Welcome to the Cup Series Setup for Fanduel. Here we will be breaking down the best plays for Fanduel purposes. My name is RyanLarkin88 and you can follow me @Larkin8 on twitter. This week the Cup Series is at Watkins Glen. The VIP Member Research Station and Domination Station will be ready to go for you to help create your lineups so be sure to check that out. Also, jump in the NASCAR VIP Slack and get some great insight into this weeks race.
This week is yet another impound race with inspection being done Sunday morning at 9am. If a team fails inspection their qualifying time will be disallowed and they will start from rear of the field. They will also be scored from rear of the field as well. These picks are made before the inspection process was done. Obviously if an elite driver starts in the back they are a great play!!
Top Tier Plays
Martin Truex Jr
Truex is the clear cut favorite to win this and every road course race for the foreseeable future. In the last five road course races has 3 wins, a 2nd and got wrecked heading into the last corner while leading the Roval race last fall. He is a clear step above everyone on these tracks Starts 4th so even has a little place diff.
Joey Logano
Logano starts 21st and has pretty clear top 10 upside. From 2013-2016 he has finishes of 7th, 6th, 1st and 2nd at Watkins Glen. Your defending Cup Series champion comes in at a solid price of $12,500 and can piece together position upside plus place differential to end up on optimal.
Kevin Harvick
Anytime Harvick qualifies this poorly he really shouldn’t be ignored. In terms of top tier drivers I have him ahead of Drivers like Chase Elliot and Kurt Busch simply because he has the place differential on his side. Since joining SHR he has three top 10s in five races including a 3rd in 2015. He is not an elite slam dunk type play but he is an elite driver who has multiple road racing wins at this level. Could be overlooked with the likes of Truex, Kyle Busch, Logano and Chase getting tons of attention.
Value Plays
Alex Bowman
Much like Harvick, Bowman is by no means a slam dunk play. However, I do believe he can offer top 10 upside at a lower ownership than a lot of others in his range. Starting 17th gives him solid place diff if he can secure a top 10. In his four road course races for HMS he has finishes of 9th, 14th, 4th and 14th. Just a little different of a play here from the obvious. Also like the speed HMS teammates of Elliott, Byron and Johnson have shown the past two years as well.
Clint Bowyer
Bowyer comes in at $9,000 and starts 13th. He has FOUR finishes of 6th or better in the last six races while driving quality equipment. He is a really good road racer and can certainly score well. My fly under the radar as well offering low ownership.
Ryan Newman
Feel like Newman is a weekly lock for this article but for good reason. He delivers. $8000 and starts 25th. Since 2010 he has six finishes of 16th or better. If Newman jumps in for another top 16 finish, something he has done in 12 of the last 15 races in 2019, then he will be a fantastic play yet again.
Erik Jones
Unlike Bowman, Jones is a more legit top 5 threat and a more obvious play overall. He has finishes of 10th and 5th in his two Watkins Glen races. Another aspect that I think is really important is that the JGR teams in the last two races here have scored 8 top 5s out of a possible 10. Jones starts 14th and can certainly replicate the recent JGR Success here.
Low Tier/Punts
Chris Buescher
Yup, Buescher again. Even starting 16th I like Buescher to possibly deliver a great performance. He finished 11th here in 2017 and I believe he can replicate that performance. Obviously, there is more risk than normal here since he is starting much further forward but at $7,300 it could be worth a shot.
Matt Dibenedetto
Matty D comes off a 4th place finish at Sonoma and has the help of former Gibbs Crew Chief Mike Wheeler. He starts 20th and I believe he actually does posses top 10 upside this week. Somehow only cost $6,000. Solid price for a driver with good upside
Paul Menard
Not in love with this play but when looking for drivers who can score well Menard fits the criteria. He starts 22nd and has finishes of 12th, 13th, 17th and 18th over the last seven years. If he can grab a top 15 at $6,500 he will be a really strong play.
This will conclude this edition of The Monster Energy Cup Series Setup for Fanduel. If you would like to reach out and talk NASCAR Follow me on twitter @Larkin8 and join me as well as our other DFS Army NASCAR contributors (Brady Miller, Taco, and NillyJay) in the NASCAR coaching channels.
