NASCAR DFS Fantasy Picks 2025 Bristol Playoffs Cup Race: Best Drivers, Sleepers, and Winning Strategy

The final race of the Round of 16 for the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs is coming up this Saturday night. The Bristol Motor Speedway is the site of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, where 500 laps of racing will determine who will advance to the Round of 12.

For sports bettors tuning in to Saturday night's action, there are some things they'll need to know for their daily fantasy sports (DFS) lineup. According to DraftKings Sportsbooks, as of Wednesday evening EST, Kyle Larson is the odds-on favorite at +265 to win.

The driver of the #5 has won the last two Bristol races in dominating fashion, leading over 400 laps in both the September 2024 race and the March 2025 race. Given his recent hot streak at the track, betting on the Hendrick Motorsports star could be the winning strategy.

Denny Hamlin has the next-best odds at +400 to win. The driver of the #11 has won two of the last four Bristol races and finished runner-up in the March race. In the last six Bristol races, the Joe Gibbs Racing star has finished no worse than ninth.

Ryan Blaney has the third-best odds to win at +600; he finished fifth in the March Bristol race and sixth in the September 2024 event. Christopher Bell is another top driver to watch. At +750 to win, the driver of the #20 has posted top-10 finishes in the last six Bristol races, including a third in September 2023.

One sleeper to keep an eye on is Alex Bowman at +2500 to win. Aiming to get himself above the Round of 12 cut line, the driver of the #48 has shown speed at Bristol. The Hendrick Motorsports star has won the last two poles at the 0.5-mile track and has posted two top-10 finishes in the last three races.

Another sleeper to watch is Ryan Preece at +5000 to win. Seeking his first NASCAR Cup Series win, the driver of the #60 finished seventh in last year's Bristol night race.

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What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Bristol start?

The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs heat up this Saturday night in Bristol, Tennessee. The final race of the Round of 16, where four playoff drivers will be eliminated from contention, is set for 500 laps and 250 miles around the 0.5-mile Tennessee track.

The green flag for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race is scheduled to drop at 7:30 p.m. EST. The NASCAR race can be viewed on the USA Network or the Performance Racing Network. Heading into the race, Austin Dillon, Shane Van Gisbergen, Alex Bowman, and Josh Berry find themselves below the cut line. Meanwhile, Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin clinched their spots in the Round of 12 with wins at Darlington and WTT Raceway, respectively.