DraftKings NASCAR DFS Picks: Sonoma

”Green on the vine, like strawberry wine.” -Deana Carter, Strawberry Wine

Well, race fans, if you see a gratuitous amount of wine country references, like UB40 or the above-mentioned song lyric playing over video on TNT, it can only mean one thing… the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series have returned to Napa Valley to race at the historic road course there, Sonoma Raceway. Get your DraftKings rosters ready for the fourth and final right-turn track of the year.

Sonoma is always a guilty pleasure track for me when it comes to this track type on the schedule. I’m not sure why, but I’ve always preferred it to others like Watkins Glen International or Circuit of The Americas. Maybe it’s the scenery or the fact it’s so technical, a course that puts success squarely in the hands of the drivers. Whatever the reason, I love it.

The favorite entering the weekend, of course, has to be Shane van Gisbergen. Yes, I know he didn’t even finish the race last week at Coronado Naval Base. I also know he looked pretty human going up against the field at times last week, too. But SVG remains superhuman on this track type compared to everybody else.

The obvious choice is to anchor your roster around SVG. As for who to avoid? Well, I’d stay away from two oval aces, Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin, this week. Neither were very speedy in San Diego nor did they show much speed at the other road courses on the schedule.

There is even a case you should keep Chase Elliott off your radar, too. Yes, the former “road course king” has seven wins on this track type, but lately the No. 9 team has been absolutely dreadful on tracks that defined Elliott’s early years in the Cup Series. He lucked his way into a 12th-place finish at Coronado, which is unusual for him, and hasn’t sniffed the front at Sonoma in years.

Outside of the names I mentioned above, stick to the guys who excel at road course racing and you’ll be able to afford some vintage champagne come Sunday afternoon. Let’s take a closer look at what an ideal roster might look like.

Editor’s Note: Due to a misunderstanding, last week’s DraftKings column did not run. Frontstretch regrets the error; expect to see the fantasy forecast here every race morning the rest of the season.

DraftKings NASCAR Fantasy Forecast

Shane Van Gisbergen $14,000

I covered a lot of it in the intro, but guys, there is no reason to panic when it comes to SVG. The guy is still at the head of the class.

I mean, look at how much he costs to roster this week? I have been at DraftKings a while now and I’ve never seen a salary that high. But you have no choice but to pay it. SVG is liable to get the most laps led, stage wins and fastest lap at this track.

There’s no universe in which I would advise someone to pass up a max points day like that. Expect SVG to stay aggressive, needing to collect as many points as possible while fighting for a spot in the Chase… and for your team.

Michael McDowell $9,300

There’s a reason McDowell’s name always comes up when we head west to Sonoma.

Not only is he an accomplished road course racer, but outside of SVG, he’s got the best Next Gen Era average finish at this track type of 4.0. It’s all about taking the fight to the No. 97 this week and I believe his No. 71 Spire Motorsports car is the best weapon in the arsenal.

McDowell very nearly won this race two years ago and undoubtedly may have his best chance since then in 2026. His teammates have already visited victory lane this year, so the speed within the Spire organization is there. Can McDowell capitalize?

Chase Elliott $8,000

Alright, hear me out. I know I said in the intro that a case could be made to avoid him this week, and there is.

But now I present to you the case for signing the 2020 Cup champion instead. He has two wins on the year already, and thus far has been the only driver at Hendrick Motorsports to cash in. He also has an outstanding average finish in the Next Gen car here at Sonoma (5.0) despite not ever getting any of his road course wins here.

I also theorize that Elliott and crew chief Alan Gustafson have been experimenting with setups on road courses lately, working hard to return to their former glory there. If they hit on something this weekend, they’ll bring home another great finish in wine country; don’t miss out.

Bubba Wallace $6,900

If it wasn’t evident by now, Wallace has grown into quite the road racer as of late. His runner-up effort at San Diego notwithstanding, let’s not forget he earned at 11th at COTA back in the spring. A driver who once detested these tracks has put in the effort to improve, although a qualifying crash at Sonoma set him back slightly.

The growth in Wallace’s race craft is there, and to me that makes him a steal at his salary this weekend. Plus, with SVG’s heavy salary, Wallace is a value pick.

Austin Hill $6,300

Finally, Hill makes an appearance on this list since taking over for the late Kyle Busch a few weeks ago.

Again, this pick is a value pick that works because of the way I’ve seen Hill grow since Charlotte Motor Speedway last month. Lately, it seems the No. 33 has been able to move forward in these races, and I think that ability to pass makes Hill dangerous. He may have crashed out at Coronado last week, slumping to 36th, but let’s not forget his top-10 qualifying effort.

What’s more, Hill won his first road course race in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series last weekend. KFB also took this team and car to a top-10 finish at Sonoma in 2025; if Hill can do that, it’s $6,300 well spent.

Ty Dillon $5,100

In case you forgot, the In-Season Bracket Challenge returns this weekend. And I absolutely know you guys forgot what that brought out in Dillon last season.

The younger Dillon brother was able to drag his No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro to a 17th-place finish in round one. From there, he pushed on from the final seed to get all the way into the final round against Ty Gibbs.

This year’s first round matchup is no joke: Dillon goes up against the mighty No. 11 Toyota Camry of Hamlin. It’s going to take a lot to one-up a championship contender, but it took a lot last year, too, and he was up to the task. Expect the No. 10 car to overachieve this weekend.

Top Bets of the Week

Michael McDowell +1600

Listen, SVG is the unquestioned favorite. In fact, he’s so much of a favorite that taking the field for a small amount is a better investment for your money. Of all the drivers in that group, I like McDowell the most. Spire Motorsports is on a Trackhouse Racing 2022 type of run this year, and I think he and his team know Sonoma is their best shot at a victory. Look for the No. 71 up front this weekend.

Dark Horse of the Week: Chase Elliott +2200

Elliott? Underdog? At a road course, no less?! The mere thought would’ve elicited wild and raucous laughter from anybody following the sport a few years ago. But times have changed, and in a world where his pace has diminished on these types of racetracks, Elliott is no longer the first choice.

Except… I know the skill is still there. I know the equipment is still there. It depends on how well the car does when it is unloaded on Saturday, but I believe Elliott has been paying possum all season at road courses. If he wakes up, well, that could be a hefty payday, folks.