Goodyear 400<\/p>\n
Location:\u00a0Darlington, S.C.
Course:\u00a0Darlington Raceway
Format:\u00a01.37-mile oval
Laps:\u00a0293<\/p>\n
Cook Out Goodyear 400 Preview<\/p>\n
The NASCAR Cup Series heads back east this week for another stop at an intermediate oval at Darlington Raceway. This historic track is one of NASCAR’s most notorious venues thanks to its unique shape and challenging characteristics. Denny Hamlin<\/a>, last week’s winner at Las Vegas, is also the defending champion of the Darlington spring race, though this year’s event takes place earlier in the schedule. No matter when the series visits, tire wear is always a central talking point. Darlington is famous for being tough on tires and difficult to pass on. Track position is crucial for race success, making a strong qualifying effort essential. At the same time, teams that focus on car setups to conserve tires can see big rewards on Sunday. Both races at Darlington last season were won by Toyotas, while Ford and Chevrolet swept the season races in the two years before that. The Cup weekend kicks off Saturday with practice and qualifying, setting the stage for 400 miles of racing on Sunday.<\/p>\n Key Stats at Darlington RacewayNumber of races: 128Winners from pole: 21Winners from top-5 starters: 78Winners from top-10 starters: 108Winners from 21st or lower starters: 6Fastest race: 141.383 mphPrevious 10 Darlington Winners<\/p>\n 2025 fall – Chase Briscoe<\/a> Darlington Raceway is one of NASCAR’s most iconic venues. It has hosted the NASCAR Cup Series since 1950, and this weekend’s race will mark the 130th time the series has competed here. When discussing Darlington, two topics always seem to come up – tires and the high line. The track’s abrasive surface makes tire management critical throughout each stint; drivers who can preserve grip for later often gain positions as others fade. Additionally, the track’s unique corners create a preferred line that hugs the wall, especially in turns 3 and 4. That high line, with the track’s stepped banking, leaves very little margin for error, and most drivers end up brushing the outside barriers at some point during the race, collecting their “Darlington stripe.” Because there’s really only one fast groove, track position is crucial. Most winners since 2022 have started on the first two rows, but Erik Jones<\/a> and Kyle Larson<\/a> managed to win from 15th and 18th, respectively. Practice speeds don’t always predict race results, so fantasy players are better off prioritizing starting position over Friday’s practice times when setting their lineups.<\/p>\n RotoWire NASCAR Cup Series DFS Tools<\/p>\n NASCAR Lineup Optimizer<\/a><\/p>\n NASCAR Projections<\/a><\/p>\n DraftKings Value Picks for the Goodyear 400<\/p>\n Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap<\/p>\n DraftKings Tier 1 Values<\/p>\n Denny Hamlin<\/a> – $11,000 DraftKings Tier 2 Values<\/p>\n Christopher Bell<\/a> – $9,700 DraftKings Tier 3 Values<\/p>\n Bubba Wallace<\/a> – $8,500 DraftKings Tier 4 Values<\/p>\n Erik Jones<\/a> – $7,500 Optimal DraftKings Lineup for the Goodyear 400<\/p>\n William Byron<\/a> – $10,000 After dominating but ultimately losing this race last season, William Byron<\/a> (DK $10,000, FD $12,000) is back seeking redemption. The Hendrick Motorsports driver led 243 of 297 laps and won both stages before losing out to Denny Hamlin<\/a> during the final pit stops, settling for second place. Byron is a former winner at this track, with five top-10 finishes in his last seven starts here and has earned back-to-back top-10 results in the two most recent races heading into this weekend. Now could be the perfect time to select him.<\/p>\n Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott<\/a> (DK $9,300, FD $10,500) epitomizes consistency at this venue. The former champion has never won at Darlington, but he has finished 12th or better in 11 of his 18 career appearances. Last season, he finished eighth in the spring race and led eight laps in the fall despite starting 21st. After a runner-up finish just a week ago at Las Vegas, Elliott could be on an upswing, which should put him in contention for another top-10 finish, or better, this weekend.<\/p>\n Toyota drivers Bubba Wallace<\/a> (DK $8,500, FD $10,000) and Ty Gibbs<\/a> (DK $8,000, FD $9,000) are two of the hottest drivers in the series right now. Wallace sits second in the points and is tied for the most top-10 finishes so far this season, while Gibbs is 10th and tied for the most top-fives. Both drivers are off to a great start and are working hard to convert that momentum into victories. Either could conceivably win at Darlington, too. Wallace has five top-10s and a pole in his last seven Darlington starts, while Gibbs finished second and ninth in two of his last four. These are two drivers fantasy players should feel comfortable relying on as long as their hot starts continue.<\/p>\n Ryan Preece<\/a> (DK $7,300, FD $7,200) is also enjoying a strong start to the 2026 season, which could translate into some upside potential this weekend. The RFK Racing driver has finished 13th or better in three of the last four weeks and has placed in or around the top 15 at Darlington in five of the last seven races. The RFK Racing Fords have shown progress early in 2026, and that improvement is helping them climb the finishing order each week, which is something fantasy players will want to take advantage of.<\/p>\n Lastly, Austin Cindric<\/a> (DK $6,900, FD $6,500) could be a good bargain this week. Like the RFK drivers, Cindric has shown consistent speed in races early in 2026, and he just needs to convert that pace into a complete race. The potential for victories is there despite his current 30th position in the standings, and I’m happy to keep choosing him as long as the price is right. This is one of those weeks. With an average Darlington finish of 17.5 from eight starts, Cindric is a solid play. His last three finishes at the track were all 13th or better, too.<\/p>\n NASCAR Cup Series Betting Picks for the Goodyear 400<\/p>\n Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook<\/a> as of 2:30 PM ET Friday<\/p>\n Race Winner – William Byron<\/a> +800 There are several top contenders to win this week’s Goodyear 400, but with such favorable odds, William Byron<\/a> stands above the rest. The Hendrick driver dominated this race last season but came up short in the final miles. He is also a former winner and two-time pole sitter at Darlington, with five top-five finishes and seven top-10s in 15 starts. Byron understands this track well and will learn from last year’s setback to be even stronger this time, which makes his odds a bargain to scoop up while they are still available.<\/p>\n Another favorite alongside Byron is Chase Briscoe<\/a>. He already won two of the last three Darlington races, and last fall’s victory was even more dominant than Byron’s spring race. However, winning three of the last four is a tough challenge. For that reason, taking Briscoe for a top-five finish with positive odds makes sense. I wouldn’t fault anyone for picking Briscoe to win, either, but to get positive odds and a wider range of finish possibilities, this could be the better Briscoe play this week.<\/p>\n
2025 spring \u2013 Denny Hamlin<\/a>\u00a0
2024 fall –\u00a0Chase Briscoe<\/a>
2024 spring –\u00a0Brad Keselowski<\/a>
2023 fall –\u00a0Kyle Larson<\/a>
2023 spring –\u00a0William Byron<\/a>
2022 fall –\u00a0Erik Jones<\/a>
2022 spring –\u00a0Joey Logano<\/a>
2021 fall –\u00a0Denny Hamlin<\/a>
2021 spring –\u00a0Martin Truex Jr.<\/a><\/p>\n
Chase Briscoe<\/a> – $10,700
Kyle Larson<\/a> – $10,500
William Byron<\/a> – $10,000<\/p>\n
Tyler Reddick<\/a> – $9,500
Chase Elliott<\/a> – $9,300
Ross Chastain<\/a> – $8,800<\/p>\n
Chris Buescher<\/a> – $8,300
Ty Gibbs<\/a> – $8,000
Carson Hocevar<\/a> – $7,700<\/p>\n
Ryan Preece<\/a> – $7,300
Austin Cindric<\/a> – $6,900
John Hunter Nemechek<\/a> – $6,200<\/p>\n
Chase Elliott<\/a> – $9,300
Bubba Wallace<\/a> – $8,5000
Ty Gibbs<\/a> – $8,000
Ryan Preece<\/a> – $7,300
Austin Cindric<\/a> – $6,900<\/p>\n
Top-five finish – Chase Briscoe<\/a> +115
Top-10 finish – Chris Buescher<\/a> +135<\/p>\n