Optimal Talladega 2 DraftKings NASCAR Lineups

The restrictor plate races at Talladega and Daytona are always difficult for DraftKings players, simply because there’s always two or three drivers that finish up front that came completely out of left field. Today’s Hellmann’s 500 is usually the most predictable of the four plate races, but it’s still completely possible that someone like Landon Cassill could end up with a top 10 today–he did, after all, finish 11th here last time. So our recommendation to you is to go with your gut today and hope for the best. That’s what we’re doing anyway…

Other posts to read: Drivers to Target at Talladega 2 and Drivers to Avoid at Talladega 2 posts.

Lineup #1

If anyone is going to dominate this race today, it’s going to be Brad Keselowski. He’s the best restrictor plate racer in this field and he has a great car as well. Not to mention he won the last time we were here. Typically we don’t recommend focusing on laps led FPTS at Talladega, but there’s a chance that Keselowski leads 60+ laps today, and we have him winning the Hellmann’s 500 as well. We just wish he didn’t start on the front row…

1. Brad Keselowski
2. Joey Logano
3. Kasey Kahne
4. Clint Bowyer
5. Aric Almirola
6. A.J. Allmendinger

Lineup #2

Kyle Busch is turning into a great restrictor plate driver, and his average finish of 2.3 in the three races at Daytona and Talladega this year is incredible. He starts back in 14th, so there’s room for place differential FPTS, too. Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson also start back in 16th and 17th (respectively) but both have cars that can get to the front.

1. Kyle Busch
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Joey Logano
4. Jamie McMurray
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Michael Annett

Lineup #3

This is the race where you can take a chance on those extremely low-dollar drivers, because if “The Big One” happens and they’re not involved, they’re going to end up inside the top 20. Michael McDowell has been the best of that group of drivers (average finish of 15.3) on the restrictor plate tracks this season, while Landon Cassill is sporting an average result of 21.7 in the three events thus far. Taking these low-dollar drivers opens the door for loading up on the high-dollar drivers as well.

1. Kevin Harvick
2. Kyle Busch
3. Joey Logano
4. Ryan Blaney
5. Michael McDowell
6. Landon Cassill

Lineup #4

I know we said that Brad Keselowski is the driver most likely to dominate this race, but there’s a chance that that honor will go to Martin Truex, Jr., too. The #78 Toyota has been the fastest car on the track all season long, and Truex has to still be pissed about missing out on that Daytona 500 win back in February. The #78 team bought a (maybe legal) hot rod to Talladega this weekend, and although they have a cushion in the points, a win is the only way to guarantee a Round of 8 berth.

1. Martin Truex, Jr.
2. Joey Logano
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Clint Bowyer
5. Aric Almirola
6. A.J. Allmendinger

Lineup #5

We’re calling this the “Terrible Lineup,” simply because it’s comprised mostly of drivers that have been terrible on the restrictor plate tracks this season (or here at Talladega specifically). However, it’s not set in stone that those trends are going to continue, and because they have been so bad in these races, chances are they aren’t going to be highly drafted on Sunday.

1. Kevin Harvick
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Kyle Larson
4. Kasey Kahne
5. Danica Patrick
6. Chris Buescher