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

The NASCAR Cup Series circuit returns to action this Sunday afternoon for the second race of the Round of 12 of the playoffs. The Kansas Speedway is the site of the Hollywood Casino 400, which is scheduled for 267 laps and 400 miles of racing.

For sports bettors tuning into the action, there's a few things they'll want to know for their daily fantasy sports (DFS) lineup. According to DraftKings Sportsbooks, as of Wednesday afternoon EST, Kyle Larson is the odds-on favorite to win at +370. The driver of the #5 has won two of the last four Kansas races, including this past May after starting from the pole. While the Hendrick Motorsports star hasn't won in 2025 since then, he's sure to be a contender on Sunday.

Denny Hamlin has the second-best odds at +600. The driver of the #11 is a four-time Kansas winner, with his latest victory come in May 2023. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has finished eighth or higher in seven of the last eight Kansas races. Kansas has proven to favor the Toyotas in recent memory, and Hamlin is surely one of the top Toyota drivers heading into Sunday.

William Byron and Ryan Blaney are the next two favorites at +700 to win. Byron has never won at Kansas but finished runner-up in the September 2024 race and has a pole win in May 2023. Blaney, meanwhile, is also without a Kansas victory but has two top-five finishes in the last two Kansas races. While they aren't the odds-on favorites, having Byron or Blaney on a bet slip is a solid strategy.

One sleeper to watch this Sunday is Ross Chastain at +1400 to win. The driver of the #1 won the September 2024 race as a non-playoff driver. Now in the playoffs this season, the Trackhouse Racing driver will aim to punch his ticket to the Round of 8 with a victory. Another sleeper to watch is Kyle Busch at +2800. While the driver of the #8 finished 21st in the September 2024 event, he was leading in the late laps until a spinout doomed his chances at victory. Like Busch, Chris Buescher is another non-playoff driver who could upset the field. The driver of the #17 finished runner-up to Kyle Larson in May 2024 in the closest finish in NASCAR history.

What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Kansas start?

On the heels of Ryan Blaney clinching a spot in the Round of 8 by winning New Hampshire, the other 11 NASCAR Cup Series playoff drivers will look to do the same this Sunday. The Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway plays host to the second race of the Round of 12.

The green flag for the 267-lap event is scheduled to drop at 3 p.m. EST. The race can be watched on the USA Network or listened to on the Motor Racing Network.