The one-minute read
Before you scroll
- Slate
- NASCAR O’Reilly · Charlotte oval
- Lock / schedule
- Rescheduled 7 p.m. Central · October 11 · Verify actual DraftKings lock
- Research check
- October 10 postponement update; Sunday weather weighting awaits a pre-race review.
The story: Saturday’s race moved to Sunday night after Cup. The existing model CSV was retained.
What still matters: Recheck revised lock, starting grid and weather. The six early-finish hedges reflect the prior planning scenario and need reassessment.
Go to the analysis →From the Editor’s Couch
“Rubbin’, son, is racin’.”
Saturday’s rain has moved our Charlotte assignment to Sunday night. Twenty public model lineups and an extra day to convince ourselves we know what we’re doing. Our first NASCAR issue starts with a question Cole Trickle probably should have asked: who’s actually fast, and who just looks good getting into the car?
Somebody needs to lead laps. Somebody needs to move forward. The new grid gives Allgaier and Jones room to climb, while Day and Kvapil need lap-leading speed to justify their front-row starts. We’re backing more than one route through the race.
Under the Hood
The tires are familiar. The weather isn’t cooperating. Here’s what we know before anybody fires an engine.
Charlotte rewards speed plus position gain. On this 200-lap asphalt oval, we want a credible lap leader and drivers who can finish well relative to their starting spots. This is the oval—not the Roval or a drafting race.
The tire connection
Goodyear’s D6110 left / D6160 right pairing matches spring Charlotte and Chicagoland. Vegas and Kansas provide supporting intermediate-track evidence. May’s Charlotte race ended after 91 laps, so its finishing order deserves less weight than a full race.
Goodyear notes →The garage wrinkle
Mayer’s Vegas speed came with a pit penalty. Caruth’s No. 88 and Maggio’s No. 92 lose pit-stall selection this week. Allgaier and Jones were caught in the same Vegas incident—a reminder that different drivers can still share one bad outcome.
Vegas recap →Keep a rain plan in the glove box
Charlotte has moved the race to Sunday night. Postponement does not by itself shorten the scheduled 200 laps. The existing rain allocation is a Saturday planning hedge that needs reassessment against Sunday’s forecast, garage notices and DraftKings status before use. The current CSV still includes 14 full-race builds and six early-finish hedges (Builds 15–20), each with Day or Kvapil as the early-leader anchor. Shorter races mean fewer lap-bonus opportunities and less time for deep starters to climb. The hedge reduces those recovery assumptions; it does not erase Allgaier’s or Jones’s upside.
The early-finish sensitivity case uses roughly 90–110 laps, half the full-race lap-bonus allowance and 60% of the movement toward our full-race finishing targets. These are analyst assumptions, not calibrated projections or a 30% rain forecast. A stopped race may resume rather than end early. DraftKings reserves the right to update contest start times for postponed races. Verify the app’s actual lock, whether your entries carried over and whether edits remain available; do not duplicate paid entries on assumption. Latest NASCAR schedule →
Track, tire and garage research
The weather changed the assignment
Practice and qualifying were canceled. NASCAR published the metric-based starting grid at 8:26 a.m. Eastern. Allgaier starts 23rd, Jones 28th and Finch 36th; Kvapil and Day share the front row. No practice averages or qualifying speeds exist for these canceled sessions. Official grid →
Same tires. Different evidence.
Goodyear lists D6110 left / D6160 right for this series, the same complete pairing used at spring Charlotte and Chicagoland. Vegas and Kansas share the left-side tire; they are supporting comparisons, not identical tire tests. The published six-set allotment predates the cancellation; any revised allocation still needs confirmation. [4]
| Comparison | Weight in this draft | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte oval | Highest track relevance | Same venue and tire pair; May race was heavily rain-shortened. |
| Chicagoland | Strong supporting evidence | Asphalt intermediate and same complete tire pair. |
| Vegas / Kansas | Strong recent / supporting evidence | Asphalt intermediates; same left-side tire, different complete package. |
| Texas / Nashville / Darlington | Secondary context | Geometry, concrete at Nashville, and tire wear differ. |
| Talladega / Atlanta / Roval | Low direct transfer | Drafting or road-course results do not establish Charlotte oval speed. |
The May race ended after only 91 laps, with 54 under caution. Those finishes are a noisy shortcut to a 200-lap dry race. Allgaier’s 29th masks 36 laps led; several talented drivers were caught in incidents. [9]
Setup visibility: exact springs, shocks, camber, gearing and ride heights are not public in the sources reviewed. Tire familiarity and intermediate results are evidence; an invented “perfect setup” is not. With canceled practice, balance and long-run degradation are less observable today.
This week’s garage notebook
- Day: won Vegas and led 136 laps. Kvapil was second, Love third. That is meaningful recent intermediate speed, not a promise Charlotte repeats. [10]
- Mayer: led 40 Vegas laps and won Stage 2, but an uncontrolled-tire penalty interrupted his race. Speed and execution belong in separate columns. [7]
- Allgaier and Jones: the same lap-55 Vegas accident damaged both. It is our real example of correlated crash risk. Jones’s official finish is 36th after the postrace loose-lug disqualification. [7][10]
- Caruth’s No. 88 / Maggio’s No. 92: NASCAR reports loss of Charlotte pit-stall selection after Vegas inspection penalties. That is an execution disadvantage, not a starting-grid penalty. [7]
- Toyota: Gray has four consecutive Chase top-tens; Crews has three top-fives in his last four starts. Their recent consistency supports alternatives to the obvious Chevrolet premiums. [8]
Why the starting spot matters
| Same tenth-place finish | Place differential | Finish + differential, before bonuses |
|---|---|---|
| Starts 30th | 30 − 10 = +20 | 34 + 20 = 54 points |
| Starts fifth | 5 − 10 = −5 | 34 − 5 = 29 points |
The same tenth-place finish can differ by 25 points just because of the starting spot. That is why a cheap driver is not automatically a bargain.
How the fantasy points get paid
The working scoring formula is finish points + starting position − finishing position + 0.25 per lap led + 0.45 per fastest lap. Six drivers, $50,000 cap, no Captain. Confirm the contest’s current Rules & Scoring screen before entry; the public Classic rules page was not fully readable in this research session. [13]
Illustrative arithmetic, not a projection. Finishing tenth from 25th produces 49 points before lap bonuses; fifth from fifth produces 39. A premium leader needs enough bonus points to justify the cheaper drivers around him. Stage finishes themselves do not score here.
Days of Thunder: Who’s Finishing Strong?
Recent form is useful. Mixing Daytona chaos with Charlotte speed is how the spreadsheet starts lying to us.
The last five races show our current pulse; the last ten give it context. Here are the findings that actually changed our twenty builds.
Creed: promote the alternative
Last five: 5.4 average finish, two wins, four top-tens. Darlington 1st, Gateway 2nd, Bristol 1st is the strongest recent finishing run among our leading contenders. His $9,700 salary deserves more attention than a spring Charlotte crash suggests.
Kvapil: more than a runner-up
Ten-race window: 6.7 average, two wins, seven top-tens, 395 laps led. Last five: 334 laps led despite a 24th at Bristol. That is leader evidence obscured by one finish. His Sonoma start was DGM; subsequent starts include different JRM car numbers.
Crews / Gray: track mix matters
Exclude Sonoma plus drafting races Atlanta and Daytona from the ten-race window: Crews averages 6.1, Gray 6.9, each with six top-tens in seven oval starts. These still include short tracks and flat ovals, not seven Charlotte equivalents. Neither led a lap in the last five.
Day / Allgaier: retain ceilings, cap trust
Day’s last-five average is 14.0, including three top-fives and a Gateway accident. Allgaier averages 14.8 over five with 109 laps led. Neither is the safest recent finisher. Day’s Vegas speed and Allgaier’s Charlotte history remain reasons to build some lineups around them.
NASCAR’s official starting grid → · Latest weather and schedule update →
NASCAR’s official starting grid → · Latest weather and schedule update →
NASCAR’s official starting grid → · Latest weather and schedule update →
Final grid adjustment: Allgaier’s P23 and Jones’s P28 create real position-gain paths. Finch’s P36 warrants limited exposure despite his small sample. Clements at P11 is no longer a default salary saver. We rebuilt every combination using the grid and retained the same twenty for both contests.
Open the five- and ten-race driver, team and manufacturer tables
Fixed windows, not cherry-picked starts: last five series races = Daytona, Darlington, Gateway, Bristol and Vegas (August 28–October 3). Last ten = those five plus Sonoma, Chicagoland, Atlanta, Indianapolis and Iowa (June 27–August 8). Part-time drivers get the actual number of starts in each window; a one-race average is not ten-race evidence.
All figures below are calculated from NASCAR’s final reports. A lower average finish is better. “Non-running” counts published accident/mechanical/DVP statuses; it does not mean every incident or a complete reliability model. A driver can finish poorly while still officially running. Jones’s Vegas 36th includes the disqualification.
The drivers: five-race pulse, ten-race baseline
| Driver | Avg finish · 5 / 10 | Top 10 / starts · 5 / 10 | Wins · 5 / 10 | Laps led · 5 / 10 | Non-running · 5 / 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Allgaier | 14.8 / 13.3 | 2/5 · 5/10 | 0 / 1 | 109 / 211 | 1 / 1 |
| Jesse Love | 10.8 / 14.3 | 2/5 · 4/10 | 1 / 1 | 158 / 164 | 0 / 1 |
| Carson Kvapil | 9.2 / 6.7 | 3/5 · 7/10 | 0 / 2 | 334 / 395 | 0 / 0 |
| Corey Day | 14 / 17.1 | 3/5 · 5/10 | 1 / 1 | 137 / 137 | 1 / 3 |
| Sheldon Creed | 5.4 / 9.1 | 4/5 · 7/10 | 2 / 2 | 66 / 152 | 0 / 1 |
| Brent Crews | 10.4 / 10.5 | 4/5 · 7/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 6 | 0 / 1 |
| Sam Mayer | 9.8 / 13 | 4/5 · 6/10 | 0 / 0 | 45 / 79 | 0 / 1 |
| Austin Hill | 13.4 / 13.7 | 3/5 · 5/10 | 0 / 0 | 26 / 33 | 0 / 1 |
| Taylor Gray | 9.6 / 13.6 | 4/5 · 6/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 55 | 0 / 1 |
| Brandon Jones | 16.2 / 14.8 | 2/5 · 5/10 | 0 / 1 | 12 / 24 | 1 / 1 |
| William Sawalich | 18.6 / 14.7 | 2/5 · 5/10 | 0 / 0 | 18 / 20 | 2 / 2 |
| Sammy Smith | 14.6 / 15.1 | 3/5 · 3/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 34 | 1 / 1 |
| Rajah Caruth | 20.6 / 17.4 | 0/5 · 2/10 | 0 / 0 | 13 / 37 | 0 / 0 |
| Ryan Sieg | 15.2 / 18.8 | 1/5 · 1/10 | 1 / 1 | 2 / 70 | 1 / 2 |
| Parker Retzlaff | 13.6 / 11.4 | 2/5 · 4/10 | 0 / 0 | 1 / 1 | 0 / 0 |
The teams: measure each car-start
All drivers in each operation’s numbered cars count, including substitutes. Historical car identity determines the team: Caruth’s No. 32 results belong to JAR, Kvapil’s No. 91 to DGM. We do not give today’s team a driver’s entire past-ten record. Table covers the major candidate operations; per-start rates avoid simply rewarding a five-car roster.
| Team | Car-starts · 5 / 10 | Avg finish · 5 / 10 | Top-ten rate · 5 / 10 | Wins · 5 / 10 | Laps led · 5 / 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clements | 5 / 10 | 18.8 / 22.6 | 40.0% / 30.0% | 0 / 0 | 0 / 9 |
| Haas | 10 / 20 | 7.6 / 11.1 | 80.0% / 65.0% | 2 / 2 | 111 / 231 |
| Hendrick | 5 / 10 | 14 / 17.1 | 60.0% / 50.0% | 1 / 1 | 137 / 137 |
| JGR | 20 / 40 | 13.7 / 13.4 | 60.0% / 57.5% | 0 / 1 | 30 / 105 |
| JRM | 22 / 47 | 14.8 / 11.9 | 36.4% / 48.9% | 0 / 4 | 456 / 961 |
| RCR | 10 / 20 | 12.1 / 14 | 50.0% / 45.0% | 1 / 1 | 184 / 197 |
| RSS | 13 / 26 | 20.6 / 22.9 | 15.4% / 11.5% | 1 / 1 | 2 / 70 |
| Sam Hunt | 10 / 20 | 16.4 / 17.3 | 20.0% / 20.0% | 0 / 0 | 1 / 7 |
| Viking | 10 / 20 | 14.2 / 12.8 | 50.0% / 45.0% | 0 / 0 | 14 / 19 |
Haas has the strongest recent team finishing signal: 80% top-tens across ten car-starts over the last five races. JGR sits at 60%; JRM at 36.4% while still leading 456 laps. That gap between results and lap-leading speed is why we retain JRM leader builds without giving the team blanket priority. Viking’s 50% recent top-ten rate also supports reviewing Alfredo and Retzlaff as midrange alternatives.
The manufacturers: strength of entrants, not magic sheet metal
| Manufacturer | Car-starts · 5 / 10 | Avg finish · 5 / 10 | Top-ten rate · 5 / 10 | Wins · 5 / 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet | 145 / 296 | 19.5 / 19.6 | 24.1% / 24.3% | 5 / 9 |
| Toyota | 31 / 63 | 15.2 / 15.7 | 45.2% / 42.9% | 0 / 1 |
| Ford | 8 / 13 | 28.2 / 30.4 | 0.0% / 0.0% | 0 / 0 |
Chevrolet won nine of ten and all five recent races, but Toyota’s top-ten rate is higher per start. Chevrolet includes both elite programs and many budget entrants; Toyota’s smaller roster is concentrated in JGR and Sam Hunt. That is a roster-composition effect, not proof Toyota’s car is inherently better. Ford’s sample is small and comes from different equipment tiers. No manufacturer quota follows from this table.
Manufacturer comes from each race report, not today’s badge. Three historical rows omit it: one in the older five, two in the recent five. They remain in driver/team calculations and are excluded from manufacturer rates rather than guessed. Official laps led are not the count of fastest laps; the single “Fastest Lap Bonus” in race reports cannot supply DraftKings fastest-lap scoring.
All 38 drivers, race-by-race form and source reports
| Driver | Avg · 5 / 10 | Top tens · 5 / 10 | Wins · 5 / 10 | Laps led · 5 / 10 | Non-running · 5 / 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Allgaier | 14.8 / 13.3 | 2/5 · 5/10 | 0 / 1 | 109 / 211 | 1 / 1 |
| Jesse Love | 10.8 / 14.3 | 2/5 · 4/10 | 1 / 1 | 158 / 164 | 0 / 1 |
| Carson Kvapil | 9.2 / 6.7 | 3/5 · 7/10 | 0 / 2 | 334 / 395 | 0 / 0 |
| Corey Day | 14 / 17.1 | 3/5 · 5/10 | 1 / 1 | 137 / 137 | 1 / 3 |
| Sheldon Creed | 5.4 / 9.1 | 4/5 · 7/10 | 2 / 2 | 66 / 152 | 0 / 1 |
| Brent Crews | 10.4 / 10.5 | 4/5 · 7/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 6 | 0 / 1 |
| Sam Mayer | 9.8 / 13 | 4/5 · 6/10 | 0 / 0 | 45 / 79 | 0 / 1 |
| Austin Hill | 13.4 / 13.7 | 3/5 · 5/10 | 0 / 0 | 26 / 33 | 0 / 1 |
| Taylor Gray | 9.6 / 13.6 | 4/5 · 6/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 55 | 0 / 1 |
| Brandon Jones | 16.2 / 14.8 | 2/5 · 5/10 | 0 / 1 | 12 / 24 | 1 / 1 |
| William Sawalich | 18.6 / 14.7 | 2/5 · 5/10 | 0 / 0 | 18 / 20 | 2 / 2 |
| Sammy Smith | 14.6 / 15.1 | 3/5 · 3/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 34 | 1 / 1 |
| Rajah Caruth | 20.6 / 17.4 | 0/5 · 2/10 | 0 / 0 | 13 / 37 | 0 / 0 |
| Ryan Sieg | 15.2 / 18.8 | 1/5 · 1/10 | 1 / 1 | 2 / 70 | 1 / 2 |
| Parker Retzlaff | 13.6 / 11.4 | 2/5 · 4/10 | 0 / 0 | 1 / 1 | 0 / 0 |
| Jake Finch | 14.5 / 19.7 | 0/2 · 0/3 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 |
| Carson Brown | — / 15 | —/0 · 0/1 | — / 0 | — / 0 | — / 0 |
| Harrison Burton | 17.8 / 18.3 | 1/5 · 2/10 | 0 / 0 | 1 / 5 | 1 / 2 |
| Anthony Alfredo | 14.8 / 14.2 | 3/5 · 5/10 | 0 / 0 | 13 / 18 | 0 / 0 |
| Jeremy Clements | 18.8 / 22.6 | 2/5 · 3/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 9 | 0 / 0 |
| Austin Green | — / 12 | —/0 · 0/1 | — / 0 | — / 0 | — / 0 |
| Dean Thompson | 15 / 16.3 | 1/5 · 2/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 |
| Jeb Burton | 19.6 / 21.9 | 2/5 · 2/10 | 0 / 0 | 2 / 5 | 1 / 2 |
| Brennan Poole | 14.2 / 17.6 | 1/5 · 2/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 |
| Patrick Staropoli | 26.6 / 23.9 | 0/5 · 0/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 1 / 1 |
| Kyle Sieg | 17.2 / 19.1 | 1/5 · 2/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 |
| Blaine Perkins | 24.4 / 25.2 | 0/5 · 0/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 |
| Matt DiBenedetto | 23 / 23 | 0/1 · 0/1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 |
| Ryan Ellis | 26.8 / 25.7 | 0/5 · 0/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 1 / 2 |
| Josh Bilicki | 27.8 / 26.7 | 0/5 · 0/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 1 / 1 |
| Mason Maggio | 27 / 25.6 | 0/4 · 0/7 | 0 / 0 | 2 / 2 | 1 / 2 |
| Myatt Snider | 25 / 24 | 0/1 · 0/2 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 |
| Joey Gase | 26.5 / 29.4 | 0/4 · 0/8 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 1 / 2 |
| Lavar Scott | 28.2 / 27.7 | 0/5 · 0/10 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 2 / 2 |
| JJ Yeley | 38 / 37.7 | 0/1 · 0/3 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 1 / 2 |
| Garrett Smithley | 23.8 / 21.6 | 0/4 · 1/8 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 1 / 1 |
| Dawson Cram | 35.7 / 35.6 | 0/3 · 0/5 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 3 / 4 |
| Derek Lemke | — / 26 | —/0 · 0/1 | — / 0 | — / 0 | — / 0 |
| Driver | Oldest → newest race finishes |
|---|---|
| Justin Allgaier | Sonoma 26 (#7) · Chicago 6 (#7) · Atlanta 1 (#7) · Indianapolis 2 (#7) · Iowa 24 (#7) · Daytona 6 (#7) · Darlington 17 (#7) · Gateway 13 (#7) · Bristol 4 (#7) · Vegas 34 (#7) |
| Jesse Love | Sonoma 9 (#2) · Chicago 3 (#2) · Atlanta 26 (#2) · Indianapolis 16 (#2) · Iowa 35 (#2) · Daytona 20 (#2) · Darlington 13 (#2) · Gateway 1 (#2) · Bristol 17 (#2) · Vegas 3 (#2) |
| Carson Kvapil | Sonoma 6 (#91) · Chicago 11 (#9) · Atlanta 2 (#1) · Indianapolis 1 (#1) · Iowa 1 (#1) · Daytona 3 (#1) · Darlington 12 (#1) · Gateway 5 (#1) · Bristol 24 (#1) · Vegas 2 (#1) |
| Corey Day | Sonoma 7 (#17) · Chicago 19 (#17) · Atlanta 32 (#17) · Indianapolis 7 (#17) · Iowa 36 (#17) · Daytona 29 (#17) · Darlington 2 (#17) · Gateway 33 (#17) · Bristol 5 (#17) · Vegas 1 (#17) |
| Sheldon Creed | Sonoma 10 (#00) · Chicago 16 (#00) · Atlanta 25 (#00) · Indianapolis 8 (#00) · Iowa 5 (#00) · Daytona 10 (#00) · Darlington 1 (#00) · Gateway 2 (#00) · Bristol 1 (#00) · Vegas 13 (#00) |
| Brent Crews | Sonoma 3 (#19) · Chicago 4 (#19) · Atlanta 24 (#19) · Indianapolis 6 (#19) · Iowa 16 (#19) · Daytona 35 (#19) · Darlington 3 (#19) · Gateway 7 (#19) · Bristol 3 (#19) · Vegas 4 (#19) |
| Sam Mayer | Sonoma 8 (#41) · Chicago 8 (#41) · Atlanta 31 (#41) · Indianapolis 13 (#41) · Iowa 21 (#41) · Daytona 25 (#41) · Darlington 8 (#41) · Gateway 3 (#41) · Bristol 7 (#41) · Vegas 6 (#41) |
| Austin Hill | Sonoma 22 (#21) · Chicago 5 (#21) · Atlanta 22 (#21) · Indianapolis 10 (#21) · Iowa 11 (#21) · Daytona 2 (#21) · Darlington 5 (#21) · Gateway 29 (#21) · Bristol 22 (#21) · Vegas 9 (#21) |
| Taylor Gray | Sonoma 29 (#54) · Chicago 7 (#54) · Atlanta 33 (#54) · Indianapolis 12 (#54) · Iowa 7 (#54) · Daytona 26 (#54) · Darlington 7 (#54) · Gateway 4 (#54) · Bristol 6 (#54) · Vegas 5 (#54) |
| Brandon Jones | Sonoma 36 (#20) · Chicago 1 (#20) · Atlanta 7 (#20) · Indianapolis 9 (#20) · Iowa 14 (#20) · Daytona 5 (#20) · Darlington 10 (#20) · Gateway 15 (#20) · Bristol 15 (#20) · Vegas 36 (#20) |
| William Sawalich | Sonoma 13 (#18) · Chicago 29 (#18) · Atlanta 4 (#18) · Indianapolis 5 (#18) · Iowa 3 (#18) · Daytona 37 (#18) · Darlington 30 (#18) · Gateway 16 (#18) · Bristol 2 (#18) · Vegas 8 (#18) |
| Sammy Smith | Sonoma 11 (#8) · Chicago 13 (#8) · Atlanta 18 (#8) · Indianapolis 19 (#8) · Iowa 17 (#8) · Daytona 36 (#8) · Darlington 4 (#8) · Gateway 8 (#8) · Bristol 10 (#8) · Vegas 15 (#8) |
| Rajah Caruth | Sonoma 14 (#88) · Chicago 24 (#32) · Atlanta 9 (#88) · Indianapolis 22 (#32) · Iowa 2 (#88) · Daytona 32 (#88) · Darlington 26 (#88) · Gateway 11 (#88) · Bristol 23 (#88) · Vegas 11 (#88) |
| Ryan Sieg | Sonoma 15 (#39) · Chicago 31 (#39) · Atlanta 16 (#39) · Indianapolis 17 (#39) · Iowa 33 (#39) · Daytona 1 (#38) · Darlington 19 (#39) · Gateway 14 (#39) · Bristol 30 (#39) · Vegas 12 (#39) |
| Parker Retzlaff | Sonoma 5 (#99) · Chicago 14 (#99) · Atlanta 3 (#99) · Indianapolis 11 (#99) · Iowa 13 (#99) · Daytona 14 (#99) · Darlington 21 (#99) · Gateway 6 (#99) · Bristol 8 (#99) · Vegas 19 (#99) |
| Jake Finch | Atlanta 30 (#9) · Darlington 18 (#9) · Bristol 11 (#9) |
| Carson Brown | Iowa 15 (#32) |
| Harrison Burton | Sonoma 18 (#24) · Chicago 15 (#24) · Atlanta 34 (#24) · Indianapolis 18 (#24) · Iowa 9 (#24) · Daytona 8 (#24) · Darlington 20 (#24) · Gateway 35 (#24) · Bristol 12 (#24) · Vegas 14 (#24) |
| Anthony Alfredo | Sonoma 4 (#96) · Chicago 26 (#96) · Atlanta 5 (#96) · Indianapolis 14 (#96) · Iowa 19 (#96) · Daytona 4 (#96) · Darlington 6 (#96) · Gateway 22 (#96) · Bristol 32 (#96) · Vegas 10 (#96) |
| Jeremy Clements | Sonoma 20 (#51) · Chicago 35 (#51) · Atlanta 10 (#51) · Indianapolis 37 (#51) · Iowa 30 (#51) · Daytona 33 (#51) · Darlington 9 (#51) · Gateway 31 (#51) · Bristol 14 (#51) · Vegas 7 (#51) |
| Austin Green | Sonoma 12 (#87) |
| Dean Thompson | Sonoma 28 (#26) · Chicago 17 (#26) · Atlanta 14 (#26) · Indianapolis 21 (#26) · Iowa 8 (#26) · Daytona 27 (#26) · Darlington 11 (#26) · Gateway 12 (#26) · Bristol 9 (#26) · Vegas 16 (#26) |
| Jeb Burton | Sonoma 21 (#27) · Chicago 20 (#27) · Atlanta 38 (#27) · Indianapolis 15 (#27) · Iowa 27 (#27) · Daytona 9 (#27) · Darlington 33 (#27) · Gateway 10 (#27) · Bristol 25 (#27) · Vegas 21 (#27) |
| Brennan Poole | Sonoma 24 (#44) · Chicago 25 (#44) · Atlanta 17 (#44) · Indianapolis 29 (#44) · Iowa 10 (#44) · Daytona 7 (#44) · Darlington 15 (#44) · Gateway 19 (#44) · Bristol 13 (#44) · Vegas 17 (#44) |
| Patrick Staropoli | Sonoma 25 (#48) · Chicago 27 (#48) · Atlanta 13 (#48) · Indianapolis 23 (#48) · Iowa 18 (#48) · Daytona 34 (#48) · Darlington 32 (#48) · Gateway 17 (#48) · Bristol 26 (#48) · Vegas 24 (#48) |
| Kyle Sieg | Sonoma 31 (#28) · Chicago 30 (#28) · Atlanta 8 (#28) · Indianapolis 24 (#28) · Iowa 12 (#28) · Daytona 21 (#28) · Darlington 16 (#28) · Gateway 9 (#28) · Bristol 20 (#28) · Vegas 20 (#28) |
| Blaine Perkins | Sonoma 30 (#31) · Chicago 32 (#31) · Atlanta 20 (#31) · Indianapolis 28 (#31) · Iowa 20 (#31) · Daytona 15 (#31) · Darlington 22 (#31) · Gateway 20 (#31) · Bristol 34 (#31) · Vegas 31 (#31) |
| Matt DiBenedetto | Vegas 23 (#42) |
| Ryan Ellis | Sonoma 23 (#02) · Chicago 22 (#02) · Atlanta 23 (#02) · Indianapolis 32 (#02) · Iowa 23 (#02) · Daytona 17 (#02) · Darlington 37 (#02) · Gateway 24 (#02) · Bristol 27 (#02) · Vegas 29 (#02) |
| Josh Bilicki | Sonoma 16 (#07) · Chicago 36 (#07) · Atlanta 12 (#07) · Indianapolis 33 (#07) · Iowa 31 (#07) · Daytona 28 (#07) · Darlington 24 (#07) · Gateway 26 (#07) · Bristol 31 (#07) · Vegas 30 (#07) |
| Mason Maggio | Atlanta 11 (#91) · Indianapolis 26 (#91) · Iowa 34 (#92) · Daytona 19 (#91) · Darlington 35 (#91) · Gateway 21 (#91) · Vegas 33 (#91) |
| Myatt Snider | Chicago 23 (#91) · Gateway 25 (#0) |
| Joey Gase | Chicago 34 (#55) · Atlanta 37 (#55) · Indianapolis 36 (#55) · Iowa 22 (#55) · Daytona 23 (#55) · Darlington 29 (#55) · Gateway 27 (#55) · Vegas 27 (#55) |
| Lavar Scott | Sonoma 32 (#45) · Chicago 28 (#45) · Atlanta 21 (#45) · Indianapolis 27 (#45) · Iowa 28 (#45) · Daytona 18 (#45) · Darlington 31 (#45) · Gateway 30 (#45) · Bristol 36 (#45) · Vegas 26 (#45) |
| JJ Yeley | Chicago 37 (#38) · Indianapolis 38 (#38) · Bristol 38 (#38) |
| Garrett Smithley | Chicago 18 (#42) · Atlanta 6 (#0) · Indianapolis 25 (#0) · Iowa 29 (#0) · Daytona 12 (#0) · Darlington 25 (#0) · Bristol 33 (#0) · Vegas 25 (#0) |
| Dawson Cram | Sonoma 33 (#35) · Chicago 38 (#47) · Darlington 36 (#47) · Gateway 36 (#47) · Vegas 35 (#47) |
| Derek Lemke | Iowa 26 (#91) |
- Race 19 · Sonoma · NASCAR final report
- Race 20 · Chicago · NASCAR final report
- Race 21 · Atlanta · NASCAR final report
- Race 22 · Indianapolis · NASCAR final report
- Race 23 · Iowa · NASCAR final report
- Race 24 · Daytona · NASCAR final report
- Race 25 · Darlington · NASCAR final report
- Race 26 · Gateway · NASCAR final report
- Race 27 · Bristol · NASCAR final report
- Race 28 · Vegas · NASCAR final report
Manufacturer and team context for today’s field
Rubbin’ Is Racin’
The badge tells us who built the car. It does not tell us who survives Turn 1.
The 38-car entry maps to 29 Chevrolet, 6 Toyota, 3 Ford. This is the O’Reilly field, so Cup team strengths and Cup tire codes do not belong in the model. Haas is Chevrolet in this entry, even if the name makes you think Ford. [3]
| Operation | Drivers to consider | What travels to this race |
|---|---|---|
| JRM · Chevrolet | Allgaier, Kvapil, Smith, Caruth, Finch | Strong Charlotte program; Finch’s first track start and Kvapil’s old DGM result require context. |
| Hendrick / RCR · Chevrolet | Day / Love, Hill | Day’s recent lap-leading speed; Love’s spring runner-up; Hill’s Charlotte third. |
| Haas · Chevrolet | Creed, Mayer | Alternate lap leaders; Kansas and Vegas support separate builds. |
| JGR · Toyota | Gray, Jones, Crews, Sawalich | Multiple credible intermediate contenders; avoid treating a four-car team as an NFL stack. |
| Sam Hunt · Toyota | Thompson, Harrison Burton | Salary alternatives, highly dependent on grid value. |
| Independent Chevrolet / Ford | Sieg, Alfredo, Clements, Poole and reserves | Position gain must justify the pick. Cheap does not mean safe. |
We do not impose a manufacturer quota. Five Chevrolets can leave Charlotte with five very different stories. A team stack is not automatically beneficial: drivers compete for the same laps-led points, and a crash can involve rival makes. Our diversification is across drivers, leaders and race stories.
All 38 drivers: salary, team, comparable finishes and research note
Finishes only, not speed ratings or fantasy projections. Charlotte = May 23; Vegas = October 3; Chicago = July 4; Kansas = April 18. A dash means no driver start in that comparison. Official final results override preliminary recaps. [3][9][10][11][12]
| Driver / car | Salary / team | CLT / LV / CHI / KS | Draft exposure | Research note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Allgaier #7 | $12,700 JRM · Chevrolet | 29 / 34 / 6 / 3 | 8/20 · Starts P23 | Primary Charlotte dominator; 325/896 laps led since 2022. Premium price needs bonus points. |
| Jesse Love #2 | $11,500 RCR · Chevrolet | 2 / 3 / 3 / 4 | 3/20 · Starts P3 | Spring Charlotte runner-up; third at Vegas. Strong finish anchor, not automatic lap leader. |
| Carson Kvapil #1 | $10,500 JRM · Chevrolet | 9 / 2 / 11 / 37 | 6/20 · Starts P1 | Vegas runner-up; spring Charlotte ninth came in DGM equipment. Current JRM seat matters. |
| Corey Day #17 | $10,200 Hendrick · Chevrolet | 5 / 1 / 19 / 12 | 8/20 · Starts P2 | Vegas winner with 136 laps led. High ceiling; season includes six DNFs. |
| Sheldon Creed #00 | $9,700 Haas · Chevrolet | 32 / 13 / 16 / 2 | 7/20 · Starts P8 | Kansas second with 48 laps led. Charlotte spring crash does not erase speed. |
| Brent Crews #19 | $9,500 JGR · Toyota | 37 / 4 / 4 / 5 | 4/20 · Starts P4 | Fourth at Vegas and Chicago; rookie upside with execution risk. |
| Sam Mayer #41 | $9,000 Haas · Chevrolet | 36 / 6 / 8 / 9 | 6/20 · Starts P5 | Led 40 laps at Vegas despite pit penalty. Strong alternate dominator. |
| Austin Hill #21 | $8,800 RCR · Chevrolet | 3 / 9 / 5 / 34 | 4/20 · Starts P7 | Third at spring Charlotte, ninth at Vegas. Intermediate finish upside; do not import Talladega assumptions. |
| Taylor Gray #54 | $8,500 JGR · Toyota | 31 / 5 / 7 / 1 | 5/20 · Starts P6 | Kansas winner; 55 laps led at Chicago. First Charlotte top-10 still to come. |
| Brandon Jones #20 | $8,300 JGR · Toyota | 35 / 36 / 1 / 8 | 8/20 · Starts P28 | Chicago winner; 67 laps led at Kansas. Vegas crash and loose-lug disqualification warrant capped exposure. |
| William Sawalich #18 | $8,000 JGR · Toyota | 4 / 8 / 29 / 20 | 4/20 · Starts P9 | Fourth at spring Charlotte, eighth at Vegas. Starts P9; needs a strong finish because position-gain room is limited. |
| Sammy Smith #8 | $7,800 JRM · Chevrolet | 11 / 15 / 13 / 16 | 4/20 · Starts P13 | Charlotte best third in 2024. Midrange finish/position-gain candidate. |
| Rajah Caruth #88 | $7,700 JRM · Chevrolet | 10 / 11 / 24 / 21 | 3/20 · Starts P10 | Spring Charlotte tenth; loses pit-stall selection following Vegas lug-nut penalty. |
| Ryan Sieg #39 | $7,600 RSS · Chevrolet | 7 / 12 / 31 / 10 | 3/20 · Starts P14 | Spring Charlotte seventh, Kansas tenth. Finishing upside with mixed recent results. |
| Parker Retzlaff #99 | $7,500 Viking · Chevrolet | 12 / 19 / 14 / 36 | 4/20 · Starts P16 | Spring Charlotte twelfth, Chicago fourteenth. Much less appealing if starting too far forward. |
| Jake Finch #9 | $7,400 JRM · Chevrolet | — / — / — / — | 5/20 · Starts P36 | First Charlotte start; No. 9 crew won here with Chastain in May. Car success is not driver success. |
| Carson Brown #32 | $7,200 JAR · Chevrolet | — / — / — / — | 0/20 · Starts P20 | Second series start; Iowa debut fifteenth. Small sample, cap exposure. |
| Harrison Burton #24 | $7,100 Sam Hunt · Toyota | 38 / 14 / 15 / 28 | 4/20 · Starts P15 | Midrange salary with limited intermediate upside in this comparison set. |
| Anthony Alfredo #96 | $7,000 Viking · Chevrolet | 13 / 10 / 26 / 30 | 3/20 · Starts P12 | Vegas tenth; spring Charlotte thirteenth. Useful if grid offers position gain. |
| Jeremy Clements #51 | $6,900 Clements · Chevrolet | 30 / 7 / 35 / 15 | 0/20 · Starts P11 | Vegas seventh after starting twenty-first. Budget option if the starting spot cooperates. |
| Austin Green #87 | $6,800 Peterson · Chevrolet | 16 / — / — / 32 | 0/20 · Starts P19 | Returns since Sonoma; spring Charlotte sixteenth. Road-course skill is not oval evidence. |
| Dean Thompson #26 | $6,600 Sam Hunt · Toyota | 14 / 16 / 17 / 11 | 4/20 · Starts P17 | Kansas eleventh; Charlotte fourteenth. Useful budget alternative. |
| Jeb Burton #27 | $6,500 JAR · Chevrolet | 22 / 21 / 20 / 13 | 3/20 · Starts P21 | Budget finishing candidate, not a superspeedway stack at this track. |
| Brennan Poole #44 | $6,400 Alpha Prime · Chevrolet | 27 / 17 / 25 / 19 | 3/20 · Starts P18 | Seventeenth at Vegas. Needs realistic forward movement, not just a cheap salary. |
| Patrick Staropoli #48 | $6,300 Big Machine · Chevrolet | 18 / 24 / 27 / 14 | 0/20 · Starts P25 | Fourteenth at Kansas; eighteenth at Charlotte. Starts P18; final exposure is limited to three builds. |
| Kyle Sieg #28 | $6,200 RSS · Chevrolet | 19 / 20 / 30 / 25 | 4/20 · Starts P22 | Starts P22; moderate position-gain potential with limited finishing ceiling. |
| Blaine Perkins #31 | $6,100 JAR · Chevrolet | 24 / 31 / 32 / 23 | 0/20 · Starts P30 | Recent results trail nearby alternatives; reserve role. |
| Matt DiBenedetto #42 | $6,000 Young’s · Chevrolet | — / 23 / — / — | 3/20 · Starts P26 | Young’s No. 42 this week; his old-team Charlotte results are a weak transfer. |
| Ryan Ellis #02 | $5,900 Young’s · Chevrolet | 21 / 29 / 22 / 22 | 4/20 · Starts P33 | Value only from sufficiently deep start; avoid chasing the season average. |
| Josh Bilicki #07 | $5,800 SS GreenLight · Chevrolet | 25 / 30 / 36 / 26 | 3/20 · Starts P32 | Budget reserve; no strong finish in the selected oval sample. |
| Mason Maggio #92 | $5,700 DGM · Chevrolet | — / 33 / — / 33 | 0/20 · Starts P29 | DGM seat; no comparable start in these four reports. Low-confidence reserve. |
| Myatt Snider #91 | $5,600 DGM · Chevrolet | — / — / 23 / — | 4/20 · Starts P34 | DGM No. 91; Chicago twenty-third. Small-sample budget reserve. |
| Joey Gase #55 | $5,500 Gase · Ford | 23 / 27 / 34 / 27 | 0/20 · Starts P31 | Ford this week; no need to force manufacturer balance with a weak value. |
| Lavar Scott #45 | $5,400 Alpha Prime · Ford | 17 / 26 / 28 / 18 | 0/20 · Starts P27 | Starts P27; recent finishing weakness keeps him out of the final twenty. |
| JJ Yeley #38 | $5,200 RSS · Ford | 34 / — / 37 / — | 0/20 · Starts P38 | Ford this week; poor comparable reliability. No exposure in initial builds. |
| Garrett Smithley #0 | $5,100 SS GreenLight · Chevrolet | — / 25 / 18 / — | 3/20 · Starts P24 | Chevrolet this week; Chicago eighteenth was in a different car. Reserve only. |
| Dawson Cram #47 | $5,000 Harmon · Chevrolet | 33 / 35 / 38 / 29 | 0/20 · Starts P37 | Mechanical failures across comparison races. No initial exposure. |
| Derek Lemke #53 | $4,900 Gase · Chevrolet | — / — / — / — | 0/20 · Starts P35 | Confirmed No. 53 entrant, but little comparable series evidence. No initial exposure. |
Driver versus equipment: Kvapil’s spring Charlotte ninth came in DGM’s No. 91; today he is in JRM’s No. 1. Finch’s No. 9 won the spring race with Ross Chastain, but Finch has not raced this track in the series. His P36 start creates position-gain room without erasing the experience risk. His P36 start creates position-gain room without erasing the experience risk. His P36 start creates position-gain room without erasing the experience risk. Caruth’s Chicago result came with JAR. We keep those identity changes visible instead of crediting a new driver with an old car’s win. [3][5][9][11]
Shake and Bake
Twenty builds, four ways the race could unfold, and a few bets on who gets clean air when it counts.
One set of twenty, entered in both contests. The four examples below show our race stories. Every driver uses ordinary Classic scoring; there is no Captain.
- Justin AllgaierStarts P23$12,700
- Sheldon CreedStarts P8$9,700
- Brandon JonesStarts P28$8,300
- Sammy SmithStarts P13$7,800
- Josh BilickiStarts P32$5,800
- Myatt SniderStarts P34$5,600
- Justin AllgaierStarts P23$12,700
- Corey DayStarts P2$10,200
- Sam MayerStarts P5$9,000
- Dean ThompsonStarts P17$6,600
- Ryan EllisStarts P33$5,900
- Myatt SniderStarts P34$5,600
- Justin AllgaierStarts P23$12,700
- Sheldon CreedStarts P8$9,700
- Brandon JonesStarts P28$8,300
- Jake FinchStarts P36$7,400
- Jeb BurtonStarts P21$6,500
- Garrett SmithleyStarts P24$5,100
- Justin AllgaierStarts P23$12,700
- Austin HillStarts P7$8,800
- Brandon JonesStarts P28$8,300
- Jake FinchStarts P36$7,400
- Anthony AlfredoStarts P12$7,000
- Josh BilickiStarts P32$5,800
Open all twenty public model lineups
The review CSV is for reading. A separate driver-ID import file is available below. Official starting spots appear on every card. Core driver is not a Captain; every driver uses ordinary Classic scoring.
- Justin AllgaierStarts P23$12,700
- Sheldon CreedStarts P8$9,700
- Brandon JonesStarts P28$8,300
- Sammy SmithStarts P13$7,800
- Josh BilickiStarts P32$5,800
- Myatt SniderStarts P34$5,600
- Justin AllgaierStarts P23$12,700
- Corey DayStarts P2$10,200
- Sam MayerStarts P5$9,000
- Dean ThompsonStarts P17$6,600
- Ryan EllisStarts P33$5,900
- Myatt SniderStarts P34$5,600
- Justin AllgaierStarts P23$12,700
- Sheldon CreedStarts P8$9,700
- Brandon JonesStarts P28$8,300
- Jake FinchStarts P36$7,400
- Jeb BurtonStarts P21$6,500
- Garrett SmithleyStarts P24$5,100
- Justin AllgaierStarts P23$12,700
- Austin HillStarts P7$8,800
- Brandon JonesStarts P28$8,300
- Jake FinchStarts P36$7,400
- Anthony AlfredoStarts P12$7,000
- Josh BilickiStarts P32$5,800
- Justin AllgaierStarts P23$12,700
- Brent CrewsStarts P4$9,500
- William SawalichStarts P9$8,000
- Jake FinchStarts P36$7,400
- Kyle SiegStarts P22$6,200
- Matt DiBenedettoStarts P26$6,000
- Carson KvapilStarts P1$10,500
- Corey DayStarts P2$10,200
- Sam MayerStarts P5$9,000
- Parker RetzlaffStarts P16$7,500
- Harrison BurtonStarts P15$7,100
- Myatt SniderStarts P34$5,600
- Jesse LoveStarts P3$11,500
- Sheldon CreedStarts P8$9,700
- Taylor GrayStarts P6$8,500
- Sammy SmithStarts P13$7,800
- Brennan PooleStarts P18$6,400
- Ryan EllisStarts P33$5,900
- Jesse LoveStarts P3$11,500
- Corey DayStarts P2$10,200
- Brandon JonesStarts P28$8,300
- Ryan SiegStarts P14$7,600
- Dean ThompsonStarts P17$6,600
- Josh BilickiStarts P32$5,800
- Justin AllgaierStarts P23$12,700
- Brent CrewsStarts P4$9,500
- Austin HillStarts P7$8,800
- Rajah CaruthStarts P10$7,700
- Matt DiBenedettoStarts P26$6,000
- Garrett SmithleyStarts P24$5,100
- Carson KvapilStarts P1$10,500
- Corey DayStarts P2$10,200
- Brandon JonesStarts P28$8,300
- William SawalichStarts P9$8,000
- Harrison BurtonStarts P15$7,100
- Ryan EllisStarts P33$5,900
- Sheldon CreedStarts P8$9,700
- Brent CrewsStarts P4$9,500
- Sam MayerStarts P5$9,000
- Taylor GrayStarts P6$8,500
- Harrison BurtonStarts P15$7,100
- Kyle SiegStarts P22$6,200
- Jesse LoveStarts P3$11,500
- Sam MayerStarts P5$9,000
- Brandon JonesStarts P28$8,300
- Parker RetzlaffStarts P16$7,500
- Anthony AlfredoStarts P12$7,000
- Jeb BurtonStarts P21$6,500
- Justin AllgaierStarts P23$12,700
- Austin HillStarts P7$8,800
- Sammy SmithStarts P13$7,800
- Rajah CaruthStarts P10$7,700
- Dean ThompsonStarts P17$6,600
- Brennan PooleStarts P18$6,400
- Carson KvapilStarts P1$10,500
- Corey DayStarts P2$10,200
- William SawalichStarts P9$8,000
- Ryan SiegStarts P14$7,600
- Jake FinchStarts P36$7,400
- Kyle SiegStarts P22$6,200
- Carson KvapilStarts P1$10,500
- Sheldon CreedStarts P8$9,700
- Taylor GrayStarts P6$8,500
- Brandon JonesStarts P28$8,300
- Dean ThompsonStarts P17$6,600
- Brennan PooleStarts P18$6,400
- Corey DayStarts P2$10,200
- Sam MayerStarts P5$9,000
- Taylor GrayStarts P6$8,500
- Sammy SmithStarts P13$7,800
- Parker RetzlaffStarts P16$7,500
- Anthony AlfredoStarts P12$7,000
- Carson KvapilStarts P1$10,500
- Sheldon CreedStarts P8$9,700
- Brent CrewsStarts P4$9,500
- Austin HillStarts P7$8,800
- Myatt SniderStarts P34$5,600
- Garrett SmithleyStarts P24$5,100
- Corey DayStarts P2$10,200
- Sam MayerStarts P5$9,000
- William SawalichStarts P9$8,000
- Rajah CaruthStarts P10$7,700
- Ryan SiegStarts P14$7,600
- Harrison BurtonStarts P15$7,100
- Justin AllgaierStarts P23$12,700
- Carson KvapilStarts P1$10,500
- Brandon JonesStarts P28$8,300
- Kyle SiegStarts P22$6,200
- Matt DiBenedettoStarts P26$6,000
- Ryan EllisStarts P33$5,900
- Corey DayStarts P2$10,200
- Sheldon CreedStarts P8$9,700
- Taylor GrayStarts P6$8,500
- Parker RetzlaffStarts P16$7,500
- Jake FinchStarts P36$7,400
- Jeb BurtonStarts P21$6,500
Don’t Put the Whole Day in One Car
One bad lap shouldn’t park every lineup. Here’s how we spread the drivers—and the dollars—across the garage.
Maximum driver exposure: 8/20 (40%). Maximum shared pair: 4/20 (20%). Maximum overlap between any two lineups: three drivers. All twenty are unique, have six different drivers and stay under $50,000. Salaries range from $49,200 to $50,000.
Every driver’s exposure and entry dollars
Stage 1 crash check
Select one or two drivers to see how many of the twenty builds include either one. Every affected build is entered twice, once per contest. “Untouched” means they do not roster those drivers; it does not mean safe, profitable or guaranteed to cash.
Where the compromises hurt: Finch is inexperienced even from P36. Snider and other deep-starting values still need to stay running and gain positions. Clements at P11 has more downside than in our grid-free draft. Low prices and deep starts are useful inputs, not guarantees.
Everybody Wants the Fast Car
The obvious picks will have company. Finding another route to the front takes more than picking an unfamiliar name.
We have no verified field-ownership forecast. Allgaier’s Charlotte reputation and Day’s Vegas win could attract attention; Creed, Mayer and Gray offer credible alternate paths. Our roster percentages measure our choices, not the field’s. An unpopular driver still needs a reason to score.
Gentlemen, Check Your Lineups
The green flag is coming. Check the grid, count the drivers, and make sure the budget survived the morning.
- Match the verified grid to DraftKings. NASCAR’s positions appear on every card. Confirm the app uses the same scored starts; rear-of-field penalties may not change scored position.
- Use the refreshed builds. The old grid-free combinations are superseded. Confirm six drivers, salary ≤ $50,000 and the correct race slate.
- Check new garage notices. Backup cars, inspection failures, withdrawals, tire-allotment revisions, weather and lock changes can alter the plan.
- Recheck the entire portfolio after swaps. Twenty unique lineups, six distinct drivers each, salary ≤ $50,000, no driver above eight of the public model builds, and no pair above four.
The grid is in and the twenty builds have been recalculated. Check the starting positions shown by DraftKings and any final garage notices before the green flag.
Sources & method
Salary and driver IDs: your uploaded DraftKings CSV. Contest sizes, fees and payouts: your four screenshots, with both prize tables summed against their stated totals. Research: current official event/series/team material plus NASCAR final result reports distributed by Jayski. No live ownership feed, private setup data or validated predictive simulation was available. Final construction uses analyst finishing targets and lap-bonus assumptions, adjusted for the verified grid. Fourteen builds use full-race assumptions and six use an early-finish sensitivity case; neither is a calibrated prediction. Starting positions come from the October 10 NASCAR report.
- Race / distance
- Current weekend schedule
- Official entry report
- Goodyear event notes
- JRM team preview
- NASCAR race preview
- Vegas garage recap
- Toyota weekly release
- Charlotte May final results
- Vegas final results, including Jones DQ
- Chicago final results
- Kansas final results
- DraftKings Classic rules
Earlier syndicated material calls the race 250 miles / 167 laps. This issue follows the current official track listing and event entry: Blue Cross NC 300, 200 laps. Finish tables use official final classifications, including Jones’s Vegas disqualification; they are not historical DraftKings scores. Same-day inspection disqualifications may be treated differently by fantasy contest rules. The season-average fantasy points in the salary export are not forward projections.
Candidate selection uses analyst preferences and diversification constraints, not calibrated probabilities. Scenario labels describe a thesis, not an exclusive or exhaustive set of outcomes. Quotes are brief cultural references; racing analysis does not depend on them.