This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Coke Zero Sugar 400
Location: Daytona, Fla.
Course: Daytona International Speedway
Format: 2.5-mile tri-oval
Laps: 160
NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400 Race Preview
The final race of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season is upon us. Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway represents the last chance for drivers to claim the final spot among the 16 playoff contenders. With everything still to race for, Daytona's usual excitement will be amped up a notch. Bubba Wallace enters the weekend with the 16th and final playoff position in hand, but everything could change in an instant at a place like Daytona. Wallace put in the work to give himself a 32-point cushion over Ty Gibbs in 17th, but any first-time winner on the season could upset that duel. Austin Dillon scored the walk-off win in this race last season to claim his spot in the championship fight, and any number of drivers could do the same again Saturday night under the lights. The 16 championship contenders will be set this week at Daytona before their quest to hoist the 2023 championship trophy kicks off.
Key Stats at Daytona International Speedway
- Number of races: 152
- Winners from pole: 26
- Winners from top-5 starters: 75
- Winners from top-10 starters: 114
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 14
- Fastest race: 183.295 mph
Previous 10 Daytona Winners
2023 spring - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
2022 fall - Austin Dillon
2022 spring - Austin Cindric
2021 fall - Ryan Blaney
2021 spring - Michael McDowell
2020 fall - William Byron
2020 spring - Denny Hamlin
2019 fall - Justin Haley
2019 spring - Denny Hamlin
2018 fall - Erik Jones
There may be no more nerve-wracking venue to have to claim a playoff spot than Daytona. The 2.5-mile superspeedway tends to be an unpredictable race, and is often filled with attrition. Having a good race car in the draft is important with this new generation of car, but it remains difficult to make passes for the lead. Certain drivers also tend to be better racing in the draft than others, and races at Daytona can be all about that ability to survive to the finish. Pit strategy will be key to keeping drivers in position to win Saturday night. Teams will coordinate their green-flag stops with allies in order to ensure they come up to speed through drafting upon pit exit. Any mistakes on pit road could seriously hamper a driver's night. Cautions should be expected more frequently in the final miles as aggression rises and the opportunity to claim a playoff spot moves within reach. For all of those reasons fantasy players should focus on drivers who tend to race well at superspeedways and have extra incentive to push for the win Saturday night.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Chase Elliott - $10,500
Denny Hamlin - $10,200
Ryan Blaney - $9,900
Joey Logano - $9,800
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Brad Keselowski - $9,300
Kyle Larson - $9,200
Chris Buescher - $9,000
Bubba Wallace - $8,900
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - $8,500
Daniel Suarez - $8,400
Ross Chastain - $8,300
Christopher Bell - $8,100
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Michael McDowell - $7,800
Alex Bowman - $7,600
Austin Cindric - $7,300
Ty Gibbs - $7,200
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Coke Zero Sugar 400
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Joey Logano - $9,800
Kyle Larson - $9,200
Chris Buescher - $9,000
Austin Dillon - $7,500
Austin Cindric - $7,300
Chase Briscoe - $6,600
The lower-risk lineup for this regular-season finale is a more balanced approach between drivers who are typically top performers at superspeedways, coupled with drivers that are fighting for a playoff spot. Joey Logano (DK $9,800, FD $13,500) got his playoff spot with his Atlanta win in March. His victory in his qualifying duel at Daytona in February makes him a top choice again this week. Kyle Larson (DK $9,200, FD $9,500) was assured a playoff spot in April when he won at Richmond. He grabbed another short-track win at Martinsville, but that doesn't mean he isn't good on the big tracks, too. He hasn't won at Daytona, but he has started on the front row in his last four tries. That speed could translate to a win or top finish Saturday night. Chris Buescher (DK $9,000, FD $10,500) scored back-to-back race wins last month, and he is almost always a factor at superspeedways. He has six top-10s from 15 Daytona starts, including his fourth-place finish in February's Daytona 500. He led 32 laps that afternoon.
Austin Dillon (DK $7,500, FD $6,000) and Austin Cindric (DK $7,300, FD $8,200) are two Daytona 500 champions that should never be counted out at this track. Both are skilled at navigating the draft to the front from wherever they happen to be in the pack, and neither would be a surprise victor Saturday night. A win for either driver would bring a playoff spot with it. A Chase Briscoe (DK $6,600, FD $5,800) win Saturday would be a huge turnaround for the team's 2023 season. Briscoe started the year in playoff contention, but they were assessed a massive penalty that effectively ended their championship hopes. A win Saturday would be a statement from the No. 14, and they've been improving their finishes each week ahead of this race. Briscoe is 266 points outside of the playoffs, but a win would get him in. His potential for Saturday is demonstrated through his third-place finish in last year's Daytona 500.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Chase Elliott - $10,500
Brad Keselowski - $9,300
Bubba Wallace - $8,900
Michael McDowell - $7,800
Ty Gibbs - $7,200
Corey Lajoie - $6,200
The higher-risk lineup for the Coke Zero 400 focuses heavily on drivers with extra incentive to win their way into the championship battle. Leading that crew is Chase Elliott (DK $10,500, FD $12,500). Not many would have expected Elliott to be out of the playoff positions with one regular-season race remaining, but here we are. He missed multiple races due to injury, and he hasn't been able to overcome that yet. Elliott is 101 points behind the final playoff position and needs a win to advance. He has never won at Daytona, but is one of the favorites this weekend. He has a pair of runner-up finishes at the track, though. Brad Keselowski (DK $9,300, FD $11,000) locked up his playoff spot on points last week. That doesn't mean he won't be going for the win, though. He watched his teammate take two wins already this season, but Keselowski hasn't been far from Victory Lane himself. He is one of the best drivers in the draft and has led over 300 laps at Daytona. He led 42 laps in February before being eliminated by a crash. Bubba Wallace (DK $8,900, FD $8,500) has the advantage of having the final playoff spot in hand before Saturday's race kicks off. He will feel confident of holding it, too. Wallace is typically at the front at this track and has been in position to score a Daytona win multiple times. He has four top-fives from 12 tries, including a pair of runner-up finishes.
Michael McDowell (DK $7,800, FD $6,200) may have earned his playoff spot with the Indianapolis victory, but he is also typically one of the drivers to bring significant upside potential to fantasy rosters at Daytona. He is a Daytona 500 champion and has eight top-10s from 24 tries. Ty Gibbs (DK $7,200, FD $7,000) is the first driver out of the playoff positions. However, the Joe Gibbs Racing teammates have been very quick at Daytona in the current generation of car. They typically work very well together throughout these races, and Gibbs should be able to count on having a number of allies to help him move forward. Fantasy players must also consider Corey Lajoie (DK $6,200, FD $5,000) this week. He has a knack for survival at Daytona and can often find himself in contention toward the front in the closing stages of Daytona races. He has three top-10 finishes at the track and an impressive average finish of 18.8 from 13 career starts. Lajoie is the underdog that could throw a curveball at the playoffs this weekend.
