This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Drydene 200 Double-Header
Location: Dover, Del.
Course: Dover International Speedway
Format: 1.0-mile oval
Laps: 200
Race Preview
This week will be the third time this season the NASCAR Xfinity series has back-to-back races on the same track. Austin Cindric swept both wins in the last double-header weekend at Kentucky Speedway. The Penske Racing driver continued his hot streak last week at Daytona with another road-course win, too. That was his fifth victory of the season, which kept the door open to nonwinners to retain their spots in the playoff standings. Only seven regular-season races remain before the championship field is set. Brandon Brown is currently on the bubble and is 28 points ahead of Jeremy Clements in 13th. Myatt Snider and Alex Labbe sit 52 and 76 points away from the cutoff respectively. Justin Allgaier is the only driver in the field with a previous Dover win.
Key Stats at Dover International Speedway
- Number of races: 72
- Winners from pole: 8
- Winners from top-5 starters: 42
- Winners from top-10 starters: 52
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 7
- Fastest race: 133.154 mph
Previous 10 Dover Winners
2019 fall - Cole Custer
2019 spring - Christopher Bell
2018 fall - Christopher Bell
2018 spring - Justin Allgaier
2017 fall - Ryan Blaney
2017 spring - Kyle Larson
2016 fall - Daniel Suarez
2016 spring - Erik Jones
2015 fall - Regan Smith
2015 spring - Chris Buescher
Dover's 1.0-mile oval is a difficult track that will require patience and consistency to master. Track position is historically one of the most important factors, too. Teams will need to maximize pit strategy and remain mistake free on pit road to keep their car moving forward in the order. Drivers will prefer to have their cars low in the groove in each turn to set up passes on the straights. Tire wear on the concrete surface can also become a concern, and tire failures at the track often put cars completely out of the race. The track's quick speeds and low lines in the turns mean tire failures are often met with heavy contact and damage. Fantasy owners will also want to focus on drivers starting inside the top 10. No driver has won this race from lower than the eighth starting position since Clint Bowyer won in 2016 from 16th.
The double-header weekends thus far have proven that the Saturday races are a strong representation of what to expect on Sunday, too. For that reason I will return to offering lower- and higher-risk lineups versus the Saturday and Sunday picks. Fantasy players run a high likelihood of finding success on Sunday by going with those drivers who run well first on Saturday.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Austin Cindric - $11,300 Saturday, $11,300 Sunday
Justin Allgaier - $11,000 Saturday, $10,800 Sunday
Chase Briscoe - $10,600 Saturday, $11,600 Sunday
Ross Chastain - $10,400 Saturday, $10,100 Sunday
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Justin Haley - $9,900 Saturday, $9,300 Sunday
Myatt Snider - $9,700 Saturday, $8,300 Sunday
Harrison Burton - $9,500 Saturday, $9,800 Sunday
Brandon Jones - $9,300 Saturday, $9,500 Sunday
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Brett Moffitt - $8,900 Saturday, $8,500 Sunday
Riley Herbst - $8,500 Saturday, $8,900 Sunday
Alex Labbe - $8,300 Saturday, $8,700 Sunday
Jeremy Clements - $8,100 Saturday, $7,900 Sunday
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Michael Annett - $7,900 Saturday, $7,700 Sunday
Brandon Brown - $7,700 Saturday, $7,000 Sunday
Ryan Sieg - $7,000 Saturday, $7,600 Sunday
Josh Williams - $6,700 Saturday, $7,400 Sunday
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Chase Briscoe - $10,600
Myatt Snider - $9,700
Alex Labbe - $8,300
Michael Annett - $7,900
Ryan Sieg - $7,000
Joe Graf Jr. - $6,500
Chase Briscoe finished fifth in the last two Dover races and will be starting Saturday in 10th. He has five wins so far this season and finished second or third in the last five races. A few poor results have dropped Myatt Snider out of the playoff positions. His 10th-place finish at Daytona last week may have put him back on track, however. Snider will start Saturday's race in 11th, which is the best starting spot he has had since Kentucky. Alex Labbe is also searching for a path to the championship battle. He finished 21st in his two prior Dover starts and will roll off 19th on Saturday. Michael Annett has a lot of Dover experience with 16 series starts at the track, and some of his best finishes have been in his most recent attempts. With 10th- and sixth-place finishes in his last two Dover starts and an eighth-place starting position for Saturday, he could be a big value for fantasy rosters. Ryan Sieg is another driver looking to strengthen his position in the playoffs this weekend. Sieg has 12 Dover starts with an average finish of 15.4 and finished 10th and 11th in the last two Dover races. Finishing off the lower-risk lineup option is Joe Graf Jr., who brings consistent top-25 finishes to the roster. He finished 13th at Bristol and Miami earlier this season, which could suggest some upside potential this week, too.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Austin Cindric - $11,300
Justin Haley - $9,900
Riley Herbst - $8,500
Brandon Brown - $7,700
Josh Williams - $6,700
Chad Finchum - $5,900
Austin Cindric has been on fire, winning five of the last six races. He starts Saturday's race at Dover on pole due to that form, and he hasn't finished lower than ninth at Dover in his four series starts. Justin Haley had a rough weekend on the Daytona road course but had a string of six finishes of 11th or better going until last weekend. He finished fourth at Dover last season but will have to overcome his 22nd-place starting position. Riley Herbst has three top-10 finishes in the last five races heading into Dover. He finished 15th at the track last season and will start inside the top 10 this time. Brandon Brown enters the Dover race weekend looking to defend and strengthen his position in the playoff standings. His best finish at the track came last season when he finished 11th and has been a consistent top-15 finisher this season. Josh Williams will have his best Dover start on Saturday from 18th position. He came home 22nd and 15th in his two prior races at the track after starting outside of the top 30 in both races. The bonus track position should help him score one of his best finishes at the circuit this weekend. Finally, Chad Finchum will be aiming for his best Dover finish in the Xfiniy series. His 34th-place starting position would give some finish differential points to lineups that include him, too.
