This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
CROWN ROYAL 400 AT THE BRICKYARD
Location: Speedway, Ind.
Course: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Format: 2.5-mile quad oval
Laps: 160
Race Preview
NASCAR Sprint Cup heads to one of the marquee events of the season this week at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The track has grown a reputation for producing less than exciting races due to corner low banking and single-lane racing. That reputation may be in for a shakeup this week due to NASCAR's new rules package. The lower-downforce rules created more passing in Kentucky and could do the same at the Brickyard. The draft has always been important at the speedway, but could be an even larger factor if cars are able to run side by side. However, we learned in Kentucky that tire preservation could be the deciding factor with the current package.
Key Stats at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• Races: 21
• Winners from pole: 3
• Winners from top-5 starters: 11
• Winners from top-10 starters: 13
• Winners from 21st or lower starters: 3
• Fastest race: 155.912 mph
Last 10 Indianapolis Winners:
2014 – Jeff Gordon
2013 – Ryan Newman
2012 – Jimmie Johnson
2011 – Paul Menard
2010 – Jamie McMurray
2009 – Jimmie Johnson
2008 – Jimmie Johnson
2007 – Tony Stewart
2006 – Jimmie Johnson
2005 – Tony Stewart
The difficulty in racing side by side at the Brickyard has tended to mean that drivers that start at the front of the field often drive away from the pack. The circuit's length enables teams to be a little more creative with pit strategy than at other tracks, though. If a driver is stuck in traffic the team may elect to pit early to get off sequence and gain track position as the rest of the field completes their fuel cycle. Track position with be extremely important for Sunday's race, but fresh tires may play a bigger role than in years past given the new aerodynamics. Teams and drivers will battle the heat on a slick track while working to save their equipment for a run at the end of the distance.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Jimmie Johnson - $12,400
Kyle Busch - $11,800
Brad Keselowski - $11,200
Jeff Gordon - $11,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Carl Edwards - $10,300
Denny Hamlin - $10,200
Kasey Kahne - $10,100
Jamie McMurray - $9,600
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Ryan Newman - $9,300
Paul Menard - $8,700
Austin Dillon - $8,400
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Ryan Blaney - $8,500
Chase Elliott - $8,300
A.J. Allmendinger - $7,900
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Cash Game Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Jimmie Johnson - $12,400
Denny Hamlin - $10,200
Kasey Kahne - $10,100
Paul Menard - $8,700
Austin Dillon - $8,400
In this lineup you have a four-time Brickyard winner in Johnson. Hendrick Motorsports hasn't had the domination it enjoyed earlier this season, but Johnson is always a force to contend at Indianapolis. With Joe Gibbs Racing's resurgence you also have Hamlin in the arsenal, and he finished third here last year. Kasey Kahne has one of the best Indianapolis driver ratings at 100.1, while Menard is also a former winner at the track. Lastly, Austin Dillon has been having better performances in recent weeks, and scored a top-10 at this track last season.
Higher-Risk Tournament Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Kyle Busch - $11,800
Brad Keselowski - $11,200
Kyle Larson - $10,000
Ryan Blaney - $8,500
Chase Elliott - $8,300
Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski have battled it out between themselves for the last two races, and hardly anyone else in the field has had the measure of either. Busch is the hottest driver on the circuit with three wins in the last four races and five top-10 finishes in his last five Indianapolis starts. Keselowski hasn't been the best at Indy, but has been one of the fastest cars on the grid the last two weeks. Kyle Larson made a huge impression at the speedway last season when he led five laps and finished seventh. The final two slots are taken by long-shot drivers who don't have a guaranteed spot in Sunday's race. Still, they are two of the most promising young drivers and should qualify well if weather doesn't wash the session out. Both Elliott and Blaney have proven raw speed and skill and should earn some points for the lineup.
