To quote a friend of mine, this past weekend at Circuit of the Americas was certainly ‘a race that happened.’
If you listened to me and crafted your lineup based on mine, well, we’re sitting behind the wall with heavy damage. We’re going back to short track racing this weekend though, as the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Richmond Raceway.
Richmond is a 3/4-mile, D-shaped short track that produced some of the best racing in the sport in the past. The Next Gen short track package hasn’t helped restore that reputation, but the encouraging signs from Bristol a couple of weeks ago sparks a little hope for this race. This race also returns to its roots, as it is the first night race here since 2021.
This track is brutal to prep for as a crew chief, as its distinct turns require a tricky balance that you either hit or miss entirely. Adjusting the car as the track changes will be imperative if you want to find success. Track position will also be a key factor, as passing comes at a premium here.
Pay close attention to qualifying and practice on Saturday for a better indication as to who will be contenders. FOX’s TV coverage of the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond begins on Sunday, Mar. 31 at 7 p.m. ET.
Before we get to my picks, let’s break down the rules:
Points will be awarded on DraftKings for finishing position, position differential, fastest laps and laps led. The driver who wins the race scores 45 fantasy points, while second gets 42 points, third gets 41 points and so on, at least through the top 10. The 11th-place finisher scores 32 points, 21st gets 21 points and 31st gets 10 points.
However many spots they lose or gain on the track is added to or subtracted from the score. Then, if the driver leads a lap, they will earn 0.25 points for each lap led and 0.45 points for each fastest lap.
DraftKings NASCAR Scoring Rules
Fantasy Forecast
- Denny Hamlin ($11,200)
Stats that matter: Four wins, 22 top ten finishes in 34 Richmond starts and a career average finish of 8.5 at Richmond.
Could it really be anybody else at the top of this week’s lineup?
Hamlin’s most recent win here saved his 2022 season, and other than a 20th-place run last spring, he’s not finished any worse than fourth at the track since 2021.
What sticks out to me most when looking over the data about his record at Richmond, is that he has led at some given point in time in 24 of 34 starts here. Basically, it’s a matter…
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