Can-Am 500
Phoenix International Raceway
Last Sunday brought the playoffs to the Lone Star State at Texas Motor Speedway and it was a fairly typical 1.5-mile track race. Several cars were out in front but most of the changes for the lead happened on restarts and pit road as the track proved to be more of a single-groove drive than in past races. Ultimately, Kevin Harvick was able to run down Martin Truex Jr. with only a handful of laps left to clinch his spot in the championship next weekend. Truex, finishing second, locked himself in on points, as even if he doesn’t finish Sunday’s race at PIR, fifth place still can’t catch him.
Phoenix is a 1-mile track but that’s not the whole story. It’s pretty narrow between the walls, save for the dogleg, which makes for some interesting passing opportunities. Overall, it is a pretty flat track with banking in the turns of just 10-11 degrees, as well as in the dogleg. The third and fourth turns are only tilted at an 8-9 degree incline making for even slower speeds. The 500 in the race name is for the number of kilometers run in the race as there are 312 laps run around the 1.022-mile loop.
There are only four drivers in the field, with multiple races run, that have posted a positional differential higher than +6, which is a very small number compared to other tracks on the schedule. Typically 79% of winners have started in the top-five starting positions but in the past 12 races nine winners have come from outside the first five in the starting grid. It’s also a track where late race pit strategy can really propel you through the field, just like Ryan Newman did in the spring race not taking tires in the last stop under caution.
With five drivers competing for just one spot left in the championship race, expect some contrarian pit strategies as the race continues. It’s a pretty quick 312 laps typically and not much room for error with a few of the drivers.
DFS Playbook
| Driver | Draft Kings | NASCAR Live | Description |
| Martin Truex Jr. | $11,300 | $28.50 | Phoenix hasn't been the best track for Truex with just one top-10 in the last five races with four top-20s and no laps led. He has had a fast car all week but should only be a GPP play with his history |
| Kyle Busch | $11,100 | $28.00 | Kyle has finished between P2 and P4 in the last four races here but doesn't have a win. He has led 190 laps (second in the field) and has the second-best driver rating. He's a cash or GPP play Sunday |
| Kyle Larson | $10,200 | $27.00 | Larson has two top-fives and three top-10s in the last five races with three laps led. He has been solid in the last 17 1-mile races with eight top-fives and 11 top-10s. Fast car = cash or GPP play |
| Kevin Harvick | $10,000 | $27.25 | Harvick is the dominant driver at Phoenix. He has two wins and four top-fives in the last five races with 506 laps led. His 2.8 AVG finish is best in the field. He has 8 wins in 29 races here. Cash play |
| Jimmie Johnson | $9,800 | $23.75 | Johnson is the second-best driver here career-wise behind Harvick. Recently it hasn't gone his way here with just one top-five and two top-10s in the last five races. Mostly a GPP play this week. |
| Brad Keselowski | $9,500 | $26.50 | Keselowski is fourth in the standings right now and has a top-five and three top-10s in the last five races at PIR. He doesn't need a win, just a good run, and he's certainly capable of doing that. |
| Chase Elliott | $9,300 | $26.75 | Elliott has three races under his fire suit here and has two top-10s in that span. He also have five top-10s in five Xfinity races at PIR. He needs a win and has run P1 and P2 at practice and starts P4. |
| Denny Hamlin | $8,900 | $27.50 | Hamlin is in fifth and needs a win or some help to make it to Miami. He's been fast at practice and has a top-five and four top-10s in the last five races here. He can be played in either cash or GPP |
| Ryan Blaney | $8,200 | $18.00 | Blaney narrowly won the pole for Sunday over Hamlin. He's been solidly fast but hasn’t led a practice this week and two top-10s in three races here. He likely needs a win to advance. Cash or GPP |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | $8,000 | $14.25 | Jr. got his last win here back in 2015 and has two top-fives and two top-10s in the last four races here. He has three wins in his career and nine top-fives in 29 races. Solid speed makes him a GPP |
| Ryan Newman | $7,100 | $23.25 | Newman got into the Chase this year with a win at Phoenix in March. He has two top-fives in the last five races and has 10 in 30 career races at PIR. Newman is a mid-tier flier in GPP lineups Sunday |
| Ty Dillon | $6,900 | $18.00 | Dillon has two MENCS races here at Phoenix but finished P15 and P16 in those trips to the desert. His +6 PD makes him only one of four to hit that mark in the field. Works for either lineup format |
| Aric Almirola | $6,100 | $10.75 | Almirola has been in the mid-20s at practice and starts P22 Sunday but that's not unusual for him here. He has a top-10 and four top-20s in the last five races. His +7.4 PD is second in the field. |
| David Ragan | $6,000 | $9.25 | Ragan ran near top-20 all practice and starts P26 and has a top-20 to his credit here. He is a budget-friendly flier play for a GPP lineup as he offers immediate PD potential on the cheap. |
| Cole Whitt | $5,300 | $5.00 | Whitt is a budget-friendly play. He has a high finish of 25th here and starts P34 on Sunday. There isn't the typical PD play near the bottom this week, but Whitt can still move up some at this price. |
Optimal Lineups
| Draft Kings Cash | |
| Kyle Larson | $10,200 |
| Kevin Harvick | $10,000 |
| Chase Elliott | $9,300 |
| Ryan Blaney | $8,200 |
| Ty Dillon | $6,900 |
| Cole Whitt | $5,300 |
| Total | $49,900 |
| Draft Kings GPP | |
| Martin Truex Jr. | $11,300 |
| Kyle Busch | $11,100 |
| Denny Hamlin | $8,900 |
| Ryan Newman | $7,100 |
| Aric Almirola | $6,100 |
| Cole Whitt | $5,300 |
| Total | $49,800 |
| Draft Kings GPP #2 | |
| Jimmie Johnson | $9,800 |
| Chase Elliott | $9,300 |
| Clint Bowyer | $8,700 |
| Ryan Blaney | $8,200 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | $8,000 |
| David Ragan | $6,000 |
| Total | $50,000 |
| NASCAR Live | |
| Kevin Harvick | $27.25 |
| Chase Elliott | $26.75 |
| Ryan Blaney | $18.00 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | $14.25 |
| Aric Almirola | $10.75 |
| Bonus Winner | Kevin Harvick |
| Bonus Manufacturer | Ford |
| Total | $97.00 |
| Streak To The Finish | Kyle Busch |