Toyota Owners 400: Top-5 NASCAR DFS Cup Series Targets at Richmond

The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season has certainly been exciting to watch, making NASCAR DFS all that much more entertaining as well. Through the first six races of the schedule, six different winners have been produced. We’ve seen the old guard run well, with Kyle Larson winning at Fontana, as well as several first-time winners such as Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe, and Ross Chastain. It’s too early to say that this season symbolizes the passing of the torch from the old generation to the new, but when some of these young guns are consistently running upfront week in and week out, it can’t be ignored.

For the seventh points-paying race, the series makes its next stop at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia for the Toyota Owners 400. Richmond opened in 1946 with the first NASCAR sanctioned race being held in 1953 under the banner of the Grand National Series, with Lee Petty taking the checkered flag. The speedway itself has been tagged with the nickname of “America’s Premier Short Track,” due to its length of being just 3/4 of a mile and its unique “D” shape.

With so much rich history at Strawberry Hill, what do we do for NASCAR DFS this weekend? Will series veteran Martin Truex Jr once again reign supreme? Or will one of NASCAR’s new Cup Series stars shine once again? Were going to discuss these things now.

Cup starting lineup for Sunday at Richmond: pic.twitter.com/Xt9ymoSaj2

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 2, 2022

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Let’s dive in.

NASCAR DFS Cup Series Targets for the Toyota Owners 400

Martin Truex Jr | #19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota | $9,600

Martin Truex Jr has been the man to beat at Richmond over the past few years. He leads all active drivers with three wins in the last five races, also finishing in the top 5 in all five events. Additionally, he’s also led 482 laps and boasts a driver rating of 128 at the three-quarters of a mile race track. Over the last five races of 2022, he has three top-10s but has only led six laps. That statistic in itself is shocking if I’m being honest, but if there was ever a track for it to turn around for MTJ and the Toyota camp as a whole it’s at Richmond.

He was in contention in the 2021 spring race, before an unscheduled pit stop in Stage 3 removed all hopes of taking the win. In the fall race of the same year, he overcame an early pass-through penalty to win. He is priced fairly on DraftKings for today’s event and will roll off from p.6.

It is imperative for Truex and Toyota to have a good showing, and I think he gets the job done.

Joey Logano | #22 Team Penske Ford | $9,200

It was hard for me to not mention Denny Hamlin here, but my gut is telling me not to lean too heavily on the Toyota’s. Instead, I’m jumping down the pricing a bit and going with Team Penske and Ford driver, Joey Logano. To start the year, Logano won the Busch Light Clash inside the Los Angeles Coliseum and has run rather consistently ever since. Over the last five races of 2022, he has a top 5 and three top 10s.

Last year he had great short-run speed in the spring, and ran in the top 5 for a majority of the race in the fall, despite not keeping pace with Truex or Hamlin for much of the event. He is priced very fairly at just over $9k and starts 13th.

I expect another top-5 run here and some laps led as well.

Tyler Reddick | #8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet | $8,200

Tyler Reddick’s driver stats are not all that appealing at first glance when it comes to Richmond. Three Cup Series races, and three top-20s with a driver rating of just 75. However, 2022 is a new year with a new car and a package that appears to favor dirt racers. We have seen Kyle Larson, Briscoe, and Reddick running upfront in most races to start the season, and I believe that trend continues on Sunday.

At just $8,200, the price is right. He also starts 16th, meaning if a top-5 is achieved, some much-desired position differential bonus points will be in play for today’s race. I’m locking him in for both cash and GPPs.

Kurt Busch | #45 23VI Racing Toyota | $7,900

From a Cup Series relative newcomer to an absolute series veteran, the next driver that hits my radar is Kurt Busch of NBA legend, Michael Jordan’s 23VI Racing. Busch has run pretty well in the new car, with two top-5s and three top-10s over his last five races. He did get caught in someone else’s mess at COTA last weekend, but that is not indicative of his on-track performance in 2022. In fact, back at Phoenix, he ran really well.

He finished that race in sixth and had a top-5 driver rating when all was said and done. Phoenix is a hybrid race track that reflects Richmond due to its flat corners. I believe Busch will be one of the Toyota drivers that helps them bounce back starting at Richmond, and with a starting spot of 27th, a salary of just $7,900, and the potential for a lot of bonus points there is no way we’re passing on him here.

Ty Dillon | #42 Petty-GMS Chevrolet | $5,200

There are a plethora of options when it comes to salary relief drivers, but for me personally, none are more appealing than Ty Dillon. If you have read my recent NASCAR DFS articles, you know I’ve relied heavily on Dillon throughout the start of the 2022 season. He’s always priced in the mid $5k range, usually starts around 30th, and more times than not has moved his Chevrolet into the top-20.

Ty Dillon – $5,200

Has finished in the teens in five of six races this season, the only exception being Atlanta (36th) where he wrecked out.

Last three finishes at Richmond: 21st, 26th, 28th with no lead-lap finishes.

— RaceSheetsDFS (Phill) (@RaceSheetsDFS) April 1, 2022

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In fact, he’s finished in the teens in five of the last six races with Atlanta being the only exception. If he can avoid trouble as he’s done more often than not this year, another top-20 is likely in the works.

Good luck on Sunday afternoon! Be sure to follow me on Twitter at @Nate_FFL and @TeamRiseOrFall for continued NASCAR DFS coverage and advice, as well as any late-breaking news prior to the green flag at Richmond. Also, be sure to check out all the other great NASCAR DFS content at TeamRiseOrFall.com.