This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Course: Texas Motor Speedway
Format: 1.5-mile quad-oval
Laps: 267
NASCAR AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 Preview
William Byron and Hendrick Motorsports ended Denny Hamlin's run of short-track wins a week ago at Martinsville. This week, Byron heads to Texas Motor Speedway with a chance to win back-to-back races from last week as well as at this track. Last season's AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 was held in September, and Byron led the final six laps for his first win at the high-banked speedway. This weekend's visit will be the 44th time the NASCAR Cup Series stops at the 1.5-mile oval, and Chevrolet drivers have won four of the last five races there. Byron's wins this season, the first driver to reach three, makes him an early championship favorite, but there is still a long way yet to go. Hendrick will enter this weekend on the forefoot after putting three of their drivers into the top three finishing positions a week ago at Martinsville. That was the first time any team accomplished that feat, but fantasy players may not want to discount the Toyota challengers too quickly. Hamlin sits just one victory behind Byron on the season, and the momentum could shift yet again as the series hits its first 1.5-mile oval since Las Vegas more than a month ago.
Key Stats at Texas Motor Speedway
- Number of races: 43
- Winners from pole: 5
- Winners from top-5 starters: 25
- Winners from top-10 starters: 33
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 6
- Fastest race: 160.577 mph
Previous 10 Texas Winners
2023 - William Byron
2022 - Tyler Reddick
2021 - Kyle Larson
2020 fall - Kyle Busch
2020 spring - Austin Dillon
2019 fall - Kevin Harvick
2019 spring - Denny Hamlin
2018 fall - Kevin Harvick
2018 spring - Kyle Busch
2017 fall - Kevin Harvick
Texas Motor Speedway's high banking and quad-shaped oval make it most similar to Charlotte. However, this track is unique in its own right. The tracks differ in the steepness through each set of corners. Turns 1 and 2 at Texas feature shallower banking than turns 3 and 4, which forces teams to find a setup that will perform well through both sets of turns. The more shallow banking in turns 1 and 2 forces drivers to take different lines, and finding a setup that works well in both can be a challenge. Like Charlotte, Texas enables fast cars to separate themselves from the field early in the race. Stretches of long green flag periods also make it hard for slower cars struggling with handling to stay in touch with the front. Those characteristics make track position, especially on restarts, important. Throughout the race, teams need to stay on top of chassis adjustments and strategy calls in order to not lose ground. Fantasy players should also expect teams further in the pack to gamble on tires or track position if there are any late caution periods, but the race winner most often comes from those who start inside the top 10.
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DraftKings Value Picks for the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Kyle Larson - $11,000
Denny Hamlin - $10,500
Ryan Blaney - $10,200
Tyler Reddick - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Martin Truex Jr. - $9,700
Christopher Bell - $9,500
Chase Elliott - $9,300
Ross Chastain - $9,200
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Joey Logano - $8,800
Bubba Wallace - $8,700
Ty Gibbs - $8,500
Alex Bowman - $8,400
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Chase Briscoe - $7,700
Erik Jones - $7,000
Austin Cindric - $6,400
Ryan Preece - $5,700
NASCAR DFS Picks for the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Kyle Larson - $11,000
Joey Logano - $8,800
Bubba Wallace - $8,700
Alex Bowman - $8,400
Erik Jones - $7,000
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - $6,100
Kyle Larson (DK $11,000, FD $14,000) is on the hunt to join 2024's multiple race winner's list. He finished second and third in the last two races and led 99 laps at Texas last season. Larson won from pole at this track in 2021 in dominating fashion, and appears poised to step into Victory Lane again very soon. Joey Logano (DK $8,800, FD $8,500) also has a Texas win on his resume. That win may have been all the way back in 2014, but he was also the runner up in 2022. Four of his last six Texas starts have resulted in top-10 finishes. Bubba Wallace (DK $8,700, FD $9,000) has also been competitive at Texas. He finished third last season after starting on pole and led 111 laps. He is also on a swing of positive momentum after his fourth-place finish a week ago at Martinsville. It would not be a surprise to see Wallace in Victory Lane this season, and that moment could be as soon as this weekend. In a similar situation is Alex Bowman (DK $8,400, FD $8,000). The Hendrick driver has been racing well in 2024 and has three finishes of eight or better in the last four races. Bowman's best result as Texas is a pair of fifth-place finishes. He finished 12th last season when he wasn't experiencing the same level of competitiveness as he is right now.
Texas has also been a great venue for Erik Jones (DK $7,000, FD $7,000). He crashed out of the race last fall, but it has given him seven top-10 finishes from 12 tries. He has also led 116 total laps in that span. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (DK $6,100, FD $4,000) could also make a compelling choice in certain rosters this week. The JTG Daugherty Racing driver has not scored a top-20 finish since Atlanta, but he finished ninth in this race last season and should be capable of the top 15 this week if he can avoid trouble.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Denny Hamlin - $10,500
Christopher Bell - $9,500
Ross Chastain - $9,200
Chase Briscoe - $7,700
Daniel Suarez - $7,200
Carson Hocevar - $5,900
Prior to Martinsville, no driver was hotter than Denny Hamlin (DK $10,500, FD $13,000). The Joe Gibbs Racing champion is the only other driver besides Byron to have multiple race wins so far this season, but his roll came to a halt last week. That is no reason to pass him up this week, though. Hamlin is a three-time Texas victor with four straight finishes of 11th or better at the track coming into the race weekend. Teammate Christopher Bell (DK $9,500, FD $11,000) should also be a top consideration. He finished fourth in last season's race and brings a total of three top-five finishes from five starts at the track. Ross Chastain (DK $9,200, FD $10,000) was last season's runner up in this race. That was his first top-five finish at this track, though. However, Chastain's best finish so far this season came at the 1.5-mile oval at Las Vegas, which means he should bring some more top-10 potential this week.
Chase Briscoe (DK $7,700, FD $6,800) should also hit fantasy radars this week. He was quick at Texas last season with a 10th-place finish, which came after a long midseason slump. He has two top-10 finishes from three track starts, and his worst Texas finish was 15th in 2021 as a series rookie. Daniel Suarez (DK $7,200, FD $7,200) was also a top-10 Texas finisher last season. That was his fourth top-10 at the track from 11 career starts. He hasn't finished lower than 12th at the track since 2020. Finally, Carson Hocevar (DK $5,900, FD $4,200) is a rookie that may warrant attention this week. He sits 25th in points, but scored his third top-20 finish of the season a week ago at Martinsville. This will be his first series start at Texas but has and average finish of 5.3 at the track from three truck races, which includes a win.
