This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
QUAKER STATE 400
Location: Sparta, Ky.
Course: Kentucky Speedway
Format: 1.5-mile oval
Laps: 267
Race Preview
The NASCAR Sprint Cup will make its fifth visit to Kentucky Speedway this Saturday night in the Quaker State 400. Kentucky's oval is the flattest 1.5-mile oval on the schedule and can prove to be a challenge for both drivers and teams. Track position and tire strategy will be factors again, and most of the victories at the track have come as a result of keen strategy. Three of the four races have been one by a driver starting inside the top 10, with two coming from pole. To win, a team needs to be mistake free and stay on top of the changing characteristics of their car throughout the distance.
Key Stats at Kentucky Speedway
• Races: 4
• Winners from pole: 2
• Winners from top-5 starters: 2
• Winners from top-10 starters: 3
• Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
• Fastest race: 145.607 mph
Last Four Kentucky Winners
2014 - Brad Keselowski
2013 - Matt Kenseth
2012 - Brad Keselowski
2011 - Kyle Busch
Kentucky Speedway doesn't have a lot of past race data to analyze. Home to just four Sprint Cup races it is difficult to discern any unique trends. The track is flat, but fast. Tire strategy and track position have tended to be factors, but so have caution periods. Brad Keselowski is the only repeat winner at the track, but Penske Racing appears to have lost the momentum it had earlier this season. Jeff Gordon will also visit the track for the last time, meaning he has just one more opportunity to score a victory at the only active track he has yet to win on. Kentucky's fast and flat layout will favor drivers with grip and an easy chassis on tires.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Kevin Harvick - $13,900
Jimmie Johnson - $13,100
Brad Keselowski - $12,100
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Matt Kenseth - $11,300
Kyle Busch - $10,800
Jeff Gordon - $10,600
Kasey Kahne - $10,500
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Jamie McMurray - $9,500
Ryan Newman - $9,300
Paul Menard - $8,800
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Tony Stewart - $9,000
Austin Dillon - $8,500
Casey Mears - $7,500
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Cash Game Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Jimmie Johnson - $13,100
Kyle Busch - $10,800
Tony Stewart - $9,000
Paul Menard - $8,800
Casey Mears - $7,500
Despite not yet having a Kentucky win to his credit, Johnson enters this weekend's race with an average finish of 7.0 at Kentucky. Busch has won here, and has finished inside the top 10 in each of the four races at the track so far. His championship run could get a boost this weekend. Stewart is on his best run of finishes so far this season with consecutive top-15 performances, while Menard is fighting for his spot in the Chase. He has three top-15 finishes in the last five races. Mears has failed to finish inside the top 20 at Kentucky just once, meaning he should deliver a confident finish for rosters Saturday night.
Higher-Risk Tournament Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Brad Keselowski - $12,100
Jeff Gordon - $10,600
Denny Hamlin - $10,100
Ryan Newman - $9,300
Aric Almirola - $7,900
This week's high-risk lineup is labeled as such due to the struggles Keselowski and Penske Racing have been having in recent weeks. The Ford-powered cars seem behind the competition, but Keselowski has been hot in Kentucky. Gordon, with Hendrick horsepower, is seeking a farewell win with no better place to do it than Kentucky. Hamlin has crashed in each of the last two Kentucky races, but added another top-5 finish to his 2015 tally last week in Daytona. Newman may have rediscovered his consistency with consecutive top-10 finishes, which is good news for fantasy players. Finally, after last week's disappointing result Almirola should be packing in a top-15 finish this week.
