keselowski’s in-car camera, it looks like the incident may have started with the No. 6, but I’ll let the Twitter sleuths figure that one out.

Ultimately, it was a 26th-place finish for Hamlin, who spent a good portion of the day inside the top 10. The result, however, was good enough to vault the No. 11 team into the lead of the season-long standings, thanks in large part to Tyler Reddick having issues with his car. The No. 45 was still able to snag the fastest lap of the race despite being 4 laps down to earn one playoff point. The No. 11 heads to Chicago with a one-point lead over the No. 45.

Hamlin was also able to finish in front of Ty Dillon to advance in the In-Season Challenge. Dillon was leading late in the race, but as the two cars started getting closer on track, Dillon lost power steering and nursed his car home to a 35th-place finish. Dillon was able to snag a win here last year in Round 1.

Obviously, Hamlin would have preferred the top-10 finish he deserved affording him a larger gap over Reddick, but it’s hard to be too upset leaving Sonoma with the points lead.

A Lap Down

Chris Buescher

Someone needs to get Chris Buescher on the side of a milk carton because he was a complete non-factor in Sonoma. The No. 17 team lacked speed all day, spending most of the race running in the 20s and 30s. Somehow, Buescher managed to steal a top-20 finish and avoid total embarrassment.

Buescher recorded his worst Sonoma finish of the 2026 season, due in large part to a late-race restart that sent him from Row 2 back into the mid-pack of the field. He ultimately finished 16th in that race. Prior to that, Buescher had posted three consecutive top-four finishes at Sonoma.

The craziest part of the result was that RFK Racing, as a whole, showed speed. Ryan Preece consistently ran inside the top 10, while Brad Keselowski showed plenty of pace and ultimately finished 15th after starting 35th.

For more Sonoma thoughts check out this weeks Instant Reaction. We are going to recap each race on the YouTube feed following each race. This week we talked in the car leaving Sonoma Raceway. Check it out below!

Eero 400 at Chicagoland Preview

The Cup Series returns to Chicagoland for the first time since 2019 on Sunday, where drivers will try to figure out how to tackle the track. There has been testing leading up to this week’s race, with Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson, Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones all taking part.

We’ll get a 50-minute practice session on Friday that should hopefully shed some light on who could be strong on Sunday. There may be opportunities to find stale numbers after practice and before qualifying, assuming sportsbooks post odds. Be ready to fire.

Brian was able to ask several drivers about their expectations for Chicagoland during the media bullpen at Sonoma. His tweet below includes a thread with all of their answers.

Clearly, there will be plenty of optimism surrounding Denny Hamlin, who opened as the favorite across the board. The No. 11 has been lights out at 1.5-mile tracks this season with wins at Las Vegas and Michigan. Texas and Kansas are the other two comparable tracks we’ve visited this year, and Hamlin finished second and fourth, respectively.

Some books put out some terrible numbers this week. FanDuel is a great place to look if you want Hamlin exposure, as he was listed at +380 at the time of writing. I still don’t mind him at +325 or better.

If you’re looking for options a bit deeper down the board, here are some names to consider.

Chase Elliott – 14/1 (FanDuel)

The Chase Elliott experience has been different this year. The No. 9 has shown an ability to unload with speed, improve his car throughout the race and genuinely contend on ovals. He won at Texas, finished second at Las Vegas and was inside the top 10 at Kansas. His Michigan race was outstanding until it wasn’t. A 32nd-place finish doesn’t accurately reflect his average running position of 3.13.

Some books have the No. 9 listed inside 10/1 to win on Sunday. That’s a non-starter for me before practice, but anything in double digits is worth a look in my opinion.

Christopher Buescher – 25/1 (BetMGM)

Christopher Buescher is presenting value this week despite his underwhelming run at Sonoma. He has finished in the top 10 at Las Vegas, Kansas, Texas and Michigan in 2026.

The No. 17 will likely be featured on my card for Top Ford, Top 10 and potentially other markets as they open. I really need 25/1 or better to add him outright. He isn’t at the level of Hamlin, Reddick or even Kyle Larson at this point, but he’s much closer than his number suggests. If you can still find a 30/1 floating around from some of the early openers, I like that a lot.

CLV Casino

These guys might not win, but I expect their numbers to get shorter by race day.

Erik Jones – 60/1 (FanDuel)

That Jones Boy lit up when talking about Chicagoland. Despite not loving road courses, LEGACY Motor Club has been showing real speed on ovals, highlighted by his second-place finish at Michigan. He also finished sixth at Pocono and ended up just outside the top 10 at Charlotte and Nashville. There should be real expectations this week if Legacy and Jones are truly in a different gear.

Alex Bowman – 80/1 (BetMGM)

Alex Bowman is likely a better target in placement and matchup markets this week, but the No. 48 is the defending Chicagoland winner. His 2026 season has been incredibly frustrating, but Bowman did show speed finishing third at Texas. He should also have a decent qualifying spot after finishing 10th at Sonoma.

This post-race newsletter is a new feature for 2026. We are looking for any and all feedback to continue to improve it. Is this helpful to you? Are there other features or information you would like to see included? Let us know on X or via email.

For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out our weekly episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

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Hello NASCAR fans! Kyle and Brian are in to get you set for the Toyota/Save Mart 350. This week NASCAR takes on a road course through wine country. Consider subscribing to this newsletter if you have yet to do so. Also give Brian and Kyle a follow for more NASCAR betting and DFS thoughts in 2026!

Feel free to fade or follow any or all of the following plays or picks. For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out this weeks episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

DraftKings Values

Kyle’s Targets

William Byron | $8,400 | Starting 13th

William Byron was one of the stand outs from Saturdays on track action. You can argue he was the best car in practice despite being in Group 1. Had Byron been able to qualify in the Group 2, it is fair to assume he would be starting much closer to the front on Sunday.

The 24 team has been all over the board with an 8th place finish being his best finish at the track. After Michigan and Pocono it appeared that Hendrick Motorsport was finding its footing. Naval Base Coronado was a struggle for the majority of HMS with Bowman, Elliott and Byron spending most of the day in the running outside the Top 20.

Look for Byron to provide some leverage on the field this week.

Christopher Bell | $7,700 | Starting 14th

Christopher Bell had a very interesting Saturday. He showed some speed in practice and was one of the strongest cars in Group 1. Unfortunately for CBell, the track found more grip after the first qualifying session, allowing other cars to leap him in the starting order. But at $7,700 and the 14th starting position, the 20 presents a very compelling target.

Talking to CBell in the media center at Sonoma Raceway, Bell made it clear that it was not his choice to get out of the car in San Diego. The 20 Team made the decision that they felt was best for Bell and the rest of the 2026 season. In fact, had San Diego and Sonoma been flip-flopped, Bell believes he would have stayed in the car. The confidence in his health even with the expectation that he wears a brace next week has me gaining confidence in his potential.

At Sonoma, Bell has been relatively strong but given his road course abilities you would think he could be stronger. In the Next-Gen Era, Bell has one Top 5 and Three Top 10s. In two of his last three starts at Sonoma, the average running position for the 20 is just outside the Top 5.

After last week and with the cast still very visible I expect the field to be nervous to look his way this week. This presents a very compelling opportunity especially with the speed JGR showed as a whole during practice.

Cole Custer | $5,300 | Starting 27th

After a frustrating San Diego, Cole Custer once again makes for a compelling target this week at Sonoma. He trailed only the 24, 97 and 88 on the Win the Race practice report. Leaning on a one car team that might not be long for the Cup Series is a tough ask but it has the potential to pay off.

Building lineups this week, especially if you want to use SVG at his eye popping $14,000 price tag will require finding some bargain bin options. Custer absolutely fits that bill.

In two Cup Series starts at Sonoma Custer has finished 21st and 23rd. He finished Top 10 in his one O’Reilly start in Wine Country. Look for Custer to improve on his Cup finishes and reward those that use him this week.

Brian’s Targets

S-V-G | $14,000 | Starting 6th

Copy-paste: Barring ridiculousness, he’s destroying these guys. Shane was on the cusp of dusting the field last weekend in San Diego before his second run-in with “spud” Austin Hill, leaving him rather “Filthy” (pissed) ahead of the trip to Sonoma. All he’s done since, is qualify on pole and win the O’Reilly’s Series race. That was after being, without a doubt, the best car in practice for Cup, then qualifying 6th after getting loose on a lap that would have held up for the pole despite running in group 1.

Ahead of Saturday’s Cup Series action, Shane did say they want “Maximize our points achieved on Sunday”, leading to some concern he may not be flipping stages, which theoretically moves him off the optimal race winning strategy. However, and he may be the only driver in the garage this applies to, flipping or not flipping, likely has zero affect on his ability to win the race. As we’ve seen, including here last season, SVG is more than capable of “flipping” a stage and still winning said stage. While also maintaining the preferred strategy for winning. Needless to say, van Gisbergen is extra motivated to solidify his status as the sports’ dominant force on road courses.

Chris Buescher | $8,700 | Starting 15th

There’s a little ptsd that comes with this selection, after both Kyle and I were HEAVILY invested in the 17 last season, but track history and his overall road course prowess are enough to try our luck again. Prior to last season’s “poor” 16th place finish, Chris hadn’t finished worse than 4th in Wine Country, and that includes a mostly strategy based result of 3rd after starting 26th in 2024.

He wasn’t the fastest in practice; wasn’t the fastest in qualifying; But he did exhibit the best longrun pace among the Fords and SHOULD be around the front near the end. That is of course, if the 17-team doesn’t decide to prioritize points early, which, as you can see below, is a real conundrum for him, and everyone playing DFS/betting the race.

Brad Keselowski | $6,000 | Starting 35th

Whoa whoa whoa… Brad K, on a road course, after looking like he did on Saturday? Nothing screams HELL YEAH like this. Brad has been solid here in Sonoma, finishing 16th or better in all four Next Gen era races, despite starting no better than 21st. More reason to like Brad’s sleeper potential is how dramatic tire wear is going to be, a skill that vets like Keselowski hold a decided advantage over the field. The tire situation could and should open up unique, hail mary type strategies, that could turn the running order, behind SVG of course, on it’s head, with guys like Brad, being the beneficiaries.

Sonoma GPP Lineups

Sonoma Cash Targets

Cash this week features Shane van Gisbergen plus two-ish of your favorites from the Byron, Blaney, Bell, Elliott and Buescher range. You can squeeze more if you are open to more scrubs from the Ty Dillon, Austin Dillon, Cole Custer group.

Favorite Sonoma Bet

Kyle’s Play

Christopher Bell T-10 +200 (FanDuel) 1U

In the early hours of Sunday morning sport books were offering very little. That being said, I am buying what Christopher Bell is selling. He is healthy enough to stay in the car and have a solid finish.

While Bell has never been incredible at Sonoma, he has converted three of four times in the Next Gen era. The number being posted is more in line with Brent Crews getting in the car and the shenanigans of San Diego. I will take the candy and look to avoid the dentist in the process.

Brian’s Play

McDowell & Buescher Placements

As of writing, at 12:15 AM PT, only two books have markets other than outrights open. For the most part, those odds are blah, and with many other shops yet to open, it’s hard to fire on anything. That said, Buescher T10 +125 (FanDuel) feels like a strong play considering his track history and Saturday’s on-track activity.

For McDowell, I expect him to be his usual road course self, battling near the front, always trying to find a way to the lead and maximize his finish, not stage results. So shopping T5’s is what I’ll be doing in the morning before we go green.

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Good luck on all your Toyota/Savemart 350 bets and may your DFS Lineups cash! As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-Gambler.

Both Brian and Kyle are always on the hunt for opportunities. Make sure you follow both of us on X/Twitter to see if we make any additional adds to the betting card. Hopefully we get some fun racing and cash some tickets in the process. Enjoy this weeks race at Sonoma Raceway

Double-check your watch because Heim Time is upon us.

After securing a full-time ride with 23XI Racing for 2027, Corey Heim was finally able to secure his first Cup Series win. This victory was no fluke. Sure, not having Shane van Gisbergen to battle certainly helped, but the No. 67 was a legitimate factor all day. Heim was also able to race—and ultimately pass—Tyler Reddick, arguably the second-best road-course racer in the series and a driver who has dominated headlines for much of the season.

Clearly, it will take time for Heim to become someone who performs at this level week in and week out, but talent was never the question. What if Heim is simply the driver everyone thought Connor Zilisch was going to be?

I will be curious to see how sportsbooks value Heim going forward, especially on road courses. He is not in the field this week at Sonoma, with only the 36 chartered teams showing up. That is probably a good thing for bettors, as books likely would have overcorrected to the point where the No. 67 was unbettable in most markets.

Biggest Takeaways

Shane van Gisbergen

People can spin whatever narrative they want post-race, but anything implying that fading Shane van Gisbergen was the right call is simply wrong. Sure, SVG did not win at Naval Base Coronado. But betting him—especially before practice—was absolutely the correct move. He moved to -300 or shorter at most books after opening around -150, providing that sweet, sweet CLV.

In NASCAR, dumb things can happen to wheels, rotors, or entire cars. Making sweeping declarations based on a single result is not a sound long-term strategy.

Zane Smith

Front Row Motorsports showed up with legitimate speed on Sunday, with both Zane Smith and Todd Gilliland qualifying inside the Top 5. While both cars endured roller-coaster days that easily could have resulted in mid-pack finishes, the No. 38 scratched and clawed its way to a Top-5 result, cashing the Top Ford bet at an impressive number.

Sonoma Preview

Let’s try this one more time: Happy Shane van Gisbergen Week to all who celebrate.

After falling victim to Austin Hill’s mistake in San Diego—resulting in his first DNF on a road or street course since Chicago in 2024—Shane will once again enter as an astronomical favorite in Wine Country.

Immediately before the caution that led to the restart wreck, van Gisbergen had finally put the hammer down, turning a lap more than two seconds faster than the leader, Connor Zilisch. The No. 97 was well on its way to demoralizing the field in San Diego. Instead, he left Southern California feeling “filthy,” New Zealand slang for extremely angry.

Bettors will once again debate will be whether to back SVGeesus or not. BetRivers listed him at -150 while Caesars opened at -145 late Monday night. Those numbers feel very playable, especially with expectations that they could plummet to -300 or shorter once again. One offshore book opened him at -250, which is a non-starter.

Clearly, the No. 97 should be the rabbit this week. Barring significant chaos, it is difficult to envision anyone seriously challenging him. Watch out, Cup Series. This angry Kiwi will look to tread on the competition like grapes.

If you are looking for names to add to your card, I have a few that caught my eye at open. For me, these are primarily placement, matchup, and derivative-market targets, but feel free to dabble elsewhere if you see fit. All odds courtesy Caesars.

Christopher Buescher (20/1)

Buescher has been stellar in Wine Country. Outside of his 2025 finish—which was not indicative of how he ran all day—the No. 17 has recorded finishes of third, fourth, and second.

Buescher was very much a contender in 2025 and was almost certainly headed for a Top-10 finish before a late-race restart knocked him out of line and sent him tumbling down the order.

Michael McDowell (16/1)

McDriver is a road-course maven who has finished seventh or better at Sonoma in each of the last four races.

Spire Motorsports has brought legitimate speed all season, and this week should be no exception. While not all road courses are created equal, McDowell owns a fifth-place finish at COTA, a runner-up finish at Watkins Glen, and a Top 10 in San Diego during the 2026 season.

That résumé, combined with a track where he has consistently excelled across multiple organizations, feels like a recipe for another productive day.

Chase Elliott (28/1)

My head nearly exploded when I saw the number being offered on the No. 9 this week.

Chase Elliott has been outstanding at Sonoma, recording four consecutive Top-10 finishes, including three straight Top-5s. His 2022 result was not indicative of a driver who led 26 laps and spent more than 40% of the race running inside the Top 3.

Elliott has arguably been Hendrick Motorsports’ best driver this season, consistently showing the ability to elevate his car to race-winning speed. He is also savvy enough to maximize points on days when he lacks the fastest car, which is why he remains near the top of the regular-season standings.

Look for the No. 9 to contend for a Top-5 finish throughout the day.

Are you fading SVG as NASCAR heads to wine country? If so, with whom?

This post-race newsletter is a new feature for 2026. We are looking for any and all feedback to continue to improve it. Is this helpful to you? Are there other features or information you would like to see included? Let us know on X or via email.

For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out our weekly episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

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Hello NASCAR fans! Kyle and Brian are in to get you set for the Anduril 250. This week NASCAR takes on its toughest road course test as heads to Naval Base Coronado. Consider subscribing to this newsletter if you have yet to do so. Also give Brian and Kyle a follow for more NASCAR betting and DFS thoughts in 2026!

Feel free to fade or follow any or all of the following plays or picks. For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out this weeks episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

DraftKings Values

Kyle’s Targets

Shane Van Gisbergen | $13,000 | Starting 1st

Just bite the bullet and play Shane Van Gisbergen this week. Sure dumb stuff can happen especially when you start next to Carson Hocevar but with a vast majority of outcomes the Kiwi is going to lead the vast majority of the laps, be the clear favorite and win this race by 10 plus seconds. In fact, his already absurd prices at open got shorter with most books posting -300 or worse at time of recording.

SVG obviously dominates road courses but his prowess on street courses are just as impressive. He won two of the three Chicago Street Races with his only non win coming in a Kaulig ride that crashed thanks to torrential rain storms. In that race he ran 83% of the Top 3 before his crash.

If you are only building a handful of lineups and want to fade him across the board for a unique spin I don’t hate that play. Ultimately it is what you win when you win but that won’t be me. He is simply too strong at tracks with right turns to fade.

Ty Gibbs | $9,700 | Starting 11th

The Ty Gibbs click feels like a strong one despite an underwhelming practice on Friday and qualifying effort on Sunday. He will be starting 11th on Sunday at $9,700.

On street courses specifically Gibbs has been very good. He finished 2nd in 2025 and 3rd in 2024 at Chicago Street. His first trip around Chicago Street in 2023 saw Gibbs run T-10 all day, ultimately finishing 9th. Last year, at Mexico City, Gibbs was a real contender keeping pace with SVG but a late race caution as Gibbs was on pit road did enough damage for the 54 car to finish 11th.

Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing did not show up like they typically do ahead of a road course race but I do expect them to find speed and improve on early results. I still think Gibbs is a top three to five finisher and that should suffice at this price tag.

Cole Custer | $4,800 | Starting 25th

While Cole Custer likely won’t be the reason you win tournaments, the potential of a driver starting 25th at $4,800 is extremely compelling. This is especially true if you want to start with Shane Van Gisbergen whose $13,000 price tag will take some finagling to get into lineups.

Last year at Mexico City, Custer ran a strong race where he finished 8th and spent 57% of the race inside the Top 10. This result came after starting 26th. His run at the Chicago Street Course in 2025 was frustrating as his day came to an early end. He did win a rain shortened 2023 Xfinity Series Race at Chicago.

Typically this price-tag is reserved for drivers that are total non-factors who go laps down early. As low as Custer is on the pecking order and the real potential for Haas to not have a cup team in 2027, this price tag is simply too tough to pass on.

Brian’s Targets

S-V-G | $13,000 | Starting 1st

Barring ridiculousness, he’s destroying these guys.

Kyle Larson | $8,900 | Starting 14th

HMS didn’t exactly show up with blazing speed, but of the group, Larson was by far the best. He posted the fastest car in practice, then outpaced his teammates in qualifying by over 6 tenths of a second. I won’t begin to try and analyze this race, so this is more of gut feeling.

Austin Hill | $6,000 | Starting 10th

Yup, I’m buying in. Hill looked fantastic in practice, posting a top 10 single lap time, and also boasted the 2nd best 5-lap average. Then went out on Saturday, qualified inside the Top 5, sustained damage, and still won the O’Reilly’s race, AFTER qualifying 10th for Sunday’s Cup event. Hill also believes that his Cup experience and performance at the 2025 Chicago Street Race, not only gave him confidence in this car, but a good measuring point for this type of racing. Through it all, this team is running with confidence, and it looks like we can expect more of the same on Sunday.

San Diego GPP Lineups

San Diego Cash Targets

Cash is a tough nut to crack this week at San Diego. While SVG is the name you need his price tag along with the question marks around Christopher Bell, William Byron, Chase Elliott and more make it difficult to complete lineups.

Favorite San Diego Bet

Kyle’s Play

Kevin Magnussen +300 (The Score) 1U

The odds board is a disaster this week with SVG is beyond unbettable at this point. In theory it should open up some value in placement markets, matchups and the like but that is not the case.

That being said, I do like to try and find something to give out in this post. I don’t have massive confidence in this wager and need at least 3/1 to fire but KMags was someone I wanted to grab this week but the books quickly shrank his numbers. However at reopen The Score provided a compelling number that I will grab. Look for Project 91 to cash for bettors this week.

Brian’s Play

Corey Heim Top 10 +250 (ScoreBet) 1u to win 2.5u

We’re already living in Heim time, and his practice and qualifying efforts proved it. The soon to be full-time Cup Series driver for 23XI, closed his Craftsman Truck Series career with 4 consecutive road course wins, and has been fast everywhere in Cup this year. He was a top 5 car in practice, qualified just outside the top 10 despite running in group 1, and racing for a win, not points. Heim Time is now!

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Good luck on all your Anduril 250 bets and may your DFS Lineups cash! As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-Gambler.

Both Brian and Kyle are always on the hunt for opportunities. Make sure you follow both of us on X/Twitter to see if we make any additional adds to the betting card. Hopefully we get some fun racing and cash some tickets in the process. Enjoy this weeks race at Naval Base Coronado!

The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono absolutely delivered on Sunday if you’re a fan of alternate strategies, passing, and multiple drivers having a legitimate shot at victory. Before we talk about the race itself, I want to commend NASCAR for reacting to the incoming weather by moving the race up two hours. It allowed the drivers to decide the winner after the full 400 miles.

Ultimately, it was Denny Hamlin who once again found Victory Lane on Sunday for the third straight week. Expectations coming into the week pointed to the No. 11 team being the best on Sunday. Sportsbooks had him priced at 3/1 or shorter before we saw cars on track, and he backed up that optimism with an impressive Saturday performance, including winning the pole. As racing analyst Chris Werme always says, Denny Hamlin cashes tickets

Despite what seemed like a massive advantage in the battle for the regular-season crown, Hamlin has made significant strides in closing the gap to Tyler Reddick. Certainly, a wreck at Michigan hurt after the No. 45 looked very strong and was the favorite on race day. Reddick also failed to score many stage points, as strategy required flipping stages and getting off cycle to ensure a potential shot at Victory Lane. The No. 45 has a chance to open the gap over the next two weeks, but beating SVG for maximum-points days seems unlikely.

Biggest Takeaways

William Byron

Based on the preseason optimism surrounding Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 24 team, a third-place finish in a midseason race shouldn’t be considered an impressive feat. However, a rough start to the year for Byron and HMS has given fans and bettors alike little reason for optimism.

The car Byron had on Sunday was visibly different. It had the ability to pass other cars, showed real speed, and was able to finish third. It was only the second time Byron has finished in the top three all season. It was also his fourth top-10 finish in his last nine starts.

After the two road courses, NASCAR heads to Chicagoland, Atlanta, and Indianapolis. Byron will be someone to monitor at these tracks, especially if his outright odds continue to remain in the double digits.

Legacy Motor Club

Both John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones have been impressive over the past couple of weeks. On Sunday, both drivers finished in the top six, with JHN finishing 4th after leading a race-high 42 laps. Both drivers showed speed at Charlotte, Nashville, and Michigan coming into the week. Jones built on that momentum from a second-place finish at Michigan.

While I won’t be adding either driver to my outright card anytime soon, I will be keeping a close eye on their placement odds and potential matchup opportunities.

San Diego Preview

Happy Shane van Gisbergen week to all who celebrate.

He opened at -140 or longer at the vast majority of sportsbooks. And if we’re being honest, his odds should probably be even shorter. If you want to argue against SVG at COTA, The Glen, or Sonoma, I won’t join you, but I’m happy to listen to the argument.

This week, however, NASCAR will race on a true street course that nobody has raced on before. That makes the Kiwi’s already sizable advantage even larger. Want to fade SVG? In theory, the other contenders should be priced longer, but anyone remotely compelling is simply too short. Beyond the true contenders, the juice simply isn’t worth the squeeze.

This week, you should either find parlay partners for SVG to make his number more interesting or focus on other markets while he dog-walks the field. Names like Ty Gibbs, Michael McDowell, and Kevin Magnussen are drivers I’ll be looking at for value this week.

Are you fading SVG as NASCAR heads to San Diego? If so, with whom?

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For a more extensive breakdown of the bets and DraftKings picks, check out our weekly episodes on YouTube! If you have questions or want to chat NASCAR, hit us up on Twitter, comment on YouTube, or on this article.

As a reminder, only bet what you can afford to lose. If you think you may have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gambler.

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