This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500
Location: Hampton, Ga.
Course: Atlanta Motor Speedway
Format: 1.5-mile quad-oval
Laps: 325
Race Preview
Racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend is expected to be unlike anything we've seen at the 1.5-mile oval in recent seasons. After the fall race there last year, work began to repave and reconfigure the oval. It now features the steepest banking of any intermediate track on the schedule, and gone is its characteristic abrasive pavement. Racing at the track is expected to be more akin to races at Daytona and Talladega, which could mean an extremely action-packed outing this weekend. Ryan Blaney and Kurt Busch went to Victory Lane there last season, but it may take an entirely different approach to make it there this year. Drivers will get their first taste of the track for a race weekend Friday with a 50-minute practice session. Qualifying will set the field Saturday before Sunday's long 500-mile race.
Key Stats at Atlanta Motor Speedway
- Number of races: 115
- Winners from pole: 14
- Winners from top-5 starters: 62
- Winners from top-10 starters: 90
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 8
- Fastest race: 166.633 mph
Previous 10 Atlanta Winners
2021 fall - Kurt Busch
2021 spring - Ryan Blaney
2020 - Kevin Harvick
2019 - Brad Keselowski
2018 - Kevin Harvick
2017 - Brad Keselowski
2016 - Jimmie Johnson
2015 - Jimmie Johnson
2014 - Kasey Kahne
2013 - Kyle Busch
The last time Atlanta Motor Speedway was repaved was 1997. This week, however, the teams will face an entirely new challenge. New pavement, new cars and the steepest banking of any intermediate circuit are all intended to produce more pack-style racing where strategically setting up your opponent and leveraging the draft to make a pass may be the order of the day. Drivers will have to anticipate situations developing much faster than normal at this track, with a relatively short lap combined with the style of racing seen at Daytona and Talladega. These factors set up a huge number of unknowns that can only be answered once cars hit the track. As a result, fantasy players will need to place more emphasis on what drivers have done, specifically at Daytona and Las Vegas, this season versus past Atlanta results.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Ryan Blaney - $10,700
Kyle Larson - $10,500
Chase Elliott - $10,300
Denny Hamlin - $10,100
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Joey Logano - $9,900
Kyle Busch - $9,800
Kevin Harvick - $9,600
William Byron - $9,400
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Tyler Reddick - $9,000
Brad Keselowski - $8,600
Kurt Busch - $8,400
Ross Chastain - $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Austin Cindric - $7,800
Aric Almirola - $7,600
Bubba Wallace - $7,300
Erik Jones - $6,900
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Ryan Blaney - $10,700
Tyler Reddick - $9,000
Kurt Busch - $8,400
Ross Chastain - $8,000
Bubba Wallace - $7,300
Michael McDowell - $6,600
This week's lower-risk lineup leverages drivers who have shown speed and the potential for wins and top finishes through the first races of 2022 with a heavier lean toward past success on superspeedways further down the order. Blaney (DK $10,700, FD $13,500), the defending winner of this race, placed fourth at Daytona earlier this year and made a return to the top five last week at Phoenix. Selecting him gives fantasy owners perhaps the best of both worlds when weighing superspeedway success and 2022 speed. Tyler Reddick's (DK $9,000, FD $9,500) recent pace has been impressive. He led 90 laps at Fontana and finished in the top 10 the last two races. He has shown consistent speed to date and should be a contender for the win Sunday. Kurt Busch (DK $8,400, FD $11,500) is not only a great racer on superspeedways, but he also picked up his first top-five of the season last week and sits 12th in points. Ross Chastain (DK $8,000, FD $7,000) has zero top-10s from four series starts at Atlanta but has two top-three finishes in the last two races. He also led 83 laps at Las Vegas. Pack racing is arguably where Bubba Wallace (DK $7,300, FD $8,500) is at his best. He'll have to adapt to this style on a shorter circuit, but he is a previous winner at Talladega and was the runner up in this year's Daytona 500. Another driver at his best in the draft is Michael McDowell (DK $6,600, FD $5,000). He won last year's Daytona 500 and finished seventh in that same race this year.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Chase Elliott - $10,300
Joey Logano - $9,900
Brad Keselowski - $8,600
Austin Cindric - $7,800
Erik Jones - $6,900
Harrison Burton - $6,400
The higher-risk lineup for Atlanta features a heavier emphasis on superspeedway prowess. Chase Elliott (DK $10,300, FD $12,500) is not only racing at his home track, but he was fifth in his qualifying duel at Daytona and went on to finish 10th in the Daytona 500. He has never won at Atlanta, but a hometown win this weekend could set his season alight. Joey Logano (DK $9,900, FD $13,000) is a similar selection to teammate Ryan Blaney. The former Daytona 500 winner is typically competitive in the draft and has consistent top-10 pace so far in 2022. He also has five top-10s from 16 Atlanta starts. Brad Keselowski (DK $8,600, FD $7,500) was one of the more impressive names at Daytona in February. He won his qualifying race and finished ninth in the 500. The track changes this week could be the tonic he needs to return to top-10 form after three races outside of the top 20. Austin Cindric (DK $7,800, FD $9,000) won coming out of the gate at Daytona. He has a best finish of 12th in the three races since, but, like Keselowski, he could outperform those results given this week's anticipated style of racing. Likewise, Erik Jones (DK $6,900, FD $5,500) should have a better chance of a top finish this week. He raced at the front in Daytona and then scored a third-place finish at California. He has one previous top-10 at Atlanta. The 2022 season has certainly been a learning experience for Harrison Burton (DK $6,400, FD $4,000). The one hint of potential we have seen from him this year was his third-place finish in his Daytona qualifying race. He and his team have the speed but need some luck to get to the finish in one piece.
