DFS NASCAR Xfinity: Super Start Batteries 188

DFS NASCAR Xfinity: Super Start Batteries 188

This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.

Super Start Batteries 188

Location: Daytona, Fla.
Course: Daytona International Speedway Road Course
Format: 3.61-mile road course
Laps: 52

Race Preview

Austin Cindric got his title defense off to a perfect start last week at Daytona International Speedway, winning the first race of the season. Rain cancelled qualifying for that race, which meant Cindric also started from pole. He returns to Daytona this weekend, except on the road course. He was only the second driver in series history to win the championship and the next season's opening race. Successfully defending his Daytona win on the road course this weekend would make him the first driver in series history to win the preceding season's championship and the first two races of the following season. He started on pole at this track last year and finished a whopping seven seconds clear of runner-up finisher Brandon Jones. He will start second in this year's race alongside Brett Moffitt, who will start on pole.

Key Stats at Daytona Road Course

  • Number of races: 1
  • Winners from pole: 1
  • Winners from top-5 starters: 1
  • Winners from top-10 starters: 1
  • Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
  • Fastest race: 81.894 mph

Previous 10 Road Course Winners

2020 Daytona Road Course - Austin Cindric
2020 Road America - Austin Cindric
2020 Indianapolis Road Course - Chase Briscoe
2019 Charlotte Road Course - AJ Allmendinger
2019 Road America - Christopher Bell
2019 Mid-Ohio - Austin Cindric
2019 Watkins Glen - Austin Cindric
2018 Charlotte Road Course - Chase Briscoe
2018 Road America - Justin Allgaier
2018 Mid-Ohio - Justin Allgaier

This week's Super Start Batteries 188 will be the second visit to the track for the Xfinity Series. The series ran on four road courses last season and will race on seven this year. Cindric's win at this track last season was the first of back-to-back road course victories here and Road America. As has become custom for Xfinity Series visits to road courses, specialist drivers come out to try their hand. In addition to AJ Allmendinger, Andy Lally, Preston Pardus, Miguel Paludo and Jade Buford are all hoping their skills on tracks that turn both left and right will bring them success this weekend. Daytona's long straights and tight chicanes will give them plenty of opportunities to make passes and move through the field on Saturday. Last year's race featured seven lead changes, but it was Cindric and Chase Briscoe who led the lion's share of the race's 52 laps.

DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)

DraftKings Tier 1 Values  

AJ Allmendinger - $10,900
Austin Cindric - $10,700
Justin Allgaier - $10,500
Justin Haley - $10,000

DraftKings Tier 2 Values  

Daniel Hemric - $9,700
Andy Lally - $9,400
Harrison Burton - $9,200
Brandon Jones - $9,000

DraftKings Tier 3 Values

Alex Labbe - $8,800
Jade Buford - $8,500
Miguel Paludo - $8,200
Riley Herbst - $8,100

DraftKings Long-Shot Values

Ryan Sieg - $7,900
Preston Pardus - $7,600
Brett Moffitt - $6,300
Jesse Little - $5,800

MY PICKS THIS WEEK

Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)

Austin Cindric - $10,700
Brandon Jones - $9,000
Jade Buford - $8,500
Myatt Snider - $7,800
Brandon Brown - $7,500
Brett Moffitt - $6,300

Austin Cindric has plenty of momentum heading into this weekend. He dominated this race last season and is one of the best road course racers in the series. His front-row start gives him an extra advantage as well. At the opposite end of the starting grid is Brandon Jones, who starts 39th. He finished second to Cindric last season after starting 10th. Fantasy players can expect him to move through the field quickly to capture finish differential points. Road course specialist Jade Buford will make his fifth series start this weekend. His four previous starts were all on road courses, and his best finish came on Charlotte's ROVAL when he finished eighth. Myatt Snider was the 10th-place finisher in this race last season. He started 27th in that race and has a much better starting spot of eighth this time. Brett Moffitt is the pole sitter for Saturday's race, and finished second in the Truck Series race on this track last season.

Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)

AJ Allmendinger - $10,900
Andy Lally - $9,400
Miguel Paludo - $8,200
Riley Herbst - $8,100
Preston Pardus - $7,600
Jesse Little - $5,800

Road course specialist AJ Allmendinger leveraged his success last season to land a full-time drive with Kaulig Racing in 2021. His fourth-place finish on this track last season was one of those performances, and with seven road courses on the calendar this year, he could be a championship contender. Andy Lally is another road course specialist who had success at this track last season. He finished fifth here in 2020 as well as at Elkhart Lake. He is a road course ringer who fantasy players should feel confident in relying on this week. Miguel Paludo will make his first return to the Xfinity Series since 2012. He last raced at Elkhart Lake and Watkins Glen. He led four laps in each of those races and will start three road course races for JR Motorsports this season. Riley Herbst started 15th and finished seventh on this track last year. He is a series regular who has consistent top-15 finishes on these types of tracks. Preston Pardus crashed out of this race last year, but he picked up two top-10 finishes in his four road course starts in the series last season. He will roll off 23rd on Saturday and could score fantasy players extra points for a positive finish differential. The final selection for this weekend's race is Jesse Little. He started 24th and finished 18th in this race last season and will start 13th this time. 

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. C.J. Radune plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: DraftKings: cjradune, RaceDayScore: cjradune.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
C.J. Radune
Radune covers NASCAR, Formula 1 and soccer for RotoWire. He was named the Racing Writer of the Year by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association in 2012 and 2015.
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