The NASCAR Cup Series is rapidly approaching the playoff cut race at Darlington Raceway next weekend, but before we head to the Track Too Tough to Tame, we’ve got a superspeedway event at Daytona to worry about. Although at least two drivers are locked into the playoffs on points, surprise winners could leave the likes of Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain and Bubba Wallace on the outside looking in. At least Austin Dillon isn’t receiving an automatic bid! Without further ado, let’s dive into our top NASCAR DFS picks for the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, including Todd Gilliland.
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NASCAR DFS Picks: Top Drivers for the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona
Todd Gilliland | 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400 NASCAR DFS Picks | Daytona International Speedway
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We’re on a superspeedway this weekend, which, if you’re new to NASCAR DFS, generally means it’s smart to stack the back. The close pack racing we see on these tracks usually leads to wrecks, which usually leads to the drivers who start up front scoring negative position differential points. Usually.
Of course, everyone else in the field knows this, which is why adding a driver close to or on the front row, like, say, Front Row Racing driver Todd Gilliland ($6,800) can be smart by helping us get contrarian. Gilliland will start the race in P2 alongside teammate Michael McDowell ($7,700).
It’s at this point that I’ll note Gilliland has yet to score a top-20 finish at Daytona in the Cup Series, let alone a top-10 finish. However, he has begun to impress on superspeedways. He led 16 laps in the Daytona 500 this year before finishing 35th. He then led 58 laps — the most of the field — at Atlanta before finishing 26th. Gilliland finally broke through for a top-10 superspeedway result at Talladega in April.
So while Gilliland doesn’t have the results, he has shown the speed and drafting skill required to win here. It’s now a question of execution. For $6,800, you can get a driver with some serious dominator point upside — if he can hang onto his front-row starting position. I’m cautiously optimistic. If you’re going to feature Gilliland in cash games, make sure to balance him out with some position differential plays like the one below.
Justin Haley
It is absurd that you can get Justin Haley ($5,500) for so little. He’ll start in P36, which may raise red flags to some, but the position differential upside is unreal. Haley actually has a win here in the Cup Series, and while he needed some bad weather to get the job done, it’s not like he hasn’t come close to winning here again. He almost pulled off a wild upset in 2022 before the weather cost him a shot at the win.
Haley’s Cup Series resume may not impress you much, and that’s fine. It’s his Xfinity Series resume that should draw your attention. Over a 10-start sample at Daytona, Haley has two wins, three top-5s and six top-10s with an average finish of 11.9. Over a five-start sample at Talladega, he has two wins, two top-5s and five top-10s. He has one top-5 and two top-10s at the repaved Atlanta, too.
Haley has all the talent he needs to win at a drafting track like Daytona, and he has a fantastic starting position for those looking to stack the back. You can’t say the same of other drivers in this price range. Austin Hill ($5,600) has dominated superspeedways in Xfinity but will start 23rd. Harrison Burton ($5,4000) has far less talent and will start 20th.
Lineups with a combination of Gilliland, Haley and John Hunter Nemechek ($5,700) could break the slate tonight. If they do, remember: You heard it here first.
