This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
FireKeepers Casino 400
Location: Brooklyn, Mich.
Course: Michigan International Speedway
Format: 2.0-mile D-shaped oval
Laps: 200
NASCAR FireKeepers Casino 400 Race Preview
Four races remain to finalize the field that will race for a chance to win the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series championship. Chris Buescher grabbed his spot last week with an emphatic win at Richmond Raceway, which only adds pressure on winless drivers trying to race their way into the championship battle on points alone. The FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway is the next venue before two road courses and a visit to Daytona, and nearly every driver fighting for the championship will be hopeful of securing their playoff spot with a win this week. Kevin Harvick is this race's defending winner, and while he holds a comfortable point total, a another Michigan win would go a long way to relieving some stress on his shoulders. The run to the playoffs continues this week with the first of four races that will finalize that last four championship contenders.
Key Stats at Michigan International Speedway
- Number of races: 105
- Winners from pole: 21
- Winners from top-5 starters: 62
- Winners from top-10 starters: 78
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 7
- Fastest race: 173.997 mph
Previous 10 Michigan Winners
2022 - Kevin Harvick
2021 - Ryan Blaney
2020 II _ Kevin Harvick
2020 I - Kevin Harvick
2019 fall - Kevin Harvick
2019 spring - Joey Logano
2018 fall - Kevin Harvick
2018 spring - Clint Bowyer
2017 fall - Kyle Larson
2017 spring - Kyle Larson
Michigan International Speedway is a wide 2.0-mile oval with plenty of lines for drivers to run to find the fastest lap time. The track's long full-throttle straights require the most out of the engines, and the high speeds encourage drafting through those sections. The track does have a preferred line, but its wide turns enable drivers to run different lines based on handling. Drivers can run the top, bottom, and middle as their car changes throughout a fuel run. That characteristic encourages passing, which creates close racing throughout the field. Drivers will sometimes have to pay as much attention to their rearview mirror as they would at Daytona or Talladega as they try to block oncoming challenges from behind, or attempt to disrupt another driver's line. Pitting under green at Michigan is less of a penalty than what fans saw last week, too. That ability makes fuel and tire strategy a way teams can gamble to try to get ahead. Multiple races at this track in the past have come down to fuel mileage, but caution periods tend to make that characteristic less of a concern. Those caution periods have a tendency to force strategies to converge, which then makes the race a battle of track position.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the FireKeepers 400 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Kyle Larson - $10,800
Denny Hamlin - $10,700
Martin Truex Jr. - $10,500
Kevin Harvick - $10,300
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Christopher Bell - $9,800
Ryan Blaney - $9,700
Chase Elliott - $9,500
Joey Logano - $9,300
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Bubba Wallace - $8,800
Brad Keselowski - $8,600
Ty Gibbs - $8,100
Alex Bowman - $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Aric Almirola - $7,500
Erik Jones - $7,300
Ryan Preece - $6,600
Chase Briscoe - $6,500
NASCAR DFS Picks for the FireKeepers Casino 400
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Kevin Harvick - $10,300
Ryan Blaney - $9,700
Brad Keselowski - $8,600
Ty Gibbs - $8,100
AJ Allmendinger - $6,800
Chase Briscoe - $6,500
Six-time Michigan winner Kevin Harvick (DK $10,300, FD $12,500) leads the Ford-centric lineup option for the FireKeepers Casino 400. Fords were so powerful a week ago at Richmond, it would be a surprise not to see them perform well on their home turf this week. Harvick brings three consecutive top-10 finishes into the weekend as he continues his hunt for his first 2023 victory. Ryan Blaney (DK $9,700, FD $10,500) is another Ford driver that knows his way around Michigan. The Team Penske driver won the 2021 edition of this race and finished fifth last year. His seven top-10 finishes from 14 tries make him one of the better driver options this week. Last week's win was Brad Keselowski's (DK $8,600, FD $7,800) to lose. An unfortunate pit road mistake cost him the victory, but his teammate finished the job in Victory Lane. Keselowski will be smarting from that near triumph, but there would be no better place for him to put that behind him than at Michigan. This is his home track, and he has never won at the circuit. He finished 15th in last year's race, but with 13 top-10s from 25 starts, he offers some upside potential this week with pricing still lagging his apparent competitiveness.
Ty Gibbs (DK $8,100, FD $7,500) finds himself on the cusp of a playoff spot in his first full-time season in the series. He sits 17th in the standings, just 18 points behind Michael McDowell in the final playoff spot. Gibbs won at Michigan in the Xfinity Series last season and finished 10th in this race last season. This is a good track for him, and it could be good for his playoff hopes, too. AJ Allmendinger (DK $6,800, FD $4,800) also won at this track in the Xfinity Series, and he is in a very similar situation as Gibbs with a 22-point deficit to the playoff positions. He has a bigger upside in the next two road course races, but he should bring rosters top-15 potential this week, too. Chase Briscoe (DK $6,500, FD $5,200) is finding form recently, and that is the reason fantasy players should consider him this week. He finished 11th or better in two of the last three races and and has an average Michigan finish of 15.5 from two prior series starts.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Chase Elliott - $9,500
Ross Chastain - $9,000
Bubba Wallace - $8,800
Chris Buescher - $8,400
Aric Almirola - $7,500
Ryan Preece - $6,600
Time is running out for Chase Elliott (DK $9,500, FD $9,000) to book his playoff spot. He and the team are working overtime to make things happen, and he could have a chance to win any of the last four regular-season races. He has never won at this track, but he started his time here with three consecutive runner-up finishes. He finished 11th in last year's race and finished 13th or better in the last seven races since serving a one-race suspension. Ross Chastain (DK $9,000, FD $8,000) does not have to worry about making the playoffs, but he does need to focus on improvements for the knockout rounds. He only has one top-15 finish since his victory at Nashville and needs to get his momentum moving back in the right direction. He led 29 laps in this race last season. Michigan is also a place Bubba Wallace (DK $8,800, FD $9,500) could be at his best. He has shown some promising competitiveness in recent weeks and is working hard to retain his spot among the playoff contenders. Wallace started on the front row at this race last season and led 22 laps on his way to a runner-up finish.
Last week's winner, Chris Buescher (DK $8,400, FD $6,800) showed off RFK Racing's progress last week with a statement win. The team has shown flashes of competitiveness on multiple occasions and will now be working to show that side each week. Buescher has been a consistent top-20 finisher at Michigan through his career, but he should represent more of a top-15 option this week with the potential for even more upside. Aric Almirola (DK $7,500, FD $5,500) is another that could be an upside surprise this week. He finished eighth last week at Richmond for a much-needed injection of confidence. He has two Michigan top-10 finishes from 19 starts with the most recent coming in 2020. Similarly, Ryan Preece (DK $6,600, FD $5,800) comes to Michigan hot off of his first top-five finish of 2023 a week ago. Preece is settling into his new ride with Stewart Haas Racing and has a best Michigan finish of seventh from 2019. His Richmond result could be the start of an upward swing of results.
