DFS NASCAR: Bank of America 500 Playbook & Optimal Lineups

Bank of America 500

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Last Sunday was more of the same at the Citizen Soldier 400 at Dover International Speedway. Martin Truex Jr. took the checkered flag for second time in the Chase and third time in the last five races. Kevin Harvick was out of it in the first 40 laps and wound up costing the lineups enough points to keep them from cashing, but that will just add to his value this week. Now that the Monster Mile has been tamed twice this season, it’s time to head back to the headquarters of NASCAR and Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Aside from the All-Star race, CMS also hosts the Coca-Cola 600 in May as well as the Bank of America 500. It is a standard 1.50-mile layout with 24-degree banking in the turns. The last time a race was held here, the aforementioned Truex Jr. dominated to the tune of 392 laps led of a possible 400 on his way to the most lopsided win in NASCAR history. Typically speaking, 84% of eventual winners come from P5 starting spots or better and Chevrolet has won more than any other make with 43 to their credit at Charlotte.

With Hurricane Matthew wreaking havoc along the Southeast coast of the U.S. and the residual wind and rain heading all the way into the Charlotte area, there has been far less track activity than a regular race week in that the Friday practice sessions and Xfinity race being cancelled (the race was moved to Sunday morning). One practice session and qualifying are the only on-track time the teams and drivers will have had prior to Saturday night’s race kicking off at 7 P.M. ET, so expect some feeling out periods early in the race [EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to weather conditions, this race has been postponed until 12pm ET on Sunday, October, 9. Lineups still lock by 7pm ET, though].

To those effected by the Hurricane, I hope everyone is safe as well as houses and/or property was undamaged.

With that, let us take a look at the lineups for the Bank of America 500!

PLAYBOOK

OPTIMAL LINEUPS

A little different strategy has emerged this week in the lineups, in that three of the drivers are the same and only three were swapped between the six-driver squads. Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick lead the way in both the cash and GPP rosters, as they should. The two have have been the most dominant drivers at the track in the last three seasons with the two most laps led, two wins, seven top-fives, and the two best driver ratings. Michael Annett is the other driver in both lineups as the budget-friendly play who contains solid upside for a less than $5,000 driver.

The cash lineup contains the three above and adds Joey Logano, Jamie McMurray, and A.J. Allmendinger. Logano has been incredibly consistent over the last nine races and has himself a win at the track as well as being third in laps led. McMurray and Allmendinger both add consistent performances at Charlotte but provide good upside as well as both are capable of producing 45+ point performances.

A look at the last three drivers in the GPP roster starts with Brad Keselowski, who like Logano, has been remarkably consistent but provides higher upside and a further back starting spot in the grid at P20. Ryan Newman is next up with three top-10 finishes at Charlotte but a very up and down stretch knocks him out of cash lineup consideration. If he shows up like he is capable of, it could be a very good day for Newman owners. Danica Patrick may be the surprise of the six but she does have upside and has qualified well in position P13. Patrick, if she transfers her early speed to the track for the race could absolutely finish in the top-10. Jimmie Johnson is a viable pivot from Keselowski in the GPP coming off a great race at Dover and seven career wins at Charlotte.