The NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 at Martinsville is on Sunday, and DraftKings is offering a new way to play fantasy NASCAR. The game is simple. Build a “Pick Set” (2+ drivers) and decide if they will outperform their stat projections. Here is some advice to help build your DraftKings Pick6 Pick Sets for the NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 at Martinsville.
William Byron – Fantasy Points: 69.5
Pick6 Play: MORE
The regular season champion needs to win at Martinsville to safely secure a spot in the Cup Series Championship at Phoenix. The Round of 8 has been a disaster for the No. 24 Hendrick Chevy team. That’s in the rearview mirror. Byron and crew chief Rudy Fugle are focused on Martinsville. Hendrick is always focused on Martinsville. It’s their best track, and it showed on Saturday. Byron had the best car in practice and qualified on the pole. This shouldn’t be a surprise. Byron has won multiple races at Martinsville, including two Gen-7 races at this short, flat track in Southside Virginia.
If Byron’s bad luck continues, then he’ll once again be a bad beat. The stats predicted good results in the first two races, and Byron held up his part of the bargain. Circumstances beyond his control caused chaos. It could happen again, but that can’t be counted on. Fading for fate is not a feature of fortune formation. Every data point and narrative point towards Byron controlling this race. Even if he doesn’t control the entirety of 500 laps at Martinsville, simply controlling the first stage should lead to enough fastest-lap and lap-led points to clear this low fantasy NASCAR Pick6 projection.
Denny Hamlin – Fantasy Points: 54.5
Pick6 Play: MORE
The consensus is that this race doesn’t matter for Hamlin. It doesn’t. It shouldn’t. Hamlin qualified for the Championship race weeks ago. The No. 11 JGR Toyota team is likely pouring all of its resources into Phoenix. That’s true, but NASCAR isn’t a week-to-week sport. This isn’t the NFL. Teams focus on the game plan for the current week’s practice. At the end of the season, teams with secured playoff spots rest players and gameplan for more important games. That occurs to some extent in NASCAR, but the reality is that Hamlin and his team were preparing for the pivotal penultimate race of the 2025 season at Martinsville for months. Although they may be looking ahead, a lot of the preparation for The Paperclip was done months ago. Not to mention, Hamlin has raced at this short track in his home state of Virginia more than any other driver in the field. Martinsville does not require extra attention for Hamlin. He could fall out of bed and earn a top-5 finish at this historic track.
If there was any doubt that Hamlin was looking ahead, those fears were wiped away by Hamlin’s practice speeds and qualifying effort. He’s as fast as always. The only concern is that Hamlin doesn’t push it. That’s overthinking it. Hamlin’s not playing 4D chess. This is old-school short rack racing. Trying to calculate playoff contenders is a fool’s errand. Hamlin is going to do what he only knows how to do — race. There’s a possibility that Hamlin doesn’t give 100%, but 90% Hamlin is still a safe top-5 finish. Running upfront for 500 laps will easily result in more than 54.5 fantasy points.
For NASCAR insight and quick DFS help, follow Pearce Dietrich (@Race4thePrize) on Twitter.
What is DraftKings Pick6?
Pick6 is a peer-to-peer fantasy variant where you build a lineup (your “Pick Set”) of 2+ players and select whether or not you believe each will outperform their listed stat projection. Enter your Pick Set in Pick6 contests to compete against other users. Get enough picks correct and win a share of cash prizes.
How to Play
Create a Pick Set
Create a Pick Set by choosing 2+ players from the same sport and Pick Group (a set of picks available from a group of set competitions). For each player, simply select if you think they’ll have more or less than their listed stat projection. In each Pick Set, you can not pick the same player twice and you must pick players from at least two different teams.
Enter an Amount
Once you finalize your Pick Set, choose your entry fee amount. Your entries will be automatically distributed into available contests, subject to your confirmation.
Sweat Your Picks
When the games go live, use the My Picks tab to follow your picks in real time to track how your players are performing against their projections and how they stack up against other users.
Compete for Prizes
Make enough correct picks and win a share of the contests’ guaranteed prizes. Any prizes won will be credited to your DraftKings account after contests are finalized.
Play at DraftKings Pick6 or by downloading the DraftKings Pick6 app on Apple or Google!
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be at least 18 years or older. Higher age limits may apply in some states. Eligibility restrictions apply. Valid only in states where DraftKings Pick6 operates. Void where prohibited. For entertainment purposes only. Winning a contest on DraftKings depends on knowledge and exercise of skill. See terms at pick6.draftkings.com.
