My projections, along with Stephen Young\u2019s from RotoGrinders, are available in our new\u00a0NASCAR DFS package<\/a>. You can read more about what the\u00a0package entails here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s not skip the best part \u2014 my\u00a0Perfect% metric \u2014 a metric that tells you how often certain racers appear in the optimal lineup when running 10,000 race simulations.<\/p>\n And don\u2019t forget about the\u00a0tools that FantasyLabs<\/a>\u00a0has to offer, like\u00a0our\u00a0Lineup Optimizer<\/a>\u00a0to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups or our\u00a0Lineup Builder<\/a>\u00a0if you like to hand-build your lineups.<\/p>\n So, without further ado, here\u2019s my strategy guide and NASCAR DFS picks for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway.<\/p>\n Coke Zero Sugar 400 DraftKings DFS Tournament Picks<\/p>\n Stack the Back: It goes without saying, but stacking the back of the field is always a strong strategy at drafting tracks.<\/p>\n One could argue it works the best here, in the most chaotic race of the year and with the fewest laps of any drafting track race, turning this into a place differential race even more than the others.<\/p>\n That means the likes of B.J. McLeod, Cody Ware, and yes, even Casey Mears and Joey Gase are in play.<\/p>\n My model reflects this, as it gives Mears and Gase 10%-plus chances of ending up in the optimal lineup. That\u2019s because all it takes is one or two mass chaos events, which occur frequently in this race, to make this a 15-car race. And if they hang back and miss it all, suddenly they are likely going to end up optimal by starting 39th and 40th.<\/p>\n Leverage Ownership: Chase Elliott is going to be massively owned. But if past precedence is any indication, there\u2019s a 55% chance he doesn\u2019t even finish on the lead lap<\/a>.<\/p>\n That means 45% of the time he will, but even then that doesn\u2019t guarantee he ends up optimal starting from the 30th spot.<\/p>\n In addition, he could be helping his Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) teammate Alex Bowman (more on this in a minute), who isn\u2019t locked into the race. If that\u2019s the case, there\u2019s even more potential for Elliott to be a bit farther back in the pack where he could get caught up in a wreck.<\/p>\n Go underweight on Elliott.<\/p>\n Noah Gragson ($6100): You\u2019ll likely have plenty of Gragson already, as I project him to be around 20% rostered starting 32nd, but I think you should have more.<\/p>\n Gragson has stunk up the show this year, ranking 33rd in points, but he has excelled at drafting tracks. Despite his poor overall results, Gragson has had a third, fifth, sixth, and ninth in 12 starts at either Daytona or Talladega in his Cup career.<\/p>\n Literally 33% of the time he\u2019s had a finish that would likely get him in the optimal lineup from a 32nd-place starting spot.<\/p>\n And that doesn\u2019t include other DNFs or poor finishes where he was in the mix for the race win late, but chaos took over.<\/p>\n Gragson is the selfish, aggressive type I like, where he may cause a wreck and get caught up in it (or even drive through it), but that also puts him in a position to have upside, which is what we want in tournament formats.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll have at least 30% Gragson.<\/p>\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NASCAR-ads-Dayton-1000x400-FantasyLabs.jpg\")
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