DraftKings DFS Strategy Guide for the 2025 Food City 500 (Bristol Motor Speedway)

The NASCAR Cup Series rolls into Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City 500, one of the most unique and DFS-rich races on the calendar. With 500 laps on a tight, high-banked half-mile track, there’s a huge volume of bonus points up for grabs on DraftKings — making dominator selection absolutely critical for those chasing the top prize in this week’s $350K GPP tournament.

🏁 Track Overview: Why Bristol is DFS Gold

Bristol is a short track with steep banking, high speeds, and very little room for error. Drivers often find themselves in lapped traffic within 30 laps, and there are very few green-flag pit cycles compared to longer tracks. The race can get chaotic with multi-car wrecks, mechanical failures, and frequent cautions.

But for DFS players, the key is the lap count:

• 125 points available for laps led

• 225+ points possible from fastest laps

That’s over 350 dominator points in play — by far one of the highest totals of any race all year.

Winning a GPP this week almost always requires 2 dominators, and sometimes even 3, depending on how the race unfolds.

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🔑 GPP Strategy: How to Build Lineups at Bristol

1. Lock In 2 (or 3) Dominators
Because of the sheer volume of laps, you need drivers who will lead 100+ laps or log big chunks of fastest laps. Typically, this means drivers starting in the top 10, as track position is crucial on restarts and clean air matters.

2. Balance Risk and Reward with Place Differential
Some fast drivers are starting deep in the field this week. In GPPs, they can be tournament winners if they move up and finish top 10. But don’t load up on backmarkers — they risk going a lap down early and killing your lineup.

3. Use Salary Relief Wisely
There are several drivers under $7K that offer solid +10 place differential potential or can survive to a top-20 finish. You’ll likely need one or two cheap drivers to make the high-priced dominators fit.

4. Prioritize Lead-Lap Finishers
Many drivers will finish multiple laps down at Bristol. Try to focus on those who can survive and finish on the lead lap — they’ll outperform drivers who merely gain a few spots but finish two laps behind.

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💸 Dominator Tier (Top-End Must-Haves)

These are the drivers who can win the race and dominate lap-leader and fast-lap points.

Denny Hamlin ($11,100 – Start: 4th)

Hamlin enters Bristol on a tear, with back-to-back wins and strong form at this track. He’s a multi-time winner here, starts near the front, and has a team that consistently gives him long-run speed and pit road efficiency. Expect high ownership — but fading him could be costly if he leads 100+ laps again.

Kyle Larson ($10,500 – Start: 3rd)

Larson is one of the best short-track drivers in the series. He dominated here last year and starts in a great position to take the lead early. He was fast in practice and has the tire management to thrive on long green-flag runs. He’s a must-have in many GPP cores.

Christopher Bell ($10,200 – Start: 7th)

Bell has led 300+ laps at Bristol across the last two seasons and starts within striking distance of the lead. He makes a great GPP pivot off Hamlin or Larson, especially if either falters or gets caught up in an early wreck.

Alex Bowman ($8,000 – Start: 1st)

Bowman won the pole and is priced below the usual dominators. He’s a riskier play — if he holds the lead for a significant stretch, he smashes value. If he gets passed early and fades, he’s a bust. Perfect GPP wildcard.

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💰 Mid-Range & Value Tier

Mid-priced drivers with strong place differential potential or top-10 upside.

Ross Chastain ($8,600 – Start: 35th)

High-risk, high-reward. Chastain starts way back but has the aggression and equipment to move up quickly. If he can stay on the lead lap and crack the top 10, he’s a tournament-winner.

Chris Buescher ($8,300 – Start: 24th)

Buescher is a past winner at Bristol and has multiple top-10s here. He starts in the mid-pack and typically avoids trouble, making him a high-floor, mid-ceiling play in this price range.

Ryan Preece ($7,500 – Start: 29th)

A short-track specialist who consistently finishes above his starting position here. He’s a great GPP play for 10+ place differential and a clean race.

Austin Dillon ($6,300 – Start: 17th)

Dillon won’t dominate but has a solid history of finishing top-15 at Bristol. At this price, he doesn’t need much more than a clean run and top-15 finish to pay off.

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💎 Sleeper & Salary Relief Tier

Key low-cost plays that allow you to jam in multiple dominators.

John Hunter Nemechek ($6,000 – Start: 32nd)

One of the top punt plays of the slate. He finished 6th here last year and was top 10 in practice averages. A finish around 15th-18th from 32nd would crush value.

Noah Gragson ($6,900 – Start: 31st)

Gragson has a strong Bristol background in Xfinity and flashed long-run speed in practice. He has the potential to finish top 20 and post 40+ DK points.

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🎯 Sample GPP Lineup Build

Example Core (GPP Strategy Focus):

• Denny Hamlin – Dominator

• Kyle Larson – Dominator

• Chris Buescher – Value with upside

• Ryan Preece – Safe PD play

• Austin Dillon – Solid value floor

• John Hunter Nemechek – Punt with upside

Total Salary: $49,700

This build gives you two elite dominators, two mid-tier drivers with differential upside, and two low-cost options who can finish top 20. It’s a great mix for GPPs — and leaves salary on the table for uniqueness.

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📌 Final DFS Notes

• Target 2–3 Dominators in every GPP lineup

• Avoid drivers starting mid-pack unless they offer strong long-run potential

• Mix in place differential upside, but don’t overload backmarkers

• Don’t be afraid to leave salary on the table — it helps create unique lineups

• Watch for last-minute news: backup cars or unapproved adjustments can shift value

This is a chaotic race with big reward potential. You’ll need dominators, place differential, and a bit of luck to take down the top prize in the $350K tournament.

Good luck — and may your lineup survive The Last Great Colosseum.