This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Jockey Made in America 250
Location: Elkhart Lake, Wis.
Course: Road America
Format: 4.05-mile road course
Laps: 62
Race Preview
The Jockey Made in America 250 will be the first time the NASCAR Cup Series has tackled Road America. The natural terrain road course has hosted the Xfinity Series 11 times, but 2021 will be the first for the Cup regulars. This is the second new road course the schedule visits so far this season. Road-course dominator Chase Elliott won at Circuit of the Americas earlier this season in the first. Elliott's recent dominance may make him the favorite again this week, but Kyle Larson's surge to the win at Sonoma Raceway ended his teammate's string of road course victories and may put him on equal footing this week in the unfamiliar surroundings. This week's race will be the fourth of seven road courses on the calendar this season. Christopher Bell, Elliott and Larson won the first three, and the rest of the pack will be aiming to make the right turn into Victory Lane this Sunday.
Key Stats at Road America
- Number of races: 0
- Winners from pole: 0
- Winners from top-5 starters: 0
- Winners from top-10 starters: 0
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: N/A
Previous 10 Road Course Winners
2021 Sonoma Raceway - Kyle Larson
2021 Circuit of the Americas - Chase Elliott
2021 Daytona Road Course - Christopher Bell
2020 Daytona Road Course - Chase Elliott
2020 Charlotte ROVAL - Chase Elliott
2019 Charlotte ROVAL - Chase Elliott
2019 Watkins Glen International - Chase Elliott
2019 Sonoma Raceway - Martin Truex Jr.
2018 Charlotte ROVAL - Ryan Blaney
2018 Watkins Glen International - Chase Elliott
While Road America is a new venue for the Cup Series, it isn't unfamiliar to NASCAR. The Xfinity Series has visited the track annually since 2010, and it has produced 11 different winners from 11 races. While there are many unknowns with a new circuit, there are probably as many things fantasy players can count on. The long circuit will allow for differing pit strategies. Teams may again decide to forgo stage points in order to maximize track position for the race finish. Road course racing is all about track position, and teams will plan their strategies around that. While fuel economy could be a factor again this week, Road America's four-mile length makes getting those calculations correct a necessity, and running out of fuel will mean a nonfinish. The circuit does offer passing zones at the end of its long straights if drivers can out-brake one another on corner entry. Drivers will have to preserve their equipment, however. Both brakes and tires will be the difference between making passes or losing positions.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Chase Elliott - $10,600
Kyle Larson - $10,500
Martin Truex Jr. - $10,300
Kyle Busch - $10,100
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Joey Logano - $9,800
Denny Hamlin - $9,700
Ryan Blaney - $9,200
AJ Allmendinger - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Kurt Busch - $8,800
Kevin Harvick - $8,600
Brad Keselowski - $8,500
Austin Cindric - $8,300
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Michael McDowell - $7,600
Chris Buescher - $7,500
Chase Briscoe - $6,700
Erik Jones - $6,600
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Chase Elliott - $10,600
Ryan Blaney - $9,200
AJ Allmendinger - $9,000
Michael McDowell - $7,600
Chase Briscoe - $6,700
Erik Jones - $6,600
Elliott (DK $10,600, FD $14,500) has finished first or second in six of the last seven points paying road course races. It stands to reason that he would be one of the favorites this week on another new road course. Last time on this type of circuit he finished second to teammate Larson, though. While Ryan Blaney (DK $9,200, FD $10,200) hasn't been dominant on these tracks like Elliott, he has been good for fantasy owners. He finished 10th at Sonoma and has eight top-10s from his 15 points paying starts on road courses. AJ Allmendinger (DK $9,000, FD $8,900) is no stranger to fantasy players either. He is at his best on these types of courses and has a Road America Xfinity victory to his credit as well. Michael McDowell (DK $7,600, FD $7,700) consistently outperforms on road courses as well. He didn't fare too well at Sonoma a few weeks ago, but does have three top-10s from the last five road course visits. This weekend will be Chase Briscoe's (DK $6,700, FD $6,400) fourth road course race in the Cup Series. He finished sixth at COTA earlier this season and finished third in last year's Xfinity trip to this track. Erik Jones (DK $6,600, FD $4,900) also should be able to beat typical weekly expectations. He hasn't finished worse than 16th on any road course yet this season and has a career total of six top-10s from 13 road-course appearances in the series.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Kyle Busch - $10,100
Joey Logano - $9,800
Austin Cindric - $8,300
Christopher Bell - $8,000
Matt DiBenedetto - $7,300
Daniel Suarez - $6,500
Aside from Elliott and Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch (DK $10,100, FD $12,500) should be top of the considerations for fantasy rosters this week. He won last week at Pocono with a crippled car and won the first road course race of the season in Daytona's Busch Clash. He has wins at Watkins Glen and Sonoma, and will be competing in the Xfinity Series race Saturday to get some additional track time. Despite not grabbing the headlines, Joey Logano (DK $9,800, FD $11,800) has been one of the most reliable top performers on road courses for fantasy players. He enters this weekend's race having not missed the top 10 since 2019's race at Watkins Glen. Austin Cindric (DK $8,300, FD $8,700) does not have the Cup Series track record of teammate Joey Logano, but he is no slouch on these types of tracks. He won last year's Xfinity race at Road America and led four laps in extremely difficult conditions earlier this year at COTA. He isn't a sure thing this weekend, but is definitely a driver fantasy players will flock to next season when he moves to the Cup Series full time. Bell (DK $8,000, FD $9,000) got his 2021 victory on the road course at Daytona. He also led six laps on the Charlotte road course in 2020. Matt DiBenedetto (DK $7,300, FD $6,900) has not fared too well on road courses this season, but was a consistent contender for the top 15 the three seasons prior. His best season of road course races came in 2019 when he finished all three races 11th or better. Daniel Suarez (DK $6,500, FD $6,300) raced at Road America twice in his days in the Xfinity Series. His best finish at the track was fourth in 2016. He started his Cup career on these tracks with two top-fives at Watkins Glen. With a little luck this week, he could be a top-15 contender Sunday.
