This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Bank of America ROVAL 400
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
Course: Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course
Format: 2.28-mile road course
Laps: 109
Race Preview
With unpredictable Talladega in the rearview mirror, the playoff contenders are fixing their sights on the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course and this week's Bank of America ROVAL 400. It is the last chance for those contenders to force their way into the next round and have a shot at being one of the four finalists. They have to overcome the rest of the garage first, though. Non-playoff drivers won each of the first two races held this round and only William Byron is guaranteed to advance after securing enough points through last week's superspeedway race. The points fight around the eighth and final transfer spot is a tight one, too. Twenty-one points separate Tyler Reddick in seventh from Daniel Suarez in 10th, which makes stage points and a top finish a necessity for those hoping to end the day with their championship hopes still intact. Being a road course, Charlotte could be considered another wild-card race, too. Track changes and the twists and turns of a unique layout could yet spring some unsuspected surprises on the championship picture. Several drivers have upped their game on the left- and right-hand turns of these tracks, but non-playoff drivers could continue to play spoiler. AJ Allmendinger did just that last season, which only serves to increase the focus on points this weekend.
Key Stats at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course
- Number of races: 6
- Winners from pole: 0
- Winners from top-5 starters: 1
- Winners from top-10 starters: 4
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 86.661 mph
Previous ROVAL Winners
2023 - AJ Allmendinger
2022 - Christopher Bell
2021 - Kyle Larson
2020 - Chase Elliott
2019 - Chase Elliott
2018 - Ryan Blaney
This week's visit to the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course will be the fifth and final road course race of the 2024 season. It will also be the seventh time this infield course is part of the NASCAR Cup Series calendar. The circuit, situated within Charlotte's 1.5-mile oval, is a 17-turn track that has been adjusted for this season to reintroduce heavier braking zones in an attempt to encourage passing. The old configuration produced some close racing, but as drivers and cars adapted to the track, opportunities for passing became fewer. Tighter turns with heavier braking points could create some drama in the newly reconfigured sections of the circuit. Despite the changes, track position promises to continue being a heavy factor in success. Qualifying in the top 10 and efficient pit strategy during the race are two components that typically will put a car in position to race for the win. However, with some heavier braking and tighter turns introduced this season, the track could encourage greater movement from deeper in the field. Fantasy players should also note that Chevrolet-powered cars have won four of six races at the track. Chevrolet machines have also won all but one road course race so far this season.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Bank of America ROVAL 400 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Shane van Gisbergen - $10,300
Kyle Larson - $10,200
AJ Allmendinger - $10,000
William Byron - $9,800
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Chase Elliott - $9,500
Tyler Reddick - $9,300
Chris Buescher - $9,100
Christopher Bell - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Ross Chastain - $8,800
Kyle Busch - $8,300
Alex Bowman - $8,100
Martin Truex Jr. - $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Ryan Blaney - $7,800
Austin Cindric - $7,500
Joey Logano - $7,300
Denny Hamlin - $7,100
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Bank of America ROVAL 400
Lower-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Tyler Reddick - $9,300
Christopher Bell - $9,000
Ty Gibbs - $8,500
Alex Bowman - $8,100
Ryan Blaney - $7,800
Joey Logano - $7,300
Tyler Reddick (DK $9,300, FD $12,000) is no stranger to road course success. He has wins at COTA, Indianapolis, and Road America and finished in the top 10 in three of four road course stops so far this season. He has the second-best average finish among active drivers at Charlotte, too. Three top-10s from four starts at this track make him an exciting option to lead fantasy rosters. Christopher Bell (DK $9,000, FD $10,000) has one prior Charlotte road course victory as well as two road course top-10 finishes from the four already run this season. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is comfortable in the playoff standings and can approach this week's race more aggressively than some of the other contenders. His average Charlotte finish is 12th from four prior starts. Ty Gibbs (DK $8,500, FD $11,000) can also be aggressive this week. He is not in the championship hunt, but is still looking for his first series win. Gibbs finished third in two road course stops already this season and was fourth in this race last year. This week's Charlotte visit might be his best remaining chance at getting that first series victory in 2024.
Alex Bowman (DK $8,100, FD $8,500) has the best average Charlotte finish among active drivers at 6.4. That statistic even tops teammate Chase Elliott who won two races at the track. He is one of just two active drivers to have finished in the top 10 in five of six Charlotte road course races (he missed the 2022 edition due to a concussion) and enters the weekend in a confident position in the playoffs. That combination of past results and playoff standing could open the door to yet another top-10 run for him on Sunday. Unlike Bowman, Ryan Blaney (DK $7,800, FD $6,800) does have a win here. He is the inaugural race winner and went on to add three more top-10s at the track since, claiming an average finish at the track of 10.2. That is a good number for a driver not typically thought of as a top road course racer. Blaney's teammate, Joey Logano (DK $7,300, FD $8,000) is the other active driver that can claim five top-10s at this track. Two of those were top-fives and one was a runner-up finish. An average finish of 8.4 from the lowest-priced driver in this lineup is a compelling option for fantasy players to consider this week.
Higher-Risk Lineup ($50K Salary Cap)
Shane van Gisbergen - $10,300
William Byron - $9,800
Kyle Busch - $8,300
Austin Cindric - $7,500
Denny Hamlin - $7,100
Chase Briscoe - $7,000
Road course ace Shane van Gisbergen (DK $10,300, FD $14,000) is back for a crack at another Cup Series victory before moving up to the series full time in 2025. The Kaulig Racing driver will make his 10th start of the season and try to grab the win that slipped away from him just a few weeks ago at Watkins Glen. That race was his best finish of the nine starts so far, and he continues to battle to advance in the Xfinity Series playoffs at the same time. This is a track SVG can win at, but fantasy players will have to pay his high price to have him in their rosters. William Byron (DK $9,800, FD $11,500) is a contender that has no pressure this week. He clinched his spot in the next playoff round a week ago and can just go for the win on Sunday. Byron has the speed to do that, too. He finished second in this race last season and started on the front row twice at the track. Another veteran just racing for wins is Kyle Busch (DK $8,300, FD $9,500). Despite having the speed to win on several occasions this season, he is still hunting for that first 2024 victory. Time is running out, but Busch remains a threat each week. With finishes of fourth or better in his last three stops at this track, Busch is definitely worth considering for certain fantasy formats at Charlotte.
Austin Cindric (DK $7,500, FD $7,200) and the rest of the higher-risk lineup has significant skin in the game this week. The Team Penske driver is known for his skills on road courses, but that hasn't translated yet to his finishes at this track. From two starts, Cindric's average finish is just 23.0. However, his average finish at the track from six Xfinity Series starts is an impressive 3.5. Cindric needs to go for the win on Sunday, and this is a track he should be capable of doing that. Denny Hamlin (DK $7,100, FD $7,000) is in a significantly better spot in the standings. The veteran has a comfortable 30-point margin on the drop zone and has a best Charlotte finish of fifth. He has not been great on the road courses this season, though. His best finish on these tracks in 2024 was his 14th-place finish at COTA. He does have two poles here, though. Like Cindric, Chase Briscoe (DK $7,000, FD $6,500) faces a must-win situation this week. Briscoe is last in the playoff standings and basically has to swing for the fence this week. He can do it, though. He won the Xfinity race at the track in 2018 and finished ninth in the Cup Series race of 2022.
