NASCAR Fantasy Rankings: DFS Picks on DraftKings for the NASCAR Cup Series Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum
The DFS NASCAR rankings below are based on a mixture of expected output and DraftKings Fantasy NASCAR salaries. The order is not based on the highest projected fantasy totals, but rather by the Fantasy NASCAR value of each driver.
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $200K GREEN FLAG [$50K TO 1ST] (CLASH)
1. Martin Truex Jr ($10,200) — The 2023 Busch Light Clash winner wasn’t much of a surprise. Truex is one of the best — if not the best — short track drivers in NASCAR. He was fast for the entire L.A. weekend last season. He sat at the top of the scoring pylon in practice and won the exhibition race.
2. Kyle Larson ($10,400) — His 2023 Martinsville win cemented his legacy. That was the last track Yung Money had to conquer. He also scored a win at Richmond and podiums at New Hampshire and Phoenix. Larson finished fifth in both of the Busch Light Clashes at the Coliseum.
3. William Byron ($9,900) — A bad day on pit road cost Byron the 2023 Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix. If any driver is motivated and hungry entering this exhibition, it’s Byron. The L.A. Coliseum race features a lot of pomp and circumstance. It’s not for everyone, but Byron wants to erase the bad taste in his mouth.
4. Christopher Bell ($9,200) — The JGR stable is stacked with premier short-track racers. Bell is just as skilled as the future Hall of Famers on his team. He’s won at short tracks in the Trucks Series, Xfinity Series and Cup Series. Bell finished 13th in the Clash in 2023, but that was because his march to the front was halted by the proliferation of cautions at the beginning of the second half of the race.
5. Denny Hamlin ($9,700) — The question is not whether he can win. The question is does Hamlin care about winning an exhibition race. Hamlin has given 100% at short-track exhibitions in his home state of Virginia in the past, but he’s been mostly unconcerned with winning the L.A. short-track race.
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6. Ryan Preece ($7,800) — It’s practice. It’s not a race. Preece didn’t show much during the L.A. Clash practice in 2023, but he scored the most fantasy points and nearly won the race. In practice, drivers run the preferred groove. During the race, drivers must be able to make the outside work. Preece made the outside work.
7. Austin Dillon ($7,100) — The sample size is small (it’s small for everyone), but Dillon runs well at the fabricated track in the Los Angeles Coliseum. He was the runner-up in 2023 and finished third in 2022. He also scored top-10 finishes at the flat, short tracks in Richmond and Martinsville in 2023.
8. Kyle Busch ($9.500) — RCR has dialed in a fast setup for L.A. Tyler Reddick and Austin Dillon had speed in 2022, and Busch and Dillon had speed last season. Busch gained 22 positions over the last 65 laps and finished third in last year’s exhibition.
9. Bubba Wallace ($7,600) — The 23XI driver is developing. Bubba improved at the short tracks last season, and that started in Los Angeles. He led the second-most laps (40) and was in a position to win until Austin Dillon dumped the No. 23 Toyota late in the race.
10. Joey Logano ($9,400) — The 2022 season was bookended by Logano wins at L.A. and Phoenix. His 2023 season was a disappointment. Team Penske won the 2023 Cup Series Championship for the second year in a row, but it wasn’t with Logano behind the wheel. Look for Logano to retain the role of team leader in 2024.
11. Alex Bowman ($8,000) — Hendrick Motorsports hasn’t won at the L.A. short track, but they have been close in their two attempts. The lesser driver of the Hendrick team may not be a dominant short-track racer, but he has wins at Richmond and Martinsville. Bowman benefited from the series of cautions in the 2023 Clash, but he held his position after the gifted gains.
12. Tyler Reddick ($8,600) — The 23XI Toyotas may not be as fast as the JGR Toyotas, but they’re close. Reddick scored 38 hog points (fast-lap and lap-led points) at Richmond in the spring of 2023. He also scored 16 hog points at L.A. in 2022 driving for RCR.
13. Chase Elliott ($9,000) — The 2023 season is in the rearview mirror. It’s time for NASCAR’s most popular driver to wash his hands and make a statement on a big stage. This might be an exhibition, but it’s a premier event and a great place for Elliott to remind the world that he is a Cup Series champ.
14. Chris Buescher ($8,200) — Stats can be misleading. Buescher has never competed in the Busch Light Clash at The L.A. Coliseum. He’s practice and competed in heat races at Los Angeles. This is not an unfamiliar track. Buescher had a breakout season in 2023. A part of that breakthrough was a win at Richmond.
15. Ross Chastain ($8,700) — The short track at the L.A. Coliseum is a bull ring. It requires aggressive driving. No one is more aggressive than Chastain. That’s also a problem. Chastain’s aggressive driving has put a large target on his back. An exhibition race is a perfect place for opponents to get even with Chastain.
Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $200K GREEN FLAG [$50K TO 1ST] (CLASH)
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