***UPDATED*** Two pivots for GPP #2 are needed. Kyle Larson for Joey Logano and Kurt Busch for Ryan Blaney. Logano will move to the back of the pack and poses a threat for negative points.
Toyota Owners 400
Richmond International Raceway
Last Monday, after the rain delay, Bristol was one of the best races of the year and proved to be a great one for Jimmy Johnson as he secured his second win of the season and second career victory at Bristol. Kyle Larson started out leading one of the highest totals for laps led to start a race at the Tennessee track ever, with 202, though a late penalty cost him the shot to win. Bad luck hit Kyle Busch once again as he blew a tire, that took out a hood flap as well, and that ended his day far too early.
It is now time for the last short track race of the year until August as the schedule moves just up I-81 and I-64 to Richmond, VA and Richmond International Raceway. This short track is a bit different than the other two that were just raced on three of the last four weeks in that it is the longest at .75 miles per lap and the banking is in between that of Martinsville and Bristol. Richmond is also a D-shaped oval that has more racing grooves than the other two tracks. Dating back to the Spring race of 2011, one driver has led at least 140 laps each race so the typical dominator is out there to get in the lineup.
There are only five drivers in the field with a +6.0 positional differential, though the fall race a year ago had a lot more passing than is typical for a Richmond race. That being said, 85% of winners at RIR have come from the top-five starting spots in the grid.
DFS Playbook
| Driver | Draft Kings | NASCAR Live | Description |
| Kyle Busch | $10,600 | $26.50 | Kyle comes in as a driver with an up and down year happening but who is a four-time winner here. He also has the highest average finish in the field since 2015. GPP makes sense |
| Kevin Harvick | $10,400 | $27.00 | Harvick isn't who you think of on a short track but he has three top-five finishes in the last four races. Harvick has solid history here and starting P6 this week gives him good value |
| Kyle Larson | $10,300 | $28.00 | Larson dominated at Bristol before a late-race penalty cost him a chance to win. He has a fast car again and starts P18 giving him tremendous upside at Richmond for either game |
| Jimmie Johnson | $9,900 | $26.50 | Jimmie landed just his second win at Bristol last week but has a fast car again this week. He has an average of +8 PD over the last four races with two top-fives and three top-10s |
| Denny Hamlin | $9,300 | $25.00 | This is his home track. He has a win and three top-10s in the last four races with 204 laps led. Overall he is a three-time winner here with the second best finish in the field at 10.1 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | $9,100 | $27.25 | Truex continues to show speed on all different tracks. He starts P3 this week, same as last week. One top-five and three top-10s and 193 laps led show what he can do here |
| Matt Kenseth | $8,800 | $25.00 | Kenseth is the pole sitter and the best driver in recent history at Richmond with a win and three top-10s and 357 laps led. His speed has been iffy this week so a GPP play is right |
| Clint Bowyer | $8,500 | $19.25 | Bowyer flashed at Bristol last weekend with a P2 finish and could be capable for that again this week. He has the second best PD in the field and good speed again. GPP works |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | $8,300 | $20.75 | Jr. announced his retirement this week, and now comes to a track with a good history. The best PD in the field, three wins, 10 top-fives in 34 races here make him worthy of a GPP |
| Erik Jones | $8,100 | $20.25 | Jones was running well at Bristol until a crash ended his day late. He is showing top end speed again this week. His price is a bit high but he still has upside here for cash lineups |
| Ryan Blaney | $7,900 | $21.00 | Blaney is starting P2 but doesn't have great history at the track in two races previously. If his speed translates to the race, he could be a laps led dominator on Sunday. Either works |
| Kurt Busch | $7,700 | $21.75 | Kurt is a two-time winner here including one in the last four races with three top-10s. He is second in laps led with 349 and run sixth in the final practice. Either lineup works |
| Kasey Kahne | $7,600 | $22.50 | Kahne is tied for second in postiional differential at +10.3 over the last four races with a top-five and three top-10s. He starts P19 and ran P8 in final pracitce. Cash works for him |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | $7,000 | $14.75 | Stenhouse is showing speed once more this week through practice and qualifying he has two top-fives and four top-10s in the last 14 short track races. Either format works |
| Trevor Bayne | $6,800 | $18.25 | Bayne drove agressively at Bristol and has the speed to do that again this week. Starting P29 and running 19, 13, and 4 at pracitce gives him very good upside for GPP lineups. |
Optimal Lineups
| Draft Kings Cash | |
| Kyle Larson | $10,300 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | $9,100 |
| Erik Jones | $8,100 |
| Kurt Busch | $7,700 |
| Kasey Kahne | $7,600 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | $7,000 |
| Total | $49,800 |
The cash lineup this week has familiar names in it, but that’s what the numbers dictate. Kyle Larson ($10,300) and Martin Truex Jr. ($9,100) lead the way for the six-driver squad after strong showing last week and again carrying speed into Sunday at Richmond. Erik Jones ($8,100), Kurt Busch ($7,700), Kasey Kahne ($7,600), and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ($7,000) finish off the roster all around the same salary. Each driver has shown top end speed during qualifying and practice and some solid histories at the track. There are certainly some risky plays in Stenhouse and Jones, but upside is a good thing in a cash lineup.
| Draft Kings GPP | |
| Kyle Busch | $10,600 |
| Denny Hamlin | $9,300 |
| Matt Kenseth | $8,800 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | $8,300 |
| Trevor Bayne | $6,800 |
| Matt DiBenedetto | $5,800 |
| Total | $49,600 |
The first GPP for Draft Kings this week leads off with the most expensive driver in Kyle Busch ($10,600). Kyle is a four-time winner here and has the same speed he did last week before a blown tire ended his season. Denny Hamlin ($9,300), Matt Kenseth ($8,800), and Dale Earnhardt Jr. ($8,300) make up the middle portion of the roster. Hamlin is back at his home track and one that he has won at recently. Kenseth is the pole sitter, leads the field in laps led, and was a win in the last four races. Jr. has a very good history here and is second in the field in positional differential. Trevor Bayne ($6,800) and Matt DiBenedetto ($5,800) finish off the group as upside plays who have shown speed at practice and qualified back in the pack.
| Draft Kings GPP #2 | |
| Joey Logano | $10,100 |
| Jimmie Johnson | $9,900 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | $9,100 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | $8,300 |
| Ryan Blaney | $7,900 |
| Jeffrey Earnhardt | $4,700 |
| Total | $50,000 |
The second GPP lineup offers three big names at the top with Joey Logano ($10,100), Jimmie Johnson ($9,900), and Martin Truex Jr. ($9,100) leading it off. Joey is the only driver in the field with four top-10 finishes in the last four races here and starts P5 Sunday. JJ is fresh off wins at Bristol and Texas and has a car that is fast once more. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8,300), Ryan Blaney ($7,900), and Jeffrey Earnhardt ($4,700) are the final three drivers. Blaney starts P2 but has been up and down at practice so he could lead a bunch of laps but could fall back in the pack too.
| NASCAR Live | |
| Martin Truex Jr. | $27.25 |
| Kyle Busch | $26.50 |
| Denny Hamlin | $25.00 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | $14.75 |
| Cole Whitt | $5.00 |
| Bonus Winner | Kyle Busch |
| Bonus Manufacturer | Toyota |
| Total | $98.50 |
NASCAR Fantasy Live is made up of four drivers we’ve talked about before plus a budget-friendly option in Cole Whitt ($5.00). There is a fair bit of upside with these picks in guys that should move up through the field and lead a lot of laps.
| Streak To The Finish | Joey Logano |
Joey Logano is the pick for Steak to the Finish being the only driver with four top-10 finishes in the last four races. He starts P5 and should easily finish in the top-10 once again.