DFS may not be as popular with stock car racing as it is with other sports, but there's no question that daily fantasy racing is quickly growing. And if you haven't joined the movement, the Daytona 500, otherwise known as the Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing, is perfect time to get acclimated. Before I get into my ideal picks for Sunday's race, it's worth taking a look at the scoring if you're new to DFS NASCAR. While drivers are awarded points for finishing position, they also get a bonus for place differential. This means that (without counting fastest-lap or laps-led bonuses) a driver who starts 30th and finishes fifth (14 points for finishing position and 25-point bonus for place differential) will score the same amount someone who starts on the pole but finishes third (41 points for finishing position but negative-two for place differential). This brings in a compelling strategical aspect. Drivers near the back obviously have more potential, while drivers near the front present much more risk. That said, if you have faith that someone near the front is going to do well, you shouldn't completely fade them. Chase Elliott, for example, started Thursday night's first Can-Am Duel in the pole position, but because he won and led for 25 laps, he collected well over 50 DK points, which was certainly valuable for his price. Simply put, there's a lot that goes into the strategy for DFS NASCAR, and with all that in mind, you can click through the gallery for my ideal Daytona 500 DraftKings lineup, or you can head here for even more analysis and picks. (Getty)
Denny Hamlin
Price: $9,600
The strategical element of starting position already comes in to play here. Someone like Jimmie Johnson ($10,000), who is starting 24th, has immense upside because of potential place differential, while Hamlin carries a significant amount of risk starting fourth--especially in a restrictor-plate race where wrecks tend to be bigger and tougher to avoid. That said, Hamlin appears to have a better chance of racking up laps led and ultimately winning this thing. Not only did he win last year's Daytona 500, but he finished sixth in this year's qualifying (Johnson finished 18th) and won the second Can-Am Duel (Johnson finished 12th). While Johnson could be a chalk pick because of his starting position, I like Hamlin to have a big day even if he doesn't have place differential on his side. (Getty)
Kyle Busch
Price: $9,400
Over the last two years, only Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick have had a better average finish at restrictor-plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega) than Kyle Busch, who tallied three Top-3 finishes in four such races last year. He's a legitimate candidate to win this thing, and a starting position of 21 only further improves his outlook in both cash and GPP formats. Furthermore, stacking him with Hamlin, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, provides this lineup with big upside. (Getty)
Martin Truex Jr.
Price: $9,000
Following the Can-Am Duel, Truex Jr. failed post-race height measurements, which is a bad thing in real life, but a great thing for DFS. Instead of starting 13th, the Furniture Row Racing member will now start 35th. Considering he came within inches of winning last year's Daytona 500 and has notched four Top-10 finishes in his last eight restrictor-plate points-paying races, he should have no trouble moving up from that position and picking up a huge point-differential bonus. Though he'll be popular because of this development, both his floor and ceiling are too high to fade. (Getty)
Clint Bowyer
Price: $7,800
There's obviously some risk involved with him starting sixth, but the price is reasonable and he has looked quite good since taking over the No. 14 car for the retired Tony Stewart, clocking the fourth-fastest speed during time-trial qualifying and following it up with a second-place finish in the second Can-Am Duel. For a mid-price option, he's a great bet for some laps led and fastest laps. (Getty)
Ryan Blaney
Price: $7,300
After going Top-20 at every single restrictor-plate race last year, 23-year-old Ryan Blaney enters this year's Daytona 500 with some extremely intriguing potential. His Can-Am Duel--in which he was having a fantastic run--was cut short due to a wreck caused by David Ragan, but that only adds to his fantasy outlook, as it means he'll start near the back. Throw in the low price, and there's a ton to like here. (Getty)
A.J. Allmendinger
Price: $6,700
Similar situation as Truex Jr., Allmendinger would have started 10th thanks to a great showing at the Can-Am Duel, but a failed post-race inspection pushes him all the way back to 38th. Again, that pretty much makes him a must-own option, as there's nowhere to go but up for the driver who has finished 14th, 13th and 10th in his last three restrictor-plate races. (Getty)
DraftKings NASCAR Lineup: Daytona 500 2017 Ideal Picks