NASCAR mover the Cup Series All-Star Race from North Wilksboro last year to Dover Motor Speedway this weekend. I liked “The Monster Mile” having a Points Race, but at least Dover wasn’t removed from the schedule completely.
The format for the All-Star Race is completely different this year. All 36 chartered teams will have a chance to race this weekend. The All-Star Open race has been eliminated. The teams will run 75 laps in Segment 1 and then invert the field for another 75-lap run in Segment 2. The final Segment will consist of the top-26 drivers. The field for the final segment will include 2025 and 2026 Cup Series race winners, former Cup Series champions who compete full-time, a Fan Vote winner and remaining drivers based on the lowest combined finishing positions among Segments 1 and 2. The winner will earn $1M.
* I will not be available Sunday to post updated picks after the Segment 2.
ALL-STAR RACE PRACTICE SPEEDS
The Cup Series had a practice session Saturday morning. Typically we like to look at the long-run speed from practice, but the first two Segments in the All-Star Race are only 75 laps (75 miles). It will be important to focus our picks on the drivers with the fastest lap in practice and the drivers who qualified up front. Track position will be important in these two short Segments.
Here are the speeds from the practice session Saturday at Dover Motor Speedway…
DFS STRATEGY FOR THE ALL-STAR RACE
The race is 350 laps Sunday. That means there will be 87.5 points available for leading laps and 157.5 points available for fastest laps (245 dominator points). That is a lot of dominator points and we need as many of them as possible.
I did not see anywhere in the DraftKings rules where it says that the drivers will be scored from their position in the final segemnt and not their qualifying position. If this is true, we need to play the drivers who start in the back. The starting position for Kyle Larson is listed as 29th. There are only 26 cars in the field for the final segment, so Larson is guaranteed 3 place differential points. Also, the field in invereted iafter the first segment, so these drivers are also guaranteed to move to the front. My Cash Contest lineup will be filled with drivers who start in the back.
* I will not be available Sunday to post updated picks after the Segment 2.
DRIVER RANKINGS FOR ALL-STAR RACE
* The driver listed in red need to qualify for the final Segment Sunday. Chris Buescher, Alex Bowman, Ryan Preece and Michael McDowell should be good picks for your DFS lineups if they qualifying for the final segment.
DRAFTKINGS CASH LINEUP
DRAFTKINGS TOURNAMENT LINEUP
* I am pretty sure Chris Buescher will make the final Segment. I will take a chance with the No. 17 car if he is scored from the 32nd position. in a 26 car race.
FANDUEL CASH LINEUP
FANDUEL TOURNAMENT LINEUP
BEST BETS FOR ALL-STAR RACE
KYLE LARSON +850: Larson had the fastest car in practice Friday and he is one of the best at Dover Motor Speedway. I am not worried about his starting position. Larson had a good chance to win the pole if he did not have a penalty on his pit stop. Once the field is inverted, Larson should move to the front. He will be hard to beat if the No. 5 car gets the lead today.
CHASE ELLIOTT +1400: The All-Star Race often turns into a crew chief race because the teams that gamble with their pit strategy often gain track position to win the race. This bet is more on Alan Gustafson than it is on Elliott. Elliott won at Dover in 2022, he finished 5th in 2024 and 6th last year. I expect Gustafson to put Elliott in a position to win the race today.
ROSS CHASTAIN +1800: Chastain should know how this track will take rubber better than the rest of the field. He raced in the Truck Series race Friday and the O’Reilly Series race Saturday. Chastain posted the third-fastest long-run speed in practice. Chastain finished 2nd at Dover in 2023. I will bet he can win the race Sunday.
KYLE BUSCH +2200: I have to be insane to bet Rowdy Busch to win a race, right? Well, I am not going to mortgage my house on him winning, but I will throw a few Dollar Bills his way at 20-1 odds. Busch won the Truck Series race at Dover Friday night and he looked really fast in practice. Busch posted the fourth-fastest speed with the second-fastest long-run speed. He looked a bit better at Texas with the crew chief change. Busch finished 4th at Dover in 2024. I will bet he can sneak into Victory Lane today.
If you need any further advice with your team, look for me on Twitter @MrFantasyNASCAR