This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
QuikTrip Folds of Honor 500
Location: Hampton, GA
Course: Atlanta Motor Speedway
Format: 1.5-mile quad-oval
Laps: 325
Race Preview
Some argue that the Sprint Cup season doesn't truly begin until after the Daytona 500. The reason behind that perception is that Daytona International Speedway is a unique track and success there doesn't necessarily translate to success on the rest of the schedule. This week we have a bread-and-butter 1.5-mile oval at Atlanta Motor Speedway. These types of tracks make up the majority of the schedule, and this week we'll get more of an indication of who has done their homework through winter and who has fallen behind. The track requires horsepower and handling, and provides multiple grooves in the turns. Teams will try to set up chassis neutral at first, and then dial in some loose characteristics to help the cars turn. Corner speed is imperative, and maintaining momentum on turn exit will set up passes at the end of each straight.
Key Stats at Atlanta Motor Speedway
• Number of previous races: 108
• Winners from pole: 14
• Winners from top-5 starters: 60
• Winners from top-10 starters: 85
• Winners from 21st or lower starters: 8
• Fastest race: 166.633 mph
Last 10 Atlanta Winners
2015 spring - Jimmie Johnson
2014 fall - Kasey Kahne
2013 fall - Kyle Busch
2012 fall - Denny Hamlin
2011 fall - Jeff Gordon
2010 fall - Tony Stewart
2010 spring - Kurt Busch
2009 fall - Kasey Kahne
2009 spring - Kurt Busch
2008 fall - Carl Edwards
Qualifying in Atlanta will be much more important than it was last week. Teams that set high lap speeds early in the weekend tend to have a better chance at performing well in the race on Sunday. This fast Georgia oval often enables quick cars to jump into the lead and drive away from the rest of the field. It will be important to maintain track position and be mistake-free on pit road to set up a fighting chance for a win at the finish. The power that Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports demonstrated in Daytona could be an omen to the rest of the field at this super-fast circuit.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Kevin Harvick - $10,500
Joey Logano - $10,400
Matt Kenseth - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Denny Hamlin - $9,700
Carl Edwards - $9,600
Kurt Busch - $9,200
Martin Truex Jr. - $9,100
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Dale Earnhardt Jr. - $8,800
Kyle Larson - $8,300
Jamie McMurray - $7,400
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Clint Bowyer - $7,000
Ryan Newman - $6,900
Austin Dillon - $6,700
Greg Biffle - $6,300
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Kevin Harvick - $10,500
Joey Logano - $10,400
Matt Kenseth - $10,000
Ryan Newman - $6,900
Paul Menard - $6,400
Regan Smith - $5,500
With two top-fives and four top-10s from his last five trips to Atlanta, Harvick is a standout among fantasy options this week. The team is consistently fast on 1.5-mile ovals, and that isn't expected to change in 2016. Penske Racing's Logano scored two top-five Atlanta finishes in the last three races. Kenseth will be itching to recover from a late miss of last week's victory, and he boasts an impressive driver rating of 97.9 and average finish of 8.6 in his last 17 Atlanta races. Seven Atlanta pole positions in his career and no finish worse than 10th in his last three visits make Newman a good choice this week as well. Lastly, Menard has developed into a consistent top-15 runner at this track, while Smith offers one of the better values among drivers in Atlanta due to his consistent ability to finish better than he qualifies. Smith has an average finish of 23.3 from an average starting position of 32.7 at the track.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Jimmie Johnson - $10,200
Carl Edwards - $9,600
Kurt Busch - $9,200
Dale Earnhardt Jr. - $8,800
Greg Biffle - $6,300
Ty Dillon - $5,600
This week's higher-risk lineup is headed by Jimmie Johnson. It's tough to win at a track in back-to-back seasons, but Johnson certainly has the pedigree to accomplish the feat after winning for the fourth time in 2015. Edwards has three Atlanta wins, and his 12th-place finish last year was only his second race with Joe Gibbs Racing. Kurt Busch is another three-time Atlanta winner, and hasn't finished lower than 13th there since 2009. Earnhardt is the only one with an Atlanta driver rating above 90 to be priced less than $9,000, which seems like a steal. A new nose and an improved Roush Fenway Racing team structure could bring exciting things for Biffle, who struggled here last year but is a regular top-15 driver at the track. Lastly, Ty Dillon takes over the strong No. 14 car this weekend at a track where he finished 25th late in 2014. This could be the week we see Dillon announce his candidacy for a superstar of NASCAR's future.
