This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
New England 300
Location: Loudon, N.H.
Course: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Format: 1.0-mile oval
Laps: 300
Race Preview
Martin Truex Jr. picked off Chase Elliott in an overtime restart to finish last week's first race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup in Chicago. The Furniture Row Racing driver landed his third win of the season, and also guaranteed himself a place in the next phase of knockout races in the championship hunt. Elliott moved to sixth in the standings after leading 75 laps and finishing third, while teammate Jimmie Johnson led 118 laps and finished 12th. However, both Johnson's and Truex's both failed post-race inspections and will be assessed penalties later in the week. While Truex's victory is likely to remain intact, Johnson could face falling to the bottom of the Chase standings if points are deducted for the infraction. That said, Hendrick Motorsports cars appeared to have the measure of Joe Gibbs Racing during the Chicago race, which could bode well for their potential in the remaining races of the season. This week, New Hampshire Motor Speedway makes its second appearance of the season, and Joe Gibbs and Penske Racing drivers have won the last six races at the track.
Key Stats at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
• Number of previous races: 43
• Winners from pole: 5
• Winners from top-5 starters: 12
• Winners from top-10 starters: 23
• Winners from 21st or lower starters: 9
• Fastest race: 117.134 mph
Last 10 New Hampshire Winners
2016 spring - Matt Kenseth
2015 fall - Matt Kenseth
2015 spring - Kyle Busch
2014 fall - Joey Logano
2014 spring - Brad Keselowski
2013 fall - Matt Kenseth
2013 spring - Brian Vickers
2012 fall - Denny Hamlin
2012 spring - Kasey Kahne
2011 fall - Tony Stewart
New Hampshire is a 1.0-mile oval with tight turns and long straights. Slowing into the turns after the fast straights will produce heavier than normal brake and tire wear, while the variable banking in the turns allows drivers to work slightly different grooves to find the best place for their cars throughout a fuel run. The track is difficult to pass on, and that makes track position a valuable commodity during the race. Mistakes on pit road that drop a driver to the rear of the field can end a competitive day, while qualifying will play a more important role in determining the outcome than it did last week in Chicago. Matt Kenseth has won the last two races at the circuit, and Joe Gibbs cars have won the last three. Truex, Kenseth and the remaining JGR teammates combined for a total of 299 laps led in the 301-lap event at the track earlier this season, which should give fantasy players a big hint as to which drivers to pay particular attention to this week.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Kevin Harvick - $10,700
Kyle Busch - $10,600
Martin Truex Jr. - $10,400
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Brad Keselowski - $9,900
Joey Logano - $9,600
Denny Hamlin - $9,300
Kyle Larson - $9,100
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Chase Elliott - $8,700
Austin Dillon - $8,200
Ryan Newman - $8,000
Jamie McMurray - $7,800
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Ryan Blaney - $7,600
Kasey Kahne - $7,400
A.J. Allmendinger - $6,300
David Ragan - $5,600
MY PICKS THIS WEEK
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Kevin Harvick - $10,700
Kyle Busch - $10,600
Brad Keselowski - $9,900
Greg Biffle - $7,200
A.J. Allmendinger - $6,300
Michael Annett - $4,800
The top three drivers in the lower-risk lineup for New Hampshire are likely to be among the early favorites to take the win on Sunday. Harvick has been threatening to visit Victory Lane for a number of weeks, and has three top-fives from his last four New Hampshire races. Busch is a two-time winner at this week's track and has only one finish worse than eighth in the last seven visits. The Chase started off well for Keselowski, but he'll feel more confident with a win this week. He won at New Hampshire in 2014 and hasn't finished outside of the top 15 there since the spring of 2011. The current season hasn't been the best for Biffle, but progress has been made. Biffle was fifth in New Hampshire earlier this season, making it consecutive top-five New Hampshire finishes for the veteran driver. Allmendinger has been a regular face in the top 20 all season and that trend should continue this week after he finished 21st there in the spring. Annett may not be a name on every fantasy player's mind this week, but he has increased his finishing position in every one of his five starts at this track and we know how valuable those points can be on any given weekend.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Matt Kenseth - $10,100
Joey Logano - $9,600
Denny Hamlin - $9,300
Ryan Newman - $8,000
Trevor Bayne - $6,800
Aric Almirola - $6,100
The biggest risk fantasy players face by choosing Kenseth this week is the difficulty level of winning three consecutive races at the same track. That's exactly what the JGR driver will try to accomplish on Sunday. Backing him up in the lineup is Logano, who's on a streak of finishing in the top five in the last four New Hampshire races. He also won this race in 2014. Hamlin continues to be one of the hottest drivers in the field. He finished sixth in Chicago and has two New Hampshire wins on his resume. New Hampshire has been a good track for Newman. He has three wins and seven poles at the circuit, finished seventh there this season and has a worst finish of 11th at the track from the last three races. Bayne has had some inconsistency recently, but he moved from the 31st starting position to 23rd in the spring and should be a contender for a top-20 this week. Finally, Almirola has underperformed for much of 2016. Last week's race in Chicago was another disappointment, but he finished 19th at New Hampshire earlier this season and that should give him the base to grab another top-20 this weekend.
