Daily Fantasy DraftKings NASCAR Forecast: 2024 Ally 400 (2024)

This weekend the NASCAR Cup Series’ drivers and teams are back in one of the newest hubs in the sport: Nashville, Tennessee.

Among the neon lights and country music sits Nashville Superspeedway, a 1.33-mile concrete oval that has been hosting NASCAR’s top tier series since 2021. There aren’t that many tracks that quite compare to this place, but it is considered an intermediate track. That puts it in the same category as Kansas Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and other intermediates.

When picking your lineup, it will be worth paying attention to who is most successful at tracks such as this one. Do your homework and look at statistics not just from the three races that have taken place here, but Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series races from years gone by as well.

There aren’t many drivers left in the series that raced here back then, but its worth looking at.

Quickly, let’s take a look at how I did last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Here’s a spoiler: it didn’t go well. However, as I always say, it’s a brand new week full of opportunity.

I also caught a bad beat when it came to Todd Gilliland. The young driver finished just outside of the top-ten in 12th, two spots short of getting me paid.

For those new to DraftKings play, let’s take a look at the rules. Points will be awarded in their games for finishing position, position differential, fastest laps and laps led. The driver who wins the race scores 45 fantasy points, while second gets 42 points, third gets 41 points and so on, at least through the top 10. The 11th-place finisher scores 32 points, 21st gets 21 points and 31st gets 10 points.

However many spots they lose or gain on the track are added to or subtracted from their score. Then, if the driver leads a lap, they will earn 0.25 points for each lap led and 0.45 points for each fastest lap.

DraftKings NASCAR Scoring Rules

Fantasy Forecast

1. Kyle Larson ($10,500)

Stats that matter: One career win at Nashville (2021), three consecutive top-five finishes at Nashville, twelve career wins on intermediate tracks

This is one of the easiest picks I’ve ever made.

Larson has been an absolute joy to watch all season, as it seems the NASCAR world revolves around him week in and week out.

This track though, despite the small sample size, is definitely one of his best. He won the inaugural event here, run in the Gen 6 car. But, impressively, he’s finished fourth and fifth in the races run in the current Next Gen car.

It simply doesn’t matter what car it is for the former champion. It only matters whether or not he can stay out of trouble and apparently away from Denny Hamlin. If he can do that, this is your winner and the prize horse in your stable.

2. Chase Elliott ($9,700)

Stats that matter: One career win at Nashville (2022), two straight top-ten finishes at Nashville, won at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this season

Elliott fell back to Earth a bit last weekend in New England, posting one of his worst finishes of the season. Granted, he still managed to continue his streak of finishing every single race in the top 20 this season.

I don’t think that streak is in danger this weekend.

Nashville has been kind to him over the years. He has a win and has never finished worse than 13th unofficially (was disqualified in 2021, leading to an official 39th-place finish).

This team has really produced some great finishes on intermediate tracks this season as well, so this fits in his wheelhouse.

3. Ross Chastain ($9,000)

Stats that matter: One career win at Nashville (2023), three straight top-five finishes at Nashville

If you’re wondering, yes, I did intentionally pick the three drivers in the field who’ve won at Nashville. I need a win bad this week.

Chastain is the most recent, and he’s the only other guy in the field who’s been as good as Larson here over the past three years. He finished second to Larson here in Ganassi equipment and has not finished worse than fifth here since joining Trackhouse Racing.

He’s not had the most consistent season of his career in 2024, but if there’s a place that he can find himself again, it’s here.

4. Josh Berry ($7,700)

Stats that matter: Averaging 37 points per race over the past three races, two career top-five Xfinity Series finishes at Nashville

Ah, yes, here’s my prized pick from last weekend.

Berry returns to his home track this weekend, still looking mighty impressive after last weekend. He has never made a Cup Series start here, but he’s got three Xfinity starts, finishing fourth and fifth in 2021 and 2023, respectively.

He hasn’t been very good on intermediates this season though, which makes me hesitant, but I think the 33-year-old rookie could really show out for his home fans this week.

He’s very good at exceeding expectations.

5. Ryan Preece ($6,000)

Stats that matter: Two career Craftsman Truck Series wins at Nashville (2021, 2022), Finished 16th at Nashville last season, finished 11th at New Hampshire

If you’re looking for dark horse this weekend, this is it.

The rest of the SHR lineup has had some great runs this season, and one of them (Chase Briscoe) has already landed a major ride for next season.

The only one who has neither of those things this season is Preece, but he’s coming back to one of his very best tracks. He dominated those two races he won at Nashville in the Truck Series a few years ago, and last season he brought home a decent finish.

The rest of his teammates have had a moment in the sun this season, and if Preece is going to snag one, this is the place he’ll most likely do it outside of a short track.

6. Austin Dillon ($5,700)

Stats that matter: Three straight top-15 finishes at Nashville, career average finish of 5.0 at Nashville in the Xfinity Series, One career Craftsman Truck Series win at Nashville (2011)

And now, it’s time for my “out of money” pick.

I could’ve done worse than Dillon, despite the fact that is he is in the midst of another absolutely atrocious season, rivaling only the season of his teammate Kyle Busch.

But…Dillon has been successful here in the past. He’s been consistent since the Cup Series began running here, and he was astoundingly great in both Xfinity and Trucks over his career.

If he brings home another top-15, it will be well worth his $5,700 price tag.

Prop Bets and Locks

1. Martin Truex, Jr. (+700) to win: Truex comes into Nashville this weekend wondering what might have been had he not lost the lead to Chastain late in this race last year. He’s not been super consistent over his three starts in The Music City, but I feel like lady luck owes him one. Heck, lady luck owes me one too after last week.
2. Josh Berry (+320) to win his group: As I covered earlier, Berry is on a roll, especially considering the drivers he is grouped with this weekend. Busch, Bubba Wallace, and Alex Bowman are all coming off pretty miserable weekends in New England, while Berry has momentum. It’s a no brainer really.
3. Corey Heim (+800) to finish in the top 10: The Truck Series phenom returns to Cup racing this weekend, and the odds-makers seem to like him to do well here. It could have to do with the fact that the young driver has been incredible on intermediates in over his career. He’s amassed four of his nine career wins on tracks of this type. This is a fun low-risk/high reward bet.

That’s all for this week. Time to go get my cowboy boots, turn on some Brooks and Dunn and maybe throw a chair or two if my bets don’t turn out. Good luck and happy betting!!