NASCAR Cup Series WWTR Gateway DFS Picks

The NASCAR Cup Series is at World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway) this weekend for the second race of the first round of the playoffs. We didn’t see a lot of the playoff drivers do well last week so some of them have some points to make up or do not have the buffer they originally had over the cut line. The Cup drivers will have 240 laps this weekend on the 1.25 mile flat oval and we should see drivers that have been good on flat ovals like Richmond/Phoenix be good at Gateway. We should see a few potential dominators this week that will lead the majority of the laps.

Potential Dominators

Ryan Blaney

Denny Hamlin

Christopher Bell

Kyle Larson

Blaney had the best car in practice with the best lap averages in the better practice group. He starts in 5th so he doesn't have many guys to pass to get the lead and gather a bunch of dominator points throughout the race. Hamlin got the pole once again and practiced about where he did last week so we will see if he can not suck like he did last week losing the lead at the start and not being a top car. But he still has potential to be a contender and lead laps this week from the pole. Bell is great on flat style tracks and Gateway fits him perfectly. He was solid in practice and should be a top contender this week. Larson starts along side Hamlin on the front row and he will try to do what Briscoe did by getting the lead early and dominating. Larson has struggled recently so I don't have the confidence in him that you would have earlier in the season.

Place Differential Plays

Chase Elliott

Brad Keselowski

Alex Bowman

Ryan Preece

Elliott was one of the better cars in practice right behind Blaney and he starts back in 19th. If they can keep that speed in the race they should be able to move forward and be a good option this week. Keselowski was one of the fastest cars in the first practice group and starts back in 23rd. He is another that should be able to move forward and have top 10 potential as he finished 3rd here last season. Bowman had solid speed as well as he was 6th in 10 lap averages in practice in his group. He starts back in 25th so he has a lot of room to move forward and is a good place differential play. Preece starts way in the back in 32nd, which he has started back there a lot recently, but have been really good when it comes to the race. I expect him to move forward and have top 15 potential again this week as he was good on the long run in practice.

Cheap Options

Ty Gibbs

Michael McDowell

Cole Custer

Gibbs was one of the best cars on the long run in his practice group and is at a good price this week under $7000 on Draftkings. He starts 21st so he has some room to move forward and should have upside to battle around the top 10 this week. McDowell looked like one of the best cheap options this week at he starts back in 28th but had really good speed in practice and even looked good on the long run as well. He should move forward and be one of the safer cheap options this week to move forward and score decent points. Custer is a good cheap play this week as he has had some solid runs recently and he had decent speed in practice again this week. Also the Fords seemed to run well in practice so he should be able to move forward from his 29th starting spot.

Some additional Value Plays that I like for this week include:

Ross Chastain

Chastain had really good speed on the long run in practice but could go low owned since he starts 4th. But under the 8k price tag he could still be a great play without getting a bunch of dominator points and having a good finish.

Austin Dillon

Dillon has pretty good stats here and just won a flat style track a Richmond. He didn't show anything in practice and starts 15th so he is going to be low owned this week and could be a solid tournament play if he can stay in the top 15.

Daniel Suarez

This is more of a hope that since Chastain was fast that Suarez might run well this week and is at a good price starting back in 26th. He generally in solid on the flat style tracks.