Playoffs? PLAYOFFS? Week 1 of the 2017 NASCAR playoffs kick off in beautiful Illinois. As always, the research is just getting started, so think about getting signed up and get exclusive access to our projection model, the domination station lineup optimizer, and most importantly, direct chat room access to some of the sharpest NASCAR minds in the industry. I will be on there all weekend updating everyone on my research.
Top Plays
Kyle Busch – I wish I could make the Top Plays a little more flashy to celebrate the playoffs – but it truly is same old same old this weekend. The Toyotas are dead fast and the Busch/Truex brigade is leading that charge. Busch straight WHOPPED the field in qualifying, and the race probably won’t be much different. An average running position of 5.5 and the fastest car in the field? Yeah I’ll take on of those.
Martin Truex JR. – The more things change, the more things stay the same. The track changes, the environment changes, the car changes but one thing stays the same – Martin Truex JR. starts towards the front and leads laps. That will be the case again this week. One year ago at this track, he led 32 laps on the way to victory. I think he is the only other car in Kyle’s weight class this weekend, so he should lead more laps than that and duke it out with KB for the win.
Erik Jones – Don’t be misled by final practice times – all the Toyota’s have a distinct advantage on the 1.5 milers. Jones had a rough qualifying session where he spun in the second round, and will start 24th. He looked phenomenal in the xFinity race, and on all the 1.5 milers in 2017. He should be in the top 10 within stage one, and roll into the top 6 by the time the checkered flag flies.
Fades
No super obvious fades. I am not super high on the high level Fords, outside of maybe Kurt Busch. I am also not high on Aric Almirola, who went through a very tumultuous week with his RPM team.
Value Plays
Ryan Newman – RCR has found some real speed over the last couple weeks, and that will serve Newman – who is one of the best playoff drivers in the field – very will. He has plus stats at Chicago, and is start 16th agaisnt top 10 speed. Another week, another good situation to play Newman.
Kasey Kahne – I’m not super exicted about Hendrick as an organization right now, but starting in 25th – Kahne is impossible to ignore. He should power into the top 15 pretty easily. Does he have top 10 speed? Sure. Can he compete for a win – probably not, but we don’t need him too. A top ten will do, and a top ten he very well could get.
Trevor Bayne – I think Bayne is in a good place this week. Sure, Chicagoland is not a great track for him – but he qualified 26th and has a car top 15 speed. Don’t go overboard with this pick, but it is really hard to find much else in the way of value.
So there it is folks. This will be a tough week, as there are no super obvious plays outside of Busch, Truex and Jones. Keep an eye on the DFS Army Slack Room right up until lock. Get signed up and get exclusive access to our projection model, the domination station lineup optimizer, and most importantly, direct chat room access to some of the sharpest NASCAR minds in the industry. As always, use my research as a launching point for yours. Trust your process, good luck this week, and let’s make some cash.