Hello, WIN THE RACE fam, and welcome to the NASCAR DFS Strategy Guide!

I’ve had conversations with some of you who are diving into NASCAR DFS for the first time, and perhaps others out there haven’t tried it yet because you’re unsure how it works. My goal is to break down this exciting game we all (usually, lol) love and provide tips on how to approach DFS for the various types of races the NASCAR season offers.

In this guide, I’ll also cover the different contest types available and why bankroll management should always be a top priority. For our seasoned DFS veterans, I hope this serves as a helpful refresher of my overall approach to NASCAR DFS strategy.

RACE TYPES AND KEY DFS STRATEGIES

NASCAR DFS scoring on DraftKings and FanDuel is quite similar, but there are key differences to consider when building lineups:

• DraftKings: Rewards .45 points per fastest lap, 1 point per positive place differential, and .25 points per lap led, making dominator points more valuable. Lineups include 6 drivers under a $50,000 salary cap.
• FanDuel: Places less emphasis on dominator points, offering .1 points per lap led, .5 points per positive place differential, and .1 points per lap completed, while giving slightly more weight to finishing position. Lineups consist of 5 drivers under a $50,000 salary cap.

With these scoring systems in mind, here’s how to approach each race type:

1. Drafting Races (For example: Daytona, Talladega)

• Key Focus: Positive place differential drivers are paramount.
• Why It Matters: Drafting races are volatile with frequent wrecks, making it hard to predict dominators. Drivers starting deeper in the field have more potential to climb and score differential points. Due to the draft and cars pushing each other throughout the race, laps led and fast laps become less predictable.
• DraftKings Strategy: With 1 point per place differential and dominator points (fast laps and laps led) being harder to predict, prioritize drivers with high upside for place differential and solid finishing position potential.
• FanDuel Strategy: Place differential is still crucial. Prioritize drivers with high upside for place differential and solid finishing position potential.
• Key Takeaway: While FanDuel awards half the place differential points compared to DraftKings, it remains equally important. Drivers who survive longer and finish in better positions also earn .1 points for each lap completed, making every fraction of a point matter.

2. Intermediate Tracks (1–2-mile ovals)

• Key Focus: Balance dominators with place differential drivers.
• Why It Matters: Intermediate tracks feature moderate lap counts, making dominator points important but not always overwhelming.
• DraftKings Strategy: Target at least one or two dominators who can lead laps (.25 points per lap led) and set fast laps (.45 points each). Complement them with drivers starting farther back who can gain place differential points and finish well.
• FanDuel Strategy: Dominator points are less critical (.1 points per lap led), so prioritize drivers with high finishing position potential and steady place differential gains. Your drivers that you select for “high finishing position potential” tend to earn laps led points. Completing laps adds incremental value.
• Key Takeaway: DraftKings slightly favors dominators; FanDuel leans more toward consistent finishers, but you still want as many dominator points as you can get on both sites.

3. Short Tracks (For example: Martinsville, Bristol)

• Key Focus: Dominators are crucial due to the high number of laps.
• Why It Matters: Short tracks can feature hundreds of laps, heavily rewarding laps led and fast laps on DraftKings and FanDuel. However, finishing position and place differential remain important on both platforms.
• DraftKings Strategy: Prioritize 2-3 dominators who can rack up laps led (.25 per lap) and fast laps (.45 per lap). Balance the lineup with place differential plays who can secure strong finishes.
• FanDuel Strategy: Prioritize 1-2 dominators who can rack up laps led (.1 per lap) and completed laps (.1 per lap). Balance the lineup with drivers offering finishing position upside and positive place differential.
• Key Takeaway: Dominators will be rewarded significantly on both sites. You want as many of these points as you can get.

4. Road Courses (For example: Watkins Glen, Sonoma)

• Key Focus: Place differential is critical, with a single dominator.
• Why It Matters: Road courses have fewer laps, reducing the impact of dominator points. Scoring is heavily weighted toward finishing position and place differential.
• DraftKings Strategy: Target the main lap leader and fast lap driver while emphasizing mid-pack or back-markers who can climb through the field (1 point per place differential).
• FanDuel Strategy: Finishing position and place differential are paramount (.5 points per position). With fewer laps to complete, dominator points play a lesser role, but you’ll still want that main lap leader.
• Key Takeaway: Both platforms emphasize finishing position and place differential. Look to roster the top dominator on both sites.

Within each race type category, we’ll dive into advanced strategies tailored to each specific race. These strategies will rely on practice and qualifying data to determine the optimal DFS approach. Each article, released on Saturday night or Sunday morning throughout the season, will provide race-specific insights to help you build the best lineups.

GAME TYPES AND BANKROLL MANAGEMENT

In NASCAR DFS, understanding the different game types and managing your bankroll effectively is crucial for long-term success. Here’s a breakdown of the main game types and some tips to help you stay competitive:

Cash Games

Cash games are contests where you can double (or nearly double) your money. These include:

• Head-to-Head (H2H): You compete against a single opponent. On DraftKings, you can create H2H contests, choose the number of games at various dollar amounts, and set how many times one opponent can play against you. For example, selecting “1” ensures each opponent can only face you once per dollar level. If both players submit identical lineups, the entry fee is refunded. Winners typically receive $9 from a $5 entry, with $1 going to the house.
• 50/50s: You need to finish in the top half of the field to almost double your money. A portion of the entry fee goes to the house, similar to H2H payouts.
• Double-Ups: These contests let you fully double your money if you win, but they require you to beat slightly more than half the field.

These are commonly referred to as cash games, and while they’re not for everyone, they offer a more consistent way to build your bankroll. Personally, I’ve found them invaluable for funding tournament entries and maintaining stability throughout the season. Cash games allow you to either:

1. Win and pocket the money.
2. Use winnings to fund tournament entries for a shot at a big payday.
3. Sometimes, win both!

NASCAR is an inherently volatile sport, so cash games can help offset bad variance, keeping your bankroll afloat during rough patches.

Tournaments

Tournaments, or GPPs (Guaranteed Prize Pools), offer the chance for significant payouts but come with higher risk. These contests are often top-heavy, meaning the first-place prize is substantially larger than payouts for lower positions (for example: 5th or 10th). To succeed, you need to build lineups that stand out and can climb to the top of the leaderboard. Tournaments come in a variety of formats, each with unique entry limits and strategies:

• MME (Mass Multi-Entry): Up to 150 entries per player. These contests require careful lineup diversity to maximize your chances of hitting the top spot while leveraging advanced strategies to differentiate your lineups.
• 20-Max: Limited to 20 entries per player, offering a more affordable option for players who want to build multiple lineups without the commitment of 150.
• 3-Max: Limited to 3 entries per player, requiring tighter lineup construction and strategic variance to stand out.
• Single Entry: Each player submits one lineup, leveling the playing field and emphasizing precision in lineup creation.

Strategies for Success: While similar strategies apply across tournament types—such as the importance of being unique—the degree to which you differentiate your lineups depends on the contest format. Advanced strategies for leveraging analytics and outsmarting your opponents will be covered in each week’s DFS article.

Key Takeaways: Tournaments are fun and thrilling but also challenging, especially in a volatile sport like NASCAR. Success requires patience, creativity, and strategic lineup construction tailored to the specific contest and race.

Bankroll Strategy

My personal approach to bankroll management varies by race and my confidence level, but I generally allocate:

• 40% to 60% of my weekly bankroll to cash games (H2H, 50/50s, Double-Ups).
• The rest would be entered tournaments.

Sometimes I lean 50/50, or even 65% cash to 35% tournaments, depending on the week. Mixing in cash games helps stabilize my bankroll during stretches without big tournament wins.

These are not hard-and-fast rules—everyone should play in a way that suits their goals and enjoyment. I’ve been playing DFS for fun since the DraftStreet days (it’s so old, even Matthew Berry promoted it!). My longevity in the game is due to careful bankroll management and always keeping it fun. I’m not a professional, and I don’t aim to be one—I just love the game.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I hope these tips help you succeed in NASCAR DFS. Each week, I’ll give 110% effort to provide actionable advice in the weekly articles. My goal? To see the WIN THE RACE avatar at the top of every NASCAR DFS contest in 2025. Let’s make it happen!

We’ll be ahead of the game with SIM FMV’s 10,000 race simulations powering our DFS projections. If you’re interested in joining a fun NASCAR community, please check us out. Here is our 2025 Content Schedule, and you can click here to join WIN THE RACE.

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