Chase Elliott has never missed the playoffs in his seven previous NASCAR seasons. That streak is likely to end unless the 27-year-old wins the 2023 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. Elliott won the Cup Series championship in 2020, but after missing five races with a leg injury, he hasn't recorded enough points to finish in the top 16 of the NASCAR Cup Series standings. With NASCAR at Daytona being such a vital race for Elliott, how should you factor him into your NASCAR DFS lineups on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings? Is it wise to use him as one of your NASCAR DFS picks, or could his need to win backfire and cause him to take risks to worsen his result?
Before locking in any NASCAR DFS picks for NASCAR at Daytona 2023 on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel, be sure to check out the optimal NASCAR at Daytona DFS strategy and advice from SportsLine's Mike McClure.
McClure has won over $2 million in his career as a daily Fantasy pro, and his NASCAR DFS driver pool, projections and advice can help you score a big win on Saturday.
McClure's model is off to a red-hot start this season, already nailing Martin Truex Jr.'s Clash win (20-1) as well as his win in New Hampshire (11-2), Joey Logano's Duel win (8-1), Kyle Busch's Fontana victory (10-1), Denny Hamlin's triumph in Kansas (6-1) and Kyle Larson's wins at Martinsville (6-1) and the NASCAR All-Star Race (13-2). In Austin, it listed Tyler Reddick as one of its best values and he went on to win for a 10-1 payout. It also impressively nailed five of Larson's wins during his historic season in 2021. All told, the model has nailed a whopping 13 winners since 2021. Anyone who followed its lead on those NASCAR picks saw huge returns.
Now, he's turned his attention to Saturday's Coke Zero Sugar 400. He's only sharing his picks and NASCAR DFS driver pool here.
Top 2023 Coke Zero Sugar 400 NASCAR DFS picks
For NASCAR at Daytona, we can tell you McClure is high on Austin Cindric ($7,300 on DraftKings, $8,200 on FanDuel). Cindric needs to win on Saturday in order to qualify for the NASCAR Playoffs since he's currently 22nd in the Cup Series standings. The 24-year-old has finished 16th or better in his last three races and owns three top-10 finishes this season.
Cindric has strong career success in his limited races at one of the most prominent speedways in the world. He became the second-youngest driver to claim the Daytona 500 when he won at 23 years old in February 2022. Cindric finished third at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 last August, showing no fear of Daytona International Speedway. Cindric was the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion and if his previous success is any indication, he should be in line to outperform his NASCAR DFS price tag and maybe even emerge with the 16th and final playoff spot.
Part of McClure's optimal NASCAR DFS strategy also includes rostering Chase Elliott ($10,500 on DraftKings, $12,500 on FanDuel). Elliott faces a must-win race if he wants to qualify for the NASCAR Playoffs. Elliott has made the playoffs in his previous seven NASCAR seasons, but a leg injury that cost him five races earlier in the year has significantly limited his opportunity to score NASCAR Cup Series points and therefore has him outside the top 16.
Elliott, who won the Cup Series championship in 2020, has been one of the most hit-or-miss drivers this season. He has nine top-10 finishes in 18 races, but he's also finished in the bottom 30 four times. The 27-year-old will need to fight to urge to drive overly aggressively in pursuit of a victory. See which other drivers to roster here.
How to set 2023 NASCAR at Daytona DFS lineups
McClure is also targeting an undervalued driver set to return plenty of value for his NASCAR DFS picks. He's in a prime position to make a run at the checkered flag and comes at a price that won't break the bank. You can see who it is, and every other pick, right here.
So what are the top NASCAR DFS picks for NASCAR at Daytona 2023? And which value driver is a must-roster? Visit SportsLine now to see DFS millionaire Mike McClure's complete driver pool for DraftKings and FanDuel, and cash in big on NASCAR DFS.
