This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
New Holland 250
Location: Brooklyn, Mich.
Course: Michigan International Speedway
Format: 2.0-mile D-shaped oval
Laps: 125
NASCAR Xfinity New Holland 250 Race Preview
AJ Allmendinger led all but 20 laps last week at Indianapolis to secure his third victory of the season. He now heads to Michigan International Speedway as the NASCAR Xfinity Series points leader and the defending Michigan winner. Last year he started on the front row and led 70 laps on his way to victory at the 2.0-mile D-shaped oval. He will aim to keep his current momentum running high through the remaining six races in the regular season, but will face stiff competition this week. The long oval has produced 21 different race winners from 29 series races with only three wins coming from pole position. Allmendinger has the chance to be the first driver to defend a win at the track since 2010. He is the only prior Michigan winner entered this weekend, and a victory would end an 11-race stretch of different victors at the track stretching back to 2010.
Key Stats at Michigan International Speedway
- Number of races: 29
- Winners from pole: 3
- Winners from top-5 starters: 17
- Winners from top-10 starters: 20
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 2
- Fastest race: 169.571 mph
Previous 10 Michigan Winners
2020 - AJ Allmendinger
2019 - Tyler Reddick
2018 - Austin Dillon
2017 - Denny Hamlin
2016 - Daniel Suarez
2015 - Kyle Busch
2014 - Paul Menard
2013 - Regan Smith
2012 - Joey Logano
2011 - Carl Edwards
The 2.0-mile Michigan International Speedway is a quick, wide oval that encourages side-by-side racing. The track's wide corners offer plenty of choices for drivers to try different lines to find the fastest way through the corners and make passes. The long straights also demand maximum power from engines. This will be the first time the new generation of car has raced at the track, and fantasy players should expect the racing to be close throughout the field. Michigan's long lap also opens the door to differing pit strategies. Races in the past have come down to fuel mileage, and pit strategy remains an important factor in success at the track. Teams focused on the race win will likely flip the stages by pitting just before the conclusion of each stage to preserve track position, while those looking to bolster their point totals will likely try to rake in as many stage points as possible.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the New Holland 250 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Ty Gibbs - $10,900
Noah Gragson - $10,700
Josh Berry - $10,300
AJ Allmendinger - $10,100
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Austin Hill - $9,800
John Hunter Nemechek - $9,600
Sam Mayer - $9,400
Brandon Jones - $9,200
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Riley Herbst - $8,800
Sheldon Creed - $8,600
Landon Cassill - $8,200
Ryan Sieg - $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Brandon Brown - $7,400
Myatt Snider - $7,100
Ryan Vargas - $6,500
Kyle Sieg - $6,100
NASCAR DFS Picks for the New Holland 250
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Ty Gibbs - $10,900
John Hunter Nemechek - $9,600
Riley Herbst - $8,800
Jeb Burton - $7,500
Myatt Snider - $7,100
Kyle Sieg - $6,100
Ty Gibbs should be a valuable option for fantasy rosters this week. He has been getting extra track time each week as he substitutes for Kurt Busch in the Cup Series, but has also been finishing well on power-centric courses. Michigan is one of those. John Hunter Nemechek will make his seventh start of the Xfinity season this week. He has three top-fives from the first six and a best Michigan Xfinity finish of eighth from 2019. Results have also been going in the right direction for Riley Herbst. He is ninth in the standings with three top-10s in the last five races and he finished seventh at Michigan last season. Jeb Burton, on the other hand, will look at this weekend as a chance to reverse a slump. He only has one top-15 finish in the last five races, but has been a top-15 contender on tracks like Michigan. He was 14th at California and 15th at Atlanta earlier this season, and those results would suggest top-15 potential from him this week, too. Myatt Snider is another driver looking for some good finishes. He has similarly been getting his best results of the season at tracks like this weekend's, however. His 14th-place finish at Pocono should suggest top-15 potential from him as well. Another driver with top-20 potential this week is Kyle Sieg. This will be his first series visit to Michigan, and he was 18th at Fontana in February.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
AJ Allmendinger - $10,100
Austin Hill - $9,800
Landon Cassill - $8,200
Kaz Grala - $7,800
Brandon Brown - $7,400
Ryan Vargas - $6,500
AJ Allmendinger should be entering the Michigan race weekend full of momentum. He won last week at Indianapolis and is the defending race winner this week. With four top-10 finishes in the last five races, he is a top selection this week. Things have also been going well for Austin Hill. He will be making his Cup Series debut this week, and he has not finished worse than 14th since Talladega. He is consistently scoring top-10 finishes, which is something fantasy players will want to take advantage of. Landon Cassill is keeping himself in playoff contention with three finishes of 11th or better in the last five races. His best series finish at Michigan was 14th in 2014, but he should be a top-15 contender this time with Kaulig Racing. This team's equipment should give him the opportunity to reset his best result at the track this week. Kaz Grala's only Michigan series start was an impressive drive to 12th from the 40th starting position. That was in 2018, and he led five laps in that race. This week's race will be his seventh start in the series this season. Similar to some of the selections in the lower-risk lineup option, Brandon Brown is scoring his best 2022 finishes at tracks similar to Michigan. He was 11th at Fontana and delivered top-20 finishes at Texas and Charlotte. He crashed out of last year's race but could be in line for his best series finish at the track this week if he can match his race from California. Lower in the price tiers but still worth considering is Ryan Vargas. He has just one prior Michigan start, but he drove to 21st in that race after starting 35th. With three finishes of 21st or better in the last five races, he should be capable of adding valuable finish differential points this week.
