Last weekend’s race at Martinsville Speedway was capped off by an excellent finish by Martin Truex Jr. Denny Hamlin looked like the winner after the last caution of the night, but as it turned out Hamlin just didn’t have a fast-long run car. Moving along in the season, our next stop is Richmond Raceway. With back to back short track races, this week and last, we should be in for a show. Richmond is a much different track then Martinsville however. Richmond is known for its multiple lanes that form as the rubber gets thrown down. But enough of that let’s get to building your winning lineup for the Toyota Owners 400.
Below is a DFS Nascar lineup that we believe can provide the best value for the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on 04/18/2021 (DraftKings Values)
| Driver #1 | $ | ||||
| Driver #2 | Chase Elliot | $ 9,700 | |||
| Driver #3 | $ | ||||
| Driver #4 | $ | ||||
| Driver #5 | Austin Dillon | $ 7,500 | |||
| Driver #6 | Daniel Suarez | $ 6,600 |
Below is a lineup that we believe can provide the best value for the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on 04/18/2021 (FanDuel Values)
| Driver #1 | $ | ||||
| Driver #2 | Chase Elliot | $ 11,700 | |||
| Driver #3 | $ | ||||
| Driver #4 | Austin Dillon | $ 8,500 | |||
| Driver #5 | $ |
Chase Elliot
If you had of asked me at the start of the season if I thought Chase Elliot would be winless through eight races, I probably would have guessed that he would have won one by now. But here we are eight weeks and no wins for the defending Cup Series Champion. So far in 2021 Elliot has three top five finishes, four top 10 finishes and had led 73 laps. Moving on to how he has fared at Richmond in the past three years we find a driver who has moderate to goo success. In the last five races at Richmond Elliot has three top five finishes, four top 10 finishes, and has led 36 laps. Elliot is likely unhappy with his driving at Richmond and should be coming into this race with a chip on his shoulder after finishing fifth at Richmond last year. 2020 was a year where Elliot seemed to be taking over the Cup Series whereas he has seemingly returned to the planet in 2021. Elliot has more than enough skill to leave Richmond victorious this weekend.
Austin Dillon
Richard Childress Racing Austin Dillon has had a pretty good start to the year. Dillon finished the 2020 version of this race in fourth place, his only top five at the raceway. In five races at Richmond Raceway, Dillon has one top five finish, three top 10 finishes and had led 55 laps. The nice thing here is that Dillon has show that more times then not he can place top 10. Which is good for his price and value this week. Dillon will look to get back to the success he had at Richmond last year. So far in 2021 Dillon’s highlights have been winning the Bluegreen Vacations Duel Two and finishing third in the Daytona 500. He will start 11th this week and if he and his team can keep up their solid efforts from short tracks from last year there is no reason why Dillon cannot add another top 10 finish, or better.
Daniel Suarez
Coming into his fifth season in the NASCAR Cup Series, Daniel Suarez has joined a new team. Suarez is now driving for Trackhouse Racing in the Number 99 car. Suarez has had a good season so far where he has one top-five finish, two top 10 finishes and six top 20 finishes in eight races. Suarez’s top five finish came at the Bristol Dirt track. He was the big surprise in the top 10 as that was his first-time racing on dirt. At Richmond, Suarez has two top 10 finishes in the last three years. I like Suarez as a value option this weekend as I try to fit some other top drivers into my lineup.
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Below is a lineup that we believe can provide the best value for the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on 04/18/2021 (DraftKings Values)
| Driver #1 | Kyle Busch | $ 10,000 | $ | ||
| Driver #2 | Chase Elliot | $ 9,700 | $ | ||
| Driver #3 | Austin Cindric | $ 8,600 | $ | ||
| Driver #4 | Erik Jones | $ 7,600 | $ | ||
| Driver #5 | Austin Dillon | $ 7,500 | $ | ||
| Driver #6 | Daniel Suarez | $ 6,600 | $ |
Below is a lineup that we believe can provide the best value for the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on 04/18/2021 (FanDuel Values)
| Driver #1 | Kyle Busch | $ 12,000 | $ | ||
| Driver #2 | Chase Elliot | $ 11,700 | $ | ||
| Driver #3 | Kevin Harvick | $ 10,800 | $ | ||
| Driver #4 | Austin Dillon | $ 8,500 | $ | ||
| Driver #5 | Austin Cindric | $ 6,000 | $ |
Kyle Busch
The best way to put it for Kyle Busch, is that no one has been better at Richmond. Yes, you could argue that Harvick or Denny Hamlin have been good also, but Busch has been the best. Busch has won at this raceway six times, which is three times more then anyone else. Follow that up with 18 top five finishes, 23 top 10 finishes and 1,488 laps led, and you get a driver who is dominant. I do not see why Kyle Busch cannot find his way into victory lane for the second time this year (yes, the first was exhibition) and for the seventh time at Richmond. Busch, I am sure to his standards is having another off year where he has two top five finishes and four top 10 finishes. I think Busch has all it takes to turn his 10th place start into a first-place finish.
Kevin Harvick
There is a reason Kevin Harvick commands the high price point for the Toyota Owners 400. In the last three years the Cup Series has traveled to Richmond five times, Harvick is one of three drivers who has finished top five in all three races. He is joined by Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski who each have not finished outside of the top five in the last three years at the track. Harvick has three top-five finishes, five top 10 finishes, and has led 119 laps in the last three years at Richmond. Harvick is largely second in most categories from a full career standpoint at this racetrack where he has three wins (second), 15 top five finishes (second), 26 top 10 finishes (first), and has led 1,180 laps (third). Not a bad career at Richmond if you ask me. Harvick will start the race in the ninth position. There will likely be plenty of opportunities for Harvick to get into the top five or even to the front of the pack early in this one. We all know what happens more times than not when Harvick is in the front of the field. They do not call him “the closer” for no reason. You will see that I left Harvick out of my DraftKings lineup this week, but feel free to inter change him in if you have a gut feeling.
Erik Jones
Having a Daytona win under his belt at such a young age is an achievement Erik Jones should be proud of. Jones has raced at Richmond seven times in his career and has the one top 10 finish. The appeal for Jones this week is his price tag of $7,600 and the fact that he starts this race 30th. For this race I would rather take a value pick like Jones and be able to include a Kyle Busch and Chase Elliot into my lineup. Jones’ best finish at Richmond is sixth place. His lower price tag and low starting position prime him for some place differential points as well.
Austin Cindric
The rookie Austin Cindric is in a good spot starting this race in the 38th spot, way in the back. There is only up from here I am sure some would say. This will be Cindric’s third Cup Series race of the season. So far, he has not fared great with no top 10 finishes but this week Cindric is a place differential play. Cindric has easily been the nest drivers in the Xfinity Series this year where in seven races he has two wins, five top five finishes, six top 10 finishes, and has led 288 laps. In back to back races last year at Richmond in the Xfinity Series Cindric had a fourth and 10th place finish. I think Cindric is a great play this week due to his relatively low cost and his starting position.
Now go win your matchup and let us know how you did. Or if I picked every driver that will be in that lap 189 crash, I encourage you to let me hear it. Either way come find us on Twitter (@FantasyDFSX).
