This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Bank of America ROVAL 400
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
Course: Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course
Format: 2.28-mile road course
Laps: 109
Race Preview
The final chance for drivers to advance to the field of eight remaining championship contenders is upon us with the Bank of America ROVAL 400. Ryan Blaney joined William Byron in that field with his win a week ago at Talladega, and six more will join them this Sunday. This weekend's race will be the first road course since Byron won at Watkins Glen, and it will be the first race at this track since Christopher Bell won last year's edition. The combination of Talladega and a road course to close out the this round of elimination races is one of the biggest unknowns this schedule presents, and not many teams or drivers will feel comfortable having their fates come down to this week's race. With Blaney and Byron both assured of advancing, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace, and Tyler Reddick all start below the cutline with work to do. They won't be the only ones feeling pressure, though. Only 15 points separate Kyle Larson in seventh from Tyler Reddick in ninth.
Key Stats at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course
- Number of races: 5
- Winners from pole: 0
- Winners from top-5 starters: 1
- Winners from top-10 starters: 4
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 86.661 mph
Previous ROVAL Winners
2022 - Christopher Bell
2021 - Kyle Larson
2020 - Chase Elliott
2019 - Chase Elliott
2018 - Ryan Blaney
Charlotte's ROVAL has produced some exciting races in its short time as part of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Ryan Blaney won the inaugural race after the leaders ahead of him tangled in the final turns, while Chase Elliott went back to back with wins in 2019 and 2020. The circuit itself is a 17-turn road course built inside the more traditional quad oval. What makes this circuit different is its elevation changes and blind corners. The configuation has produced close racing throughout the field in a unique venue that challenges drivers and offers true opportunities for passing. As with all road courses, track position remains paramount, though. Qualifying well and pit strategy will be key to a driver having a chance at victory. Working through the field by making passes on track is a much tougher affair that everyone will work hard to avoid. With the return of stage breaks, pit strategy could have a bigger effect this weekend than we previously saw at other road courses earlier this season.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Bank of America ROVAL 400 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Chase Elliott - $10,500
Kyle Larson - $10,300
William Byron - $10,200
Tyler Reddick - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Martin Truex Jr. - $9,800
Denny Hamlin - $9,600
Christopher Bell - $9,500
Michael McDowell - $9,100
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
AJ Allmendinger - $9,000
Chris Buescher - $8,800
Daniel Suarez - $8,500
Ross Chastain - $8,300
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Ty Gibbs - $8,000
Austin Cindric - $7,500
Chase Briscoe - $7,400
Justin Haley - $6,700
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Bank of America ROVAL 400
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Chase Elliott - $10,500
AJ Allmendinger - $9,000
Daniel Suarez - $8,500
Kevin Harvick - $7,800
Chase Briscoe - $7,400
Justin Haley - $6,700
Two-time ROVAL winner Chase Elliott (DK $10,500, FD $14,000) is approaching the same level of road course competitiveness with the new car as he had with the old. Things are finally starting to click for the once dominant competitor, and barring any mistakes like he suffered at Watkins Glen, Elliott could be on course for his first win of the 2023 season. Backing him up in this lineup is road course ace AJ Allmendinger (DK $9,000, FD $11,500). This driver is known for his success on these specific tracks, and with two top-10s from three ROVAL starts, he makes a great choice this week, too. Allmendinger also led 24 laps here in last year's race. Daniel Suarez (DK $8,500, FD $8,200) has also risen to his highest successes on road courses. He enters this race with back to back top-10 finishes in the last two races and he qualified third for last year's race.
Kevin Harvick's (DK $7,800, FD $7,000) disqualification last week at Talladega shouldn't affect his chances this week. The infraction appears to be a one-off issue that wouldn't impact a road course setup much anyway. With three top-10 finishes from five track starts, this could be a good opportunity to rebound quickly. Another driver on the rebound is Chase Briscoe (DK $7,400, FD $6,500). His midseason slump is behind him, and he has three top-15 finishes in the last five races. Briscoe finished ninth in this race last season. Justin Haley (DK $6,700, FD $5,800) captures the final roster spot after impressing at Chicago. He nearly won that tricky race, and that shows potential for this week's race, too.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Kyle Larson - $10,300
Chris Buescher - $8,800
Ross Chastain - $8,300
Ty Gibbs - $8,000
Austin Cindric - $7,500
Bubba Wallace - $7,000
Another road course ace to consider this week is Kyle Larson (DK $10,300, FD $12,500). He is a former winner at this track with a total of 60 laps led through his four starts. Assuming he doesn't get caught up in any trouble during the race, he should be a factor at the finish. Chris Buescher (DK $8,800, FD $9,000) will also be licking his chops at this week's opportunity. He is looking to advance in the playoffs and stands a very good chance of doing so. He finished 11th and seventh in the two most recent road course races and has two top-10s from his five starts at the ROVAL. Another driver looking to secure advancement in the playoffs this week is Ross Chastain (DK $8,300, FD $8,500). This track hasn't been the kindest to Chastain, but that is largely down to his aggression. He has crashed here in the past, but he could be in store for his first top-10 at the track this week. Fantasy players should remember that he started 10th and led three laps, picking up a stage win, in this race last season. Young drivers Ty Gibbs (DK $8,000, FD $8,000) and Austin Cindric ($7,500, FD $6,800) should also be on fantasy players' radars. Both were among the best road course racers in their Xfinity Series days, and have shown speed and promise in the Cup Series as well. Both have one series race under their belts at this track. Cindric qualified fifth for this race last season while Gibbs started 16th. Fantasy players should expect them both to be among the top-15 or even top-10 finishers this weekend. Lastly, Bubba Wallace (DK $7,000, FD $5,500) is working to continue his best-ever season by advancing even further in the playoffs. He performed an escape act last round, and fantasy players shouldn't be surprised if he did it again this time. He finished in the top 10 here last season, and if things go his way on Sunday, that might be enough to see him through to the next round.
