This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Ambetter Get Vaccinated 200
Location: Loudon, N.H.
Course: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Format: 1.06-mile oval
Laps: 200
Race Preview
The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend for the first time since 2019. Eight races remain for drivers to claim their spot in the playoffs. Kyle Busch won his fifth start of the season in what he said may be his last appearance in the series. New Hampshire has hosted the Xfinity competitors 33 prior times producing 26 different winners. Toyota cars have won six of the last seven visits to the track, with Chevrolet having not visited Victory Lane there since 2007 with Kevin Harvick. Jeb Burton and Justin Haley will share the front row this week, and nearly 82 percent of the New Hampshire races have been won by someone starting inside the top 10. Burton has already secured his spot in the top 30 in points, which means that a win this weekend would guarantee him a playoff spot.
Key Stats at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
- Number of races: 33
- Winners from pole: 9
- Winners from top-5 starters: 21
- Winners from top-10 starters: 27
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 3
- Fastest race: 111.925 mph
Previous 10 New Hampshire Winners
2019 - Christopher Bell
2018 - Christopher Bell
2017 - Kyle Busch
2016 - Kyle Busch
2015 - Denny Hamlin
2014 - Brad Keselowski
2013 - Kyle Busch
2012 - Brad Keselowski
2011 - Kyle Busch
2010 - Kyle Busch
New Hampshire Motor Speedway races much like a short track. Fantasy managers will want to keep prior results from places like Phoenix and Martinsville in mind when making selections this week. Additionally, the vast majority of winners at the track start in the first five rows. In fact, no one has won this race when starting lower than ninth since Matt Kenseth won from the 21st starting position in 2004. Track position is important to success, but tires won't be as big of a factor as they were in last week's visit to Atlanta. While four tires will certainly be the preference, there could be times where teams opt for two-tire stops to gain position for restarts. A quick caution after that type of move could be enough to keep them at the front for the rest of the day, too.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Christopher Bell - $11,500
Justin Allgaier - $11,100
Austin Cindric - $10,700
Josh Berry - $10,400
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Daniel Hemric - $9,800
Harrison Burton - $9,600
AJ Allmendinger - $9,400
Noah Gragson - $9,100
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Justin Haley - $8,400
Myatt Snider - $8,200
Jeb Burton - $7,900
Brandon Brown - $7,500
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Ryan Sieg - $7,000
Jeremy Clements - $6,800
Alex Labbe - $6,000
Colby Howard - $5,800
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Christopher Bell - $11,500
Noah Gragson - $9,100
Riley Herbst - $8,000
Jeb Burton - $7,900
Jordan Anderson - $7,600
Colby Howard - $5,800
Christopher Bell has won the last two Xfinity races at New Hampshire. He will have a difficult doing that a third time this week from the 14th starting position, though. This will be his first series appearance of the year, and it is at a track at which he has been exceptional. So, fantasy players should feel comfortable selecting him in their rosters this week. Noah Gragson will start closer to the front in third. He finished 10th in his only prior New Hampshire visit in 2019. Riley Herbst will line up 12th on Saturday and is looking to hang onto his 12th position in the standings. He holds a slim two-point gap over Brandon Brown in the final playoff position. Jeb Burton's second-place finish at Atlanta helped earn him this week's pole position. He has three top-10 finishes from the last four races and finished sixth at Phoenix earlier this season. Jordan Anderson will make his second start of the season this week. The team rotates its drivers, and Josh Berry has driven the car to top-10 finishes at Pocono and Mid-Ohio. Anderson will start 33rd. Colby Howard picked up his fourth top-20 finish of the season last week at Atlanta. He will line up 25th this week for his first series New Hampshire attempt.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Austin Cindric - $10,700
Harrison Burton - $9,600
Justin Haley - $8,600
Brandon Brown - $7,500
Ryan Sieg - $7,000
Josh Williams - $6,100
Austin Cindric and Harrison Burton both announced plans to move up to the NASCAR Cup Series next season. Cindric will take over Brad Keselowski's No. 2 ride, but first will want to defend his Xfinity title. He'll start on the outside of the front row this week in New Hampshire, which is a track he has not scored a top-10 at yet. Burton is starting 10th this week and will be moving from Toyota to the Wood Brothers Racing Ford next season. He was forced out of his only prior New Hampshire start in 2019 with suspension trouble. Justin Haley had already announced a Cup Series schedule for next season and will start on the outside of the front row this week. He started and finished 13th in his only prior New Hampshire start. Brandon Brown is battling to work his way into the playoff positions. Brown will start 22nd Saturday and finished 16th in his 2019 New Hampshire outing after starting 21st. Compared to much of the field, Ryan Sieg has a plethora of New Hampshire experience. His six prior starts produced one top-10, which was his last visit there in 2019. Josh Williams will start Saturday's race 20th. The last time he raced at New Hampshire he started 27th and finished 19th.
