AUSTIN DILLON (RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING) CHEVY
2024 DRIVER FANTASY POINTS: 28TH
2025 FANTASY NASCAR RANK: 28TH
* The 2025 ranking are based on the driver’s projected points scored for the 2025 season and not his predicted finish in the Cup Series standings. The rankings are based on the driver’s performance last year, momentum heading into the 2025 season and the strength of the driver’s team.
2024 RECAP / 2025 PREVIEW: I did not have Austin Dillon winning a race on my BINGO card in 2024, but he “did what he had to do” to win and earn a spot in the playoffs. Dillon drove right threw Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to win at Richmond. Some people think that Logano and Hamlin deserved it, since they are two drivers who have won races in a controversial way, but NASCAR did not like it. The win at Richmond was the only top-five finish for Dillon last year. He also had four other top-10 finishes (Texas, Gateway, Talladega and Martinsville). Dillon only led 36 laps all season and he had an average finishing position of 22.6. Richard Boswell has been brought in to crew chief the No. 3 car in 2025. Boswell most recently worked as the crew chief for Chase Briscoe at Stewart-Haas Racing. The team also brought in Jonny Klausmeier as a technical director and promoted Keith Rodden to the Vice President of Competition role at Richard Childress Racing. The team is working hard to improve their speed, but I need to see it on the track before I can move Dillon up in my rankings.
SUPERSPEEDWAY VALUE (DAYTONA, TALLADEGA, ATLANTA)
I see a lot of people using Austin Dillon in their fantasy lineups at the Superspeedways because they think he is one of the best drivers in the Cup Series at these tracks. The truth is that Dillon is more of a “boom or bust” driver at the Superspeedways. Yes, he did win in the Gen-7 car at Daytona in 2022, but Dillon followed it up with an average finishing position of 26.8 in his next 7 Superspeedway races. Dillon has not led any laps and he only scored 2 Stage Points in his last 6 races at Daytona. He led 2 laps and scored 12 Stage Points in his last 9 races at Talladega. His average finishing position in the reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway is 25.5. Do not make the mistake of using Dillon in your Fantasy Live lineups at the Superspeedways. He can be used in DFS lineups if he qualifies in the back with a good chance to score place differential points.
(Austin Dillon ranked 25th in fantasy points scored on the Superspeedways last year with an average finishing position of 23.2)
SHORT TRACK VALUE (PHOENIX, RICHMOND, MARTINSVILLE, BRISTOL, GATEWAY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, IOWA)
Austin Dillon started off the 2024 season as one of the worst drivers on the short tracks. He finished 32nd at Phoenix, 24th at Bristol, 24th at Richmond and 34th at Martinsville in the spring. Richard Childress found some speed on the short tracks once the tracks started to heat up. Dillon finished 6th at Gateway, 19th at Iowa and won the race at Richmond. The No. 3 team finished the season with a 7th-place finish at Martinsville and a 27th place finish at Phoenix. It will be interesting if Richard Childress Racing can find the speed they had last summer and bring it to the short tracks in 2025. Richmond has been the best track for Dillon so he is a strong play for your One & Done Contests and your DFS Contests. I suggest taking a wait and see approach with the No. 3 car at the other short tracks in 2025. If Dillon runs well at Phoenix early in the season, you can use him in the other short, flat tracks in 2025.
(Austin Dillon ranked 22nd in fantasy points scored on the short tracks last year with an average finishing position of 20.1)
INTERMEDIATE TRACK VALUE (LAS VEGAS, KANSAS, CHARLOTTE, TEXAS, NASHVILLE AND DOVER)
Richard Childress Racing did not have the speed to compete with Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing on the intermediate tracks last year. Dillon had an average qualifying position of 17.6 and an average finishing position of 22.4 at these tracks last year. His best race was at Texas. Dillon started 15th and finished 8th in the Lone Star State. He also finished 2nd at this track in the Gen-7 car in 2022. The Coca-Cola 600 has always been one of Dillon’s best races. He won the marathon race in 2017 and he finished 3 of the last 4 races at Charlotte in the top-10. Dillon is worth consideration for your DFS lineups at Texas and Charlotte. I would fade him at the other intermediate tracks, unless the No. 3 car has a lot of speed in practice.
(Austin Dillon ranked 25th in fantasy points scored on the intermediate tracks last year with an average finishing position of 22.4)
HIGH TIRE WEAR TRACK VALUE (DARLINGTON, MICHIGAN, HOMESTEAD)
Homestead is one of the best tracks for Austin Dillon. His average finishing position in his last 6 races in Southern Florida is 11th. Dillon can be used as a sleeper pick in your DFS lineups at Homestead. Michigan is also a decent track for Dillon. He finished every race in the Gen-7 car at Michigan in the top-20. Dillon has been too inconsistent to be used at Darlington. The No. 3 car has a decent chance to score well at Homestead and Michigan. You can find more consistent drivers to use in your Fantasy Live lineups at Darlington.
(Austin Dillon ranked 22nd in fantasy points scored on the high tire wear tracks last year with an average finishing position of 21.3)
ROAD COURSE TRACK VALUE (COTA, SONOMA, WATKINS GLEN, CHICAGO STREET, MEXICO AND CHARLOTTE ROVAL)
Austin Dillon was not very good on the road courses last year. He had an average starting position of 19.4 and an average finishing position of 28.4. The Charlotte Roval is by far his best road course track. Dillon finished 14th, 10th, 15th and 19th on the Roval between 2020 – 2023. He was involved in a wreck last year and finished 32nd at Charlotte. I would consider using Dillon at the Charlotte Roval in DFS Contests, but I would fade him in your Fantasy Live lineups at these tracks. There are drivers with more consistent stats that you will want to use in your lineups on the road courses in 2025.
(Austin Dillon ranked 31st in fantasy points scored on the road courses last year with an average finishing position of 28.4)
Best Tracks for Austin Dillon: 1) Richmond, 2) Homestead 3) Indianapolis, 4) Charlotte, 5) Texas
Be sure to check out all of the Driver Preview articles that will be released later this week. I will have the drivers ranked 21st – 35th for FREE. The top-20 will be behind the pay wall, so the members can get an advantage over their competitors.
* Team Information from Jaysky.com
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