The NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers 400 at Michigan 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 FireKeepers 400 at Michigan.
Denny Hamlin: Laps Led – 39.5
Pick6 Play: Less
Let’s play the weather game. Whether you like it or not, weather is a factor. Michigan is not known to have been built on an ancient Indian burial ground like Talladega. It’s not cursed. But we could start that narrative now. It’s Michigan. Don’t like the weather? Give it a minute and it will change. Doesn’t it seem like every state says that? States like Florida and Michigan have a legit claim to this phrase. The moisture is mercurial in these states due to the large bodies of water that surround the states. So why does weather matter? The full allotment of laps might not be run on Sunday. The NASCAR Cup Series is scheduled to head south of the border next Sunday. The Mexico GP is a big deal and the executives will have no problem sacrificing the FireKeepers 400 for the inaugural race in Mexico City.
Weather narrative aside, Hamlin is a winner and not necessarily a lap leader. To his credit, Hamlin led over 40 laps in the last two races. Both were intermediate tracks. Michigan is a different intermediate track. It’s more like Talladega than it is like Nashville or Charlotte. Hamlin led 123 laps at Michigan in 2010. The most laps he has led in his other 33 starts is 38. That’s an average of 4.2 laps led per race.
Brad Keselowski: Fantasy Points – 45.5
Pick6 Play: More
There is a strong narrative at work. It’s documented in other NASCAR pieces on DK Network. TLDR; Michigan is Keselowski’s home track. He is obsessed with winning at Michigan. He’s never won at Michigan. He is 0-for-27, but he has 15 top-10 finishes and nine top-5s. Two of those top-5 finishes came in the last two races (2023 and 2024). Keselowski’s RFK teammate won the Michigan race in 2023. These Fords clearly know the winning setup for the Gen-7 car at Michigan.
Keselowski’s practice times were fine, but not a lot can be read into practice data. Drivers run spread out and log clean laps. Race laps are dirty. Michigan is fast and the cars punch a big hole in the air. It’s easy to get around Michigan in practice. Navigating the race is different and BK understands this. His qualifying position could cause concern, but it’s just one lap. Even that one lap wasn’t far behind others. If BK were just a tenth faster, he would be starting close to the top-10. This is an easy place differential pick.
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 at least two 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 DraftKings Pick6
Create a Pick Set
Create a Pick Set by choosing at least two 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!
