NASCAR DFS Pit Stop: STP 500 From Martinsville Speedway

Welcome to NASCAR DFS Pit Stop for Sunday’s STP 500 from Martinsville Speedway. At Martinsville today teams will race the 750 horsepower rules package with no aero ducts for the 2nd time this season, the first time was at ISM in Phoenix 2 weeks ago where Kyle Busch won and basically dominated the entire race leading 177 of 312 laps. 

Teams will run the same tire combination they’ve raced with for the last four events (2 events each in 2017 and 2018) at Martinsville. I am using the data from those 4 races plus looking at how teams ran in Phoenix as well as my usual loop data to make my choices this week. Kyle Busch leads all drivers in average finish over the last years here with an average finish of 2.2 followed by Brad Keselowski (5.0), Martin Truex Jr. (6.2), Clint Bowyer (8.0) and Joey Logano (8.8). The pole position has produced 21 winners at Martinsville, the most of any starting position, but the last time it happened was when Jimmie Johnson won here in 2013. Lastly, 51% of Martinsville race winners have come from a top five starting position.

NASCAR DFS: Leaders of the Pack

Kyle Busch ($13,000) 

Qualifying Position: 14th

Am I the only one sick of seeing Kyle Busch running up front in every series and winning in every series? Well, no matter what you think of Busch you have to acknowledge the fact he is the most dominant driver in NASCAR at the moment. Busch is starting 14th today and based of his recent performance and his history at this track he will most likely be finishing much higher than his starting position. In the last 2 years (4 races) at Martinsville Busch has never run outside the top 15 and has an average finish of 2.3 while leading 582 laps, over 200 more than the next driver (Logano)

Martin Truex Jr. ($11,900) 

Qualifying Position: 9th

Truex led both practice sessions in 10 lap average speed on Saturday and looks to have the best car for long runs today. Looking back at Phoenix from two weeks ago Truex also started in the 9th position and finished 2nd picking up 66 DKFP in the process. My goal in building my lineup for today is to get both Truex and Busch in together.

Kurt Busch ($10,200) 

Qualifying Position: 20th

I don’t usually ignore the practice data when making my decisions for the weekend but Kurt Busch has been so good in the #1 Chip Ganassi Ford this season I am willing to that today. Busch ranked 25th combined in both practice sessions but he did finish 7th running the same package in Phoenix after starting 16th.

Other Options: Joey Logano ($11,300) – QP 1st

NASCAR DFS: Middle of the Pack

Ryan Blaney ($9,000) 

Qualifying Position: 18th

Blaney is similar to Kurt Busch as such that he did not run great practice speeds, but the results from Phoenix are so good that I can ignore his practice runs. Starting from the pole, leading 94 laps at ISM, and finishing 3rd got him 76 DKFP.

Clint Bowyer ($8,400)

Qualifying Position: 11th

Bowyer was the leader after the first practice on Saturday and then had the 12th best lap in final practice, but did run the 2nd best 10 lap average behind Truex. Bowyer looks to have a great car coming into today’s race. Bowyer has finished inside the top 10 in 3 of the last 4 races here, including a win in this same event last year.

Chase Elliott ($8,200) 

Qualifying Position: 8th

Elliott has not had a great season thus far, but had some great runs in final practice on Saturday. After running 10th in first practice, Elliott would sit atop the leaderboard with the fastest lap in final practice.

Other Options: Aric Almirola ($8,700) – QP 2nd

NASCAR DFS: Back of the Pack

Alex Bowman ($7,400) 

Qualifying Position: 17th

Bowman and the #88 team seemed to figure something out between practice sessions. After running 18th in the first practice came out and ran the 2nd best lap in the final practice session. He looks to have a strong car going into Sunday and Bowman ranked in the top 10 in average finish in the six short-track races last season.

Daniel Hemric ($6,600)

Qualifying Position: 29th

Hemric ran the 7th best lap in final practice Saturday coming in just faster than Kevin Harvick. In Phoenix 2 weeks ago Hemric finished 18th and did run inside the top 15 for 31% of the race so he has some good history with this car packages.

Chris Buescher ($6,500) 

Qualifying Position: 13th

Buescher ran just outside the top 15 (16th) in the 10 lap average standings in final practice. Last season Buescher finished 13th in the Fall race here, and in the Spring of ’17 he finished 11th, so he does have some good track history. You will need to find some low price guys like Buescher if you want to fit in some of the top guys today.

Ty Dillon ($6,100) 

Qualifying Position: 23rd

Ty Dillon has an average finish of 22.3 in the last 2 years at Martinsville and ran the 6th best lap in final practice yesterday. Dillon finished 15th in the Phoenix race with this package 2 weeks ago and also finished 15th in the Fall race at Martinsville in 2018.

Other Options:Ryan Preece ($6,200) QP- 16th, Ross Chastain ($5,500) QP- 31st

NASCAR DFS: Place Differential Driver

Austin Dillon ($7,300)

Qualifying Position: 30th

Dillon hasn’t had the best year so far, but Sunday could be different, at least for DFS.  In final practice on Saturday Dillon ran the 4th fastest lap and the 10th best 10 lap average that he ran in the middle of his run which bodes well for long runs.

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Other Options: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.($7,200) QP- 25th

NASCAR DFS: Core Drivers

This week is a little tougher than past week have been for me when it comes to building my lineup. I know I want to get both Truex and Kyle Busch in, but to get a build that I feel more comfortable with I may have to “downgrade” to the other Busch, Kurt. I also really like Alex Bowman this week, as well as Ricky Stenhouse who has quietly been a very consistent driver all season long.

Sample Build (two spaces left empty because of DraftKings standards against giving out lineups)

Martin Truex Jr.  $11,900

Clint Bowyer $8,400

Alex Bowman $7,400

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. $7,200

For the remaining two slots you will have $7,550 average salary remaining for them. You can choose someone like Ty Dillon for value and a Ryan Blaney or Aric Almirola. also you can just stay with some higher priced value like Austin  Dillon and add either Erik Jones or Daniel Suarez, both good options. Either way good luck on Sunday and I cannot wait to see who gets a new Grandfather Clock to take home on Sunday evening.

Thank you for reading my NASCAR DFS Pit Stop article this week and make sure you look for my daily NHL DFS Man Advantage piece each night of the NHL schedule. Be sure to check out Fantasy CPR daily for all your DFS needs, and remember all content is ALWAYS FREE here!