This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Ag-Pro 300
Location: Talladega, Ala.
Course: Talladega Superspeedway
Format: 2.66-mile tri-oval
Laps: 113
Race Preview
Josh Berry grabbed his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory two weeks ago in the weather-delayed race at Richmond Raceway. All four of the JR Motorsports teammates finished in the top-10 that day, and Berry earned the chance to compete in the Dash 4 Cash bonus this week at Talladega Superspeedway as a result. Justin Haley won both visits to Talladega last season and will start fifth as he seeks to win three in a row at the track. He has yet to win so far in 2021, but this weekend could be a good chance for him to change that. Austin Cindric will lead the field to green this Saturday with Daniel Hemric starting alongside him on the front row.
Key Stats at Talladega Superspeedway
- Number of races: 30
- Winners from pole: 3
- Winners from top-5 starters: 11
- Winners from top-10 starters: 15
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 7
- Fastest race: 168.937 mph
Previous 10 Talladega Winners
2020 fall - Justin Haley
2020 spring - Justin Haley
2019 - Tyler Reddick
2018 - Spencer Gallagher
2017 - Aric Almirola
2016 - Elliott Sadler
2015 - Joey Logano
2014 - Elliott Sadler
2013 - Regan Smith
2012 - Joey Logano
Being successful at Talladega means avoiding trouble and having a car that can navigate the draft. Racing in the pack requires horsepower, and teammates will work together to move forward in the order and challenge for the win in the final laps. The tight racing typically produces many caution periods, and wrecks can damage many competitors. Avoiding those pileups and putting the car within striking distance of the lead in the final laps is the recipe for success. Superspeedway racing is an art at which some drivers tend to excel while others struggle. Chevrolet has won five of the last six series races at the track, but fantasy owners should not feel obligated to stick to certain manufacturers over others.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
AJ Allmendinger - $10,600
Justin Allgaier - $10,400
Brandon Jones - $10,200
Noah Gragson - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Ryan Sieg - $9,800
Austin Cindric - $9,600
Daniel Hemric - $9,400
Justin Haley - $9,200
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Riley Herbst - $8,800
Michael Annett - $8,600
Harrison Burton - $8,500
Jeb Burton -$8,200
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Ty Dillon - $7,900
Myatt Snider - $7,700
Brandon Brown - $7,600
Landon Cassill - $7,100
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Noah Gragson - $10,000
Justin Haley - $9,200
Harrison Burton - $8,500
Ty Dillon - $7,900
Jeremy Clements - $7,300
Landon Cassill - $7,100
Noah Gragson has endured some terrible luck this season. He should arguably have multiple wins so far but still hasn't gotten the job done. He has been one of the fastest all season and will start on the second row this week. Haley is an easy fantasy choice given his two Talladega wins last season. He is excellent on superspeedways and should be a top choice this week. Toyota's Harrison Burton was the third-place finisher at Daytona earlier this season. He starts third this week and should be in store for his best series Talladega finish in this week's race. Ty Dillon has proven his abilities in pack-style racing in multiple NASCAR series starts at Talladega and Daytona. He will start 16th this weekend and finished in the top-20 in each of his last four series Talladega starts. His best Xfinity finish here was eighth in 2015 when he also led 26 laps. Jeremy Clements has had a great start to the 2021 season. He enters this week's race in playoff contention and only has one finish outside of the top 20 so far this season. That was a 22nd-place run at Daytona, but he has two top-10 Talladega finishes in the series and should make for a reliable fantasy option this week. Finally, Landon Cassill brings veteran experience to this week's race. He, like Dillon, has proven himself in this style of racing in multiple NASCAR series and starts 32nd this week. He hasn't finished lower than 17th in his four Xfinity starts at the circuit.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
AJ Allmendinger - $10,600
Austin Cindric - $9,600
Daniel Hemric - $9,400
Riley Herbst - $8,800
Matt Mills - $5,900
Joe Graf Jr. - $5,700
AJ Allmendinger has the 11th starting spot for Sunday's race and led 24 laps in the second race here last fall before crashing. He finished seventh in the spring race and has proven to be quite capable in this style of racing. Ford's Cindric could be the manufacturer's best chance of breaking Chevrolet's Talladega win streak. He starts on pole Saturday and has two top-fives from four series starts here. His partner on the front row, Hemric, is the top driver in the standings without a victory. He has three Xfinity Talladega starts on his resume and finished fifth in the most recent of those. Riley Herbst has yet to show what he is capable of at Talladega. Both of his prior track starts have ended early due to crashes. Herbst will start in the middle of the pack in 19th position and should be focused on making it through the complete race distance. Starting further back is Matt Mills, who is someone on whom fantasy players may want to take a gamble. Mills finished 17th at Talladega in his first Xfinity race there and was 16th at Daytona earlier this season. Talladega is a track at which he could outperform usual expectations. The same is true for Joe Graf Jr., who will start 35th. Graf is 19th in points and finished 11th at Daytona earlier this year, which suggests he should be another who can outperform the usual expectations this week.
