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DraftKings NASCAR: 2015 Coca-Cola 600 Fantasy Analysis

By Rich Pelesky

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2015 Coca-Cola 600 Fantasy Analysis for DraftKings NASCAR Contests Welcome back to FantasyCPR’s coverage of the 2015 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway to be held on Sunday, May 24th. Whether you are a fantasy sports enthusiast or just a NASCAR fan, let us be your one stop shop for all the information you need to prepare for NASCAR races in the 2015 season.

First, let’s take a look at the field. Each driver’s DraftKings salary and salary rank is in parenthesis. To look at the drivers in salary order go to DraftKings and enter one of their NASCAR contests. If you use this link to sign up and make an initial deposit you will earn a free $27 entry in a DraftKings contest. They have a free NASCAR contest (with prizes) as well as multiple cash games in various formats.

Coca-Cola 600, Green Flag Drop: 6:15 p.m.

Qualifying Order (NOTE: This does not reflect any moves to back of the field that may be put in place by NASCAR for certain cars at the start of the race):

  1. #20 Matt Kenseth, DeWalt Toyota ($11,300, 8th)
  2. #22 Joey Logano, Shell Pennzoil Ford ($12,000, 5th)
  3. #19 Carl Edwards, Subway Toyota ($10,700, 10th)
  4. #16 Greg Biffle, Ortho Ford ($8,700, 20th)
  5. #11 Denny Hamlin, FedEx Office Toyota ($10,900, 9th)
  6. #2 Brad Keselowski, Miller Lite Ford ($12,300, 4th)
  7. #55 David Ragan, Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota ($8,900, 19th)
  8. # 4 Kevin Harvick, Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet ($14,200, 1st)
  9. #42 Kyle Larson, Target Chevrolet ($9,500, 14th)
  10. #78 Martin Truex Jr., Furniture Row Chevrolet ($9,900, 13th)
  11. #3 Austin Dillon, Cheerios Chevrolet ($8,200, 23rd)
  12. #14 Tony Stewart, Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet ($9,200, 17th)
  13. #48 Jimmie Johnson, Lowe’s Patriotic Chevrolet ($13,200, 2nd)
  14. #41 Kurt Busch, Haas Automation Chevrolet ($13,000, 3rd)
  15. #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr., Nationwide Chevrolet ($11,800, 6th)
  16. #21 Ryan Blaney, Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford ($7,900, 28th)
  17. #18 Kyle Busch, Skittles Toyota ($10,300, 11th)
  18. #24 Jeff Gordon, Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet ($11,700, 7th)
  19. #31 Ryan Newman, Quicken Loans Chevrolet ($9,100 18th)
  20. #10 Danica Patrick, GoDaddy Chevrolet ($8,000, 25th)
  21. #43 Aric Almirola, U.S. Air Force Ford ($8,000, 25th)
  22. #1 Jamie McMurray, Cessna/McDonald’s Chevrolet ($9,300 16th)
  23. #27 Paul Menard, Serta/Menards Chevrolet ($8,400, 21st)
  24. #15 Clint Bowyer, 5hrEnrgy Toyota ($9,400, 15th)
  25. #95 Michael McDowell, Thrivent Financial Ford ($7,400, 37th)
  26. #9 Sam Hornish Jr., Twisted Tea Ford ($7,800, 29th)
  27. #6 Trevor Bayne, AdvoCare Ford ($7,700, 31st)
  28. #25 Chase Elliott, NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet ($8,300, 22nd)
  29. #17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Fastenal Ford ($7,900, 27th)
  30. #47 AJ Allmendinger, Scott Products Chevrolet ($8,100, 24th)
  31. #7 Alex Bowman, Culer Chevrolet ($7,300, 38th)
  32. #40 Landon Cassill, Snap Fitness Chevrolet ($7,600, 34th)
  33. #5 Kasey Kahne, LiftMaster Chevrolet ($10,100, 12th)
  34. #13 Casey Mears, GEICO Military Chevrolet ($7,800, 29th)
  35. #51 Justin Allgaier, Brandt Chevrolet ($7,700, 31st)
  36. #46 Michael Annett, Pilot Flying J Chevrolet ($7,300, 38th)
  37. #35 Cole Whitt, Speed Stick Ford ($7,300, 38th)
  38. #98 Josh Wise, RoyalTeakCollection.com Ford ($7,400, 37th)
  39. #38 David Gilliland, Love’s Travel Stops Ford ($7,700, 31st)
  40. #34 Brett Moffitt, CSX/Play It Safe Ford ($7,300, 38th)
  41. #23 J.J. Yeley, Hope for the Warriors Toyota ($7,500, 36th)
  42. #83 Matt DiBenedetto, Dustless Blasting Toyota ($7,300, 38th)
  43. #33 Alex Kennedy, HonorandRemember.org Chevrolet ($7,600, 34th)

Live Feed

NASCAR: Denny Hamlin not the big winner at Pocono
NASCAR: Denny Hamlin not the big winner at Pocono /

Beyond the Flag

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  • NASCAR: Recurring issue may not be a factor at PoconoBeyond the Flag

    • General DraftKings Strategy: The next thing to consider while filling out your teams is the DraftKings scoring system. DraftKings owners will draft a team of 5 drivers with a $50,000 Salary Cap. Scoring will be based on several factors including a driver’s Finishing Position, Place Differential, Fastest Laps, Laps Led, and Pass Differential. Please refer to the Daily Fantasy NASCAR Strategy Guide by DraftKings that breaks down the specific rules and point calculations that govern these contests.

    May 25, 2014; Concord, NC, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski (2) and Jimmie Johnson (48) lead during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

    The salaries used are set weekly for each contest before qualifying and practice and are based on the overall strength of each driver/team/car for that particular race. The calculations that DraftKings use to determine drivers’ salaries are based on a driver’s ability to score fantasy points and as such consider all the five aforementioned factors. Since NASCAR is a new Daily Fantasy game, DraftKings has made it easier for players to understand the scoring system by listing a driver’s Fantasy Points Per Race (FPPR) next to a driver’s salary that shows a driver’s performance to date (including 2015 races that did not have DK contests). The following are some of the factors that determine a driver’s salary and something that a fantasy player should look at:

    1. A Driver and/or Team’s current level of speed and performance this season.
    2. A Driver and/or Team’s history at that specific track and race.
    3. A Driver and/or Team’s history at similar tracks and races.

    However, because these salaries are set prior to qualifying and practice, there are many things that can change a driver’s relative fantasy value before the race starts. Some things to consider:

    1. Qualifying and practice speed are a good (but not the only) indicator of a driver’s projected performance and factor largely in a driver’s potential to maximize points in the Finish Position, Fastest Laps, and Laps Led categories.
    2. Finding drivers that are starting further back in the field but could still be a contender is important in the Place Differential and Pass Differential categories.
    3. Considering a Driver’s Pit Crew proficiency is also important as drivers with fast cars can earn more points in the Pass Differential category during green flag racing due to lost track position during pit stops.

    Coca Cola 600 General Fantasy Strategy:

    1. This is NASCAR’s longest race of year. Consequently, cars and teams with the top reputations for engine sustainability have the best chance for success.
    2. This 600 mile race is truly unique and tests drivers both physically and mentally. An emphasis on a driver’s overall health, past success, and amount of experience in this type of race is recommended.
    3. Strongly consider drivers that have good results in 1.5 mile tracks as well as in long races (500+ miles), especially at Charlotte.
    4. Cars that are the fastest qualifying are set up for success as 2014 pole winner Brad Keslowski finished fourth and race winner Jimmie Johnson qualified 2nd.
    5. Look for Drivers and Teams that have demonstrated consistent speed over all of the practice and qualifying runs. However, keep in mind that 7 of the top 8 finishers in last year’s Coca-Cola 600 started 10th or worse.
    6. The Coca-Cola 600 been won from the pole 9 times, including last year.
    7. A long race like this will make Pit Crew performance especially important as there will be more pit stops than in other NASCAR races.

    More from FanSided

    Coca-Cola 600 Driver Observations:

    Although my race picks will not be released until after the final practice sessions on Saturday, here is a sneak peek at some of the trends that will factor into my selections:

    1. Brad Keslowski, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, and Dale Earnhart Jr. all have finished in the Top 10 at the four races on mile and a half tracks this year.
    2. Other drivers that have had success at Charlotte, Atlanta, and Texas (all 1.5 mile tracks with races that are 500 miles or longer) are Jimmy Johnson, Matt  Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Aric Almirola, and Paul Menard.
    3. The Furniture Row Pit Crew is known for their struggles but the #78 car and Martin Truex Jr. has been fast this year.
    4. Although the All-Star race is a completely different event than the Coca-Cola 600, there is some recent evidence of a correlation of success in these two Charlotte races as three drivers (Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick, and Matt Kenseth) finished in the top 5 in both of the 2014 races.

    We will be back on Saturday evening with our Coca-Cola 600 Fantasy Picks!  Make sure you dig into the Daily Fantasy NASCAR Strategy Guide and start learning the rules to prepare for an exciting set of contests this coming Sunday!

    Next: Coca-Cola 600 Fantasy Picks for DraftKings NASCAR Contests