The field is set for Saturday’s Xfinity race at Atlanta with Kyle Busch and Daniel Hemric on the front row. Let’s dive into this week’s top NASCAR DFS plays in the Credit Karma 250.
Credit Karma Money 250 NASCAR DFS Picks
Kyle Busch, 1st ($14,000)
Somehow, $14,000 for Busch feels cheap compared to what he could be priced. To begin with, there is no discussion about how long it is going to take Busch to ascend to the lead. Thanks to his victory last weekend at Road America, he is already there. Now it is just a matter of how many laps Busch leads with the top pit stall and first starting position.
In Busch’s previous four starts this season in the Xfinity Series, he has victories at all four spots: COTA, Texas, Nashville and Road America. With no other Cup drivers starting this weekend, Busch’s only real competition comes in the form of his teammates, Austin Cindric (who has not won at an intermediate track this year), AJ Allmendinger. If not for the stage cautions, this could truly be a boring race where Busch laps 3/4 of the field. Unless DFS players are playing the ownership game, there is no reason to get cute and fade him.
Justin Allgaier, 8th ($10,600)
Even with all of the hoopla over Busch, it is wise to have alternate plans. Ty Gibbs’ car that blew up last weekend, while he was in second place, could easily have been Busch’s car. Thus, if DFS players are looking for a pivot, the best choice falls on Justin Allgaier. His peak performances this season have come at high tire wear venues — first at Atlanta, first at Darlington, third at Dover and second at Nashville. Should Saturday’s ending come down to tire management once again, Allgaier is the only driver who could challenge Busch for the victory, or perhaps even take the lead at some point.
Jeremy Clements, 19th ($7,000)
In a turn of events most were not anticipating, Clements had a terrible Saturday at Road America after finishing 28th. What makes this so odd is that road courses, the perceived strength of Clements, have been his weak spot this season with finishes of 23rd at COTA, 33rd at Mid-Ohio and the aforementioned 28th last weekend in Wisconsin. Outside of those races, Clements has been a solid source of top-15 finishes. Especially so at high tire-wear venues where his veteran savviness has paid off.
As things currently stand, Clements is the final driver in the playoffs with a 33-point cushion over Brandon Brown. Following Brown’s top-15 finish at Road America, Clements will need to put together a strong Saturday to ensure that the cushion does not shrink further. That motivation should start off strong as Brown starts seven spots further than Clements.
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Santino Ferrucci, 25th ($8,000)
Ferrucci was highlighted as a top play at Pocono, with the hope that his time in Indy would lend itself to Ferrucci excelling in the Pocono race. While that narrative fell on its face, Ferrucci still finished with yet another top-15 finish. His 14th place finish marked his fourth straight top-15 in the 26 for Sam Hunt. Now, the Xfinity Series returns to a track that Ferrucci raced at earlier this season marking his first time seeing a track for a second race. With experience and notes, Ferrucci should be able to push that finish into the Top-10 range and really make value at his $8,000 salary.
Josh Berry, 28th ($10,000)
Ty Dillon, 30th ($9,700)
If taking the Busch as the lone dominator approach in roster construction, DFS players will have room for one more expensive driver. The decision becomes is it wiser to pay for a fellow dominator or for place differential? The Busch as “top-lap-leader” approach should necessarily lend itself to fading another dominator. In that case, paying at or near $10,000 for either Berry or Dillon should be the next step in most lineups.
Between the two, Dillon gets the slight nod for equipment as the 23 has been a consistent car for Our Motorsports. In fact, Dillon’s best finish of the 2021 Xfinity Season came in this car at Charlotte despite spending the majority of his season racing for Joe Gibbs. However, as a matter of talent and subsequent ceiling, the nod goes to Berry who has shown a knack for racing anything, anywhere, for any team. Even after his tenure ran out at JR Motorsports, Berry has continued to wheel this Jordan Anderson vehicle to top-10 finishes. Oddly enough, the only driver who finishes poorly in this Jordan Anderson car seems to be Jordan Anderson himself…
Regardless, both make fine cash plays and should pick up 15 or more positions. However, in terms of ceiling for tournaments, lineups should gravitate towards Berry unless that extra $300 really makes a difference.
Colby Howard, 39th ($6,100)
While the majority of drivers starting in the rear are there due to poor performances at Road America, Howard finds himself starting 39th simply because he failed to qualify on time last Saturday. Only once has Howard finished inside the top 20 (Talladega) but that is not the point of rostering Howard. With this starting position, Howard becomes a cheaper avenue to place differential from a driver that DFS players will not have to sweat if he starts and parks. Racing in the 15 for Johnny Davis means this car will actually compete. With his starting position, Howard can easily finish in the high 20s and pick up double-digit place differential in the process.
Understandably, it is not sexy or intriguing whatsoever, but in this price range, nothing is for the Xfinity race. Howard is the safest bet among this group of backmarkers. It is either take what Howard gives you, probably around 30+ points, or hope that Ryan Vargas really has improved since losing his ride at COTA.
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