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 Indianapolis. 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.
Top Tier Plays
Kyle Busch
Busch has won two of the last four races here and has also led 282 laps during those four races. He wrecked out while battling Truex for the lead in 2017. He has the 2nd best overall average finish here. If you take out the two races where he finished in the mid 30s due to wrecks his average finish all time at Indy is 6.5. He is going to finish up front and likely lead some laps. Of course at his price it is always about being able to put together a complete lineup or if paying down is a better option.
Martin Truex Jr
Truex has had some bad luck here the last couple years. He wrecked with Kyle Busch going for the lead after the two dominated all day and had a brake failure early last year. Prior to that he had finishes of 8th and 4th. While I don’t think he will necessarily be one of the top threats to win his team is always capable of top 5 finishes at any track. Starting 27th that gives him great place differential upside.
Kevin Harvick
Harvick has the best average finish of any driver in the field at 9.39. More impressively since joining Stewart Hass he has an average finish of 5.4 in five races. He has led 109 laps during that stretch as well. He is starting from the pole so I will be looking for him to collect those laps led dom points early and contend for the win all day.
Denny Hamlin
Hamlin had a hard crash in practice that forced the team to a back up car. Due to this he will start the race at the rear of the field. Denny decided not to push hard in qualifying which means he will be scored from deep in the field as well with obvious place differential upside as a result. As far as race history here Denny has been one of the most consistent in recent years with four top 5s in his last five races.
Value Plays
William Byron
FINALLY Byron has a poor qualifying effort which mean he isn’t a risky play. Byron was 3rd in both 5 lap and 10 lap average in final practice. He is a legit top 10 car that is starting 29th. He only cost $8,600 this week which means he is an easy fit into any lineup. He has a win here in the Xfinity Series as well.
Ryan Newman
Feel like this is a weekly thing with Newman but this is yet another track he seems to have a good record at. If you throw out his wreck in 2016 he has an average finish of 7th here since 2012 including a win here in 2013. His worst finish during that stretch besides the wreck is 11th. Indy is a ridiculously hard track to pass on and Newman is the best in the business at hold off other drivers. He starts 22nd at $8,300 and is someone I expect to content for a top 10. He is one of four drivers battling for the last two playoff spots so he will need to run good this week.
Low Tier/Punts
Matt Dibenedetto
Matty D is still on fire after an 8th place finish last week. He starts 26th and I would expect him to make his way in the 15th-18th place range today. He is a bit more of a cash play but at $6,800 he is incredible value no matter what. Looking for a good solid day out of him.
Austin Dillon
I am stretching the low tier group a little to fit Austin this week. He cost $7,500 and will be starting 18th. His ownership is surely going to be low this week which is great. Dillon has had some serious speed at these bigger tracks this year including a 10th at Cali and 13th at Michigan. He also has a couple top 10s here at Indy as well. Simply a driver who I believe can grab a top 10 this week at a great price and low ownership.
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.