The NASCAR Cup Series will make its long-awaited debut at Circuit of the Americas this Sunday. The EchoPark Texas Grand Prix will be the maiden voyage for the NASCAR stars on the 3.41-mile road course. COTA was added to the schedule starting this year to try and make the NASCAR season more exciting. This Sunday could be the start of a beautiful relationship between NASCAR and the Formula 1-inspired track. Let’s win you some money through FanDuel NASCAR DFS to make sure you like this track no matter what else happens this weekend.
FanDuel NASCAR DFS Overview
In this NASCAR Cup Series DFS column, we will be using FanDuel prices and scoring. Their scoring includes the following:
- .1 points for leading a lap
- .1 points for completing a lap
- Add/subtract 0.5 points based on the difference in a driver’s finishing position relative to their starting position
- Points based on where the driver finishes
FanDuel NASCAR DFS | Race 14
EchoPark Texas Grand Prix Drivers to Consider
Chase Elliott ($14,500)
Did you really think Chase Elliott wasn’t going to be in the article this week? After all, he’s probably the best road course racer in the NASCAR Cup Series right now. Elliott would have been fighting for the win at the Daytona Road Course earlier this year if not for getting spun around late in the race. It’s time for the No. 9 car to get his first victory of the season.
A.J. Allmendinger ($8,000)
A.J. Almendinger is back in the Cup Series this week. The road course ringer is looking to get his second career Cup win driving for Kaulig Racing on Sunday. Allmendinger is great on the road courses and with virtually none of the Cup drivers having seat time on the track before this weekend, he is a solid NASCAR DFS option.
Michael McDowell ($8,500)
Daytona 500 champion Michael McDowell is a strong road course racer. He might not have the equipment to stay up front with everyone else on the intermediate oval tracks, but he can stick with the big guns at a place like Circuit of the Americas . McDowell followed up his win in the 500 with a solid finish at the Daytona Road Course. A similar result could very well be on the horizon this week.
Christopher Bell ($9,500)
Surprisingly, the cheapest of the four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers is worthy of consideration for NASCAR DFS this week. Christopher Bell looked fantastic at the end of the Daytona Road Course race. Yes, luck did go his way to some extent but don’t count out the No. 20 car this week in the heart of Texas.
EchoPark Texas Grand Prix Drivers to Avoid
Kyle Larson ($12,000)
Kyle Larson may be one of the hottest drivers this year, but he has a bad reputation at road courses. With this being a new road course added into the mix, it is probably not going to end well. Larson has an average finish of 16th in his previous eight road course races. I suggest passing on the No. 5 car in FanDuel NASCAR DFS this weekend.
Kyle Busch ($12,500)
If you would have told me five years ago that Kyle Busch was a driver to avoid in NASCAR DFS at a road course, I would have laughed at you. Yet, here we are, fading Rowdy ahead of the EchoPark Texas Grand Prix. An average finish of 20th in his last ten road course races and a down year so far are not enough for me to take him this week, especially with a $12,500 price tag.
Austin Dillon ($6,000)
Austin Dillon has had a phenomenal year thus far. That doesn’t correlate with his history at road courses, where he has an average finish of just 26.6 over his last 10 races. Unless you are around talking about the $4,000 price line, I don’t want that out of my drivers. Dillon needs better numbers if he wants in on my NASCAR DFS team (although he probably doesn’t care anyway).
Tyler Reddick ($6,500)
Tyler Reddick is back on the bad side of the NASCAR DFS list this week. In his three prior NASCAR Cup Series road races, he has a 22.7 average finish. Reddick is certainly not the best road course racer out there as the tracks don’t really suit his driving style. Avoid both Richard Childress Racing drivers this week.