This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix
Location: Austin, Texas
Course: Circuit of the Americas
Format: 3.41-mile road course
Laps: 68
NASCAR EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix Race Preview
The first road course race of the season is on tap this weekend at the Circuit of the Americas. Tyler Reddick won the race last season and is still looking for his first win of 2024. Denny Hamlin won a week ago at Bristol to join the four other races winners so far this season with a spot in the provisional playoff field. This weekend's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix will be one where several drivers will be optimistic of their chances to win. The road course race require a completely different driving style, and circuit specialists will join the regular contenders as they hope to pull off the upset. One of those interlopers is Shane van Gisbergen, who won at Chicago last season in his first series start. His skills behind the week on course such as COTA is sure to be an exciting thing to watch. Other drivers more familiar to the Cup Series will also be taking their shot, but as the competition ramps up and more road courses populate the season schedules, the bar is rising for everyone. The next chance to land a spot in the 2024 playoff field is this Sunday in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas.
Key Stats at Circuit of the Americas
- Number of races: 3
- Winners from pole: 0
- Winners from top-5 starters: 1
- Winners from top-10 starters: 2
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 72.886 mph
Previous COTA Winners
2023 - Tyler Reddick
2022 - Ross Chastain
2021 - Chase Elliott
Circuit of the Americas features 20 turns modeled after some famous corners from tracks around the globe. Despite this weekend's race being only the fourth time the series has raced on it, the track's surface is showing signs of wear. Bumps in certain areas of the track, where the ground has settled, create a unique challenge for heavy braking into turns, and multiple attempts at repaving the track means tire management will also be a larger factor than a track with a more predictable and stable surface. That track's significant elevation changes and a mixture of slow and fast corners allow drivers to try passes almost anywhere, which makes for some great racing, though. Maximizing speed down the track's long straights and then braking later into the tight corners will be imperative if starting deeper in the pack. Track position and work on pit road remain vital components to success, too. Mistakes in the pits will be costly with the pain felt through loss of track position or drive-through penalties with the circuit's long pit road. COTA's long lap distance also opens the door for teams to try different pit strategies, which is enhanced by its challenging surface. Teams can pit off cycle without the risk of losing a lap to the leaders, and maximizing time on track with fresh tires can help them gain ground on the competition.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Tyler Reddick - $10,500
Chase Elliott - $10,300
Kyle Larson - $10,200
Christopher Bell - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Martin Truex Jr. - $9,800
William Byron - $9,700
Shane van Gisbergen - $9,500
Ross Chastain - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
AJ Allmendinger - $8,800
Ty Gibbs - $8,700
Daniel Suarez - $8,500
Michael McDowell - $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Chris Buescher - $7,800
Austin Cindric - $7,200
Chase Briscoe - $7,100
Zane Smith - $5,400
NASCAR DFS Picks for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Shane van Gisbergen - $9,500
AJ Allmendinger - $8,800
Ty Gibbs - $8,700
Michael McDowell - $8,000
Chris Buescher - $7,800
Austin Cindric - $7,200
Fantasy players will remember Shane van Gisbergen's (DK $9,500, FD $12,000) spectacular victory in wet conditions last season at Chicago. He returns to the series for his third career start this weekend at Circuit of the Americas, a place his talent could shine again. He finished in the top 10 in both prior starts, winning at Chicago, and should be top of everyone's mind again this week at a track even the Cup Series veterans are still learning. He was even a podium finisher when the Australian Supercars visited this circuit in 2013. Along with SVG, AJ Allmendinger (DK $8,800, FD $11,000) is always a name to put at the top of the list at COTA. Allmendinger is at his best on road courses and has been in position to lead and potentially win this race in the past. His best finish of the prior three races was fifth in 2021, he led two laps the next year, and then crashed out last season. Ty Gibbs (DK $8,700, FD $11,500) may not have the road course pedigree of the two drivers previously mentioned, but he is no slouch on the configuration. Gibbs worked his way to ninth from the 17th starting position in this race last season and has several road course wins from his time in the Xfinity Series.
Other series veterans to consider this week at COTA include Michael McDowell (DK $7,800, FD $10,000), who has always been a driver to look out for on these tracks. McDowell is a Daytona 500 champion as well as a road course winner. He captured the checkered flag at Indianapolis last season. He was 12th at COTA, too. Chris Buescher (DK $7,800, FD $8,500) is another to watch. His road course game has improved dramatically in the last two seasons. In fact, his worst road course finish was this race in 2022 following that, he hasn't finished lower than 11th at any road course race since. He came home eighth last season in this race. It is also important not to overlook Austin Cindric (DK $7,200, FD $7,500). Cindric was one of the best road course racers during his time in the Xfinity Series, and he also has found himself at the front in the Cup Series. Cindric finished in the top 10 in two of his three series COTA starts.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Chase Elliott - $10,300
Kyle Busch - $9,200
Ross Chastain - $9,000
Daniel Suarez - $8,500
Ryan Blaney - $7,500
Zane Smith - $5,400
Chase Elliott (DK $10,300, FD $13,500) used to be the man to beat whenever a road course visit was on the schedule. His dominance hasn't been there in the past few seasons, but he remains one of the fastest of the bunch. Elliott missed last year's race through injury, but his average finish from his first two races here is impressive at 2.5. Kyle Busch (DK $9,200, FD $9,500) is a driver looking for some positive momentum. Things have not been going his way in 2024 and Sunday's visit to a unique track configuration could be an opportunity for him to turn that around. His best COTA finish was his runner-up effort last season. He also won the Truck Series race at the track from pole in 2022. Don't ignore Ross Chastain (DK $9,000, FD $9,000) this week either. He scored his first series win in this race in 2022 and has not finished lower than fourth in his three tries. Daniel Suarez (DK $8,500, FD $7,800) has also proven himself on road courses. He won at Sonoma in 2022 and typically has top-five potential on these tracks. His biggest risk is his inconsistency, though. Suarez finished 24th and 27th in the last two COTA races.
Ryan Blaney (DK $7,500, FD $6,800) is a former road course victor, and his strength in early 2024 is a good sign as he attempts to defend his championship from last season. He hasn't won yet this season, but he does have three top-10s and is firmly in the playoff positions. Blaney won the pole in this race in 2022 and went on to finish sixth. Finally, Zane Smith (DK $5,400, FD $3,200) will be looking for his third consecutive win at this track this week. He topped the Truck Series race this weekend each of the last two years, and would be one fantasy players should keep in mind when searching for bargain options to surprise this weekend.
