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 ISM Raceway. 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
Martin Truex Jr.
Martin Truex has been extremely fast all playoffs long. His Gibbs team as a whole have also been extremely dominate on the tracks using the 750 high downforce package. Borderline untouchable. That being said we know they will have the speed to run up front and with being locked into the Championship race Truex has nothing to worry about but winning. Top 5s in 3 of his last 4 races here including a 2nd earlier this year in March.
Kyle Busch
Another of the mighty Gibbs drivers, Busch is coming off back to back wins here. He has led 114+ laps in 4 of the last 5 ISM races and has finished 4th or better in 7 of the last 8 races. He should be the favorite to dominate early and likely make this race very boring overall by destroying the field.
Kevin Harvick
Hard to ignore a NINE time winner at ISM Raceway. Nobody has been better here than Harvick over the last decade. He knows how to get around this track perfectly and will definitely be someone to contend with late in the race. Harvick did admit that the Gibbs cars have an advantage on everyone so he will have to overcome the faster cars of Kyle Busch, Truex, Hamlin and even Jones but Harvick is definitely the guy to get it done.
Value Plays
Erik Jones
Jones is starting this race from the 9th position and will certainly have the speed to contend for a top 5. This race weekend has a similar feel to Richmond for me where all 4 Gibbs cars finished 1st through 4th. Due to the speed these cars have I believe Jones can stay towards the front and score well.
Aric Almirola
Double A will not be flying under the radar after his 2nd place finish last week which is unfortunate. He will be starting 11th this week and has finished top 10 in four straight races here at ISM. That includes back to back 4th place finishes. This track suits his driving style well. At $8,500 he is great value.
Ryan Newman
Newman has finished 10 of his last 12 ISM races 12th or better including a win here in 2017. He is by no means someone I would predict to contend for a top 5 and he will have to fight hard for a top 10 even but he always finds himself in that 10th to 12th range. Starting 20th he will add a little place diff to his value. Solid play at $7,000
Low Tier/Punts
Austin Dillon
Dillon has han average finish of 15.6 in his last 5 ISM races. Will that isn’t stellar his 28th place starting position means he will offer some great place diff potential. If he can get into the top 20 he is a solid play. Top 15 and he is great. Worth a look.
Ryan Preece
Preece cost $3,500 and starts 25th. He has the ability to climb into the top 20 and score a decent day but more importanly at this low a price he allows you to attack the top end of drivers better. I don’t love him on his own but I do like what he can do for an overall lineup.
Matt dibenedetto
Matty D is driving one of those Gibbs Toyotas. He has been killer under this particular rules package. 7th at Dover, 2nd at Bristol and 5th at New Hampshire just to name a few. He was roughly a 10th place car here in the spring race before having battery issues and finishing 28th. He was extremely fast in practice and should have no problem contending for a top 10
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.