Published May 14, 2026 9:55 AM EDT

Audio By Carbonatix

A million dollars on the line, no points, and a 750-horsepower short-track package that has run four times this season. The All-Star Race lands at Dover for the first time ever, and the rankings below weigh current short-track-package form against Dover history.

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Set your DraftKings fantasy NASCAR lineups here: NAS $150K Engineer [$50K to 1st] (All-Star)

Top DraftKings Picks for the 2026 Cup Series NASCAR All-Star Race

1. Denny Hamlin ($11,000) — Nobody in this field can match Hamlin’s recent dominance at Dover. His two Gen 7 wins in four starts at the Monster Mile lead the way. The current form is just as strong, with 297 laps led across the four 2026 short-track-package races.
2. Kyle Larson ($10,500) — His 7.18 average finish across eleven Cup starts at Dover is the best of any active driver. Earlier this spring at Bristol, Larson led 284 laps and finished third in the same short-track package.
3. Ryan Blaney ($10,200) — Can the hottest driver in the 2026 short-track package (average finish of 3.0) defeat Dover’s dominant duo? Dover was once a black hole for Blaney, but he was just a kid. In his prime, he’s steadily improved at the high-banked concrete track.
4. Chase Elliott ($10,000) — Few tracks bring out the best in the No. 9 Hendrick Chevy like the Monster Mile. Elliott has an average finish of 5.75 and a win in four Gen 7 starts at Dover. Martinsville isn’t a comparable track, but it did feature the new high-horsepower package. Elliott won that race.
5. Christopher Bell ($9,700) — Speed without finishes defines Bell’s short-track package season. The No. 20 JGR Toyota has led 176 laps across the four 2026 short-track races. Bell’s average finish is 13.75 — capped by a 27th at Bristol. Last year’s All-Star Race winner still belongs in the mix.  
6. Tyler Reddick ($9,500) — Four straight top 10s in the 2026 short-track package keep the championship leader in the core DFS build this week. His Gen 7 Dover history is softer at 15.0, but current form wins the tiebreaker.
7. William Byron ($9,000) — Concrete used to be a strength for the No. 24 Hendrick Chevy. An 8.61 average running position across eleven Cup Dover starts says as much. The 2026 short-track package has been fine (three top-10 finishes) but not fast.
8. Chase Briscoe ($8,700) — Bristol delivered a fifth-place finish, the only short-track-package top-five of the season for the No. 19. Briscoe’s Gen 7 Dover history is a 16.0 average finish across four starts. The No. 19 JGR Toyota was a monster at the Monster Mile with Martin Truex making moves at his hometrack. Briscoe was the runner-up in the 2025 Dover race.
9. Ty Gibbs ($8,500) — This is the steal of the week. A 3.75 average finish across the four 2026 short-track-package races and four straight top-tens make Gibbs the best value on the board. The Bristol win several weeks ago is the cleanest data point of all.
10. Alex Bowman ($8,300) — Sleeper of the entire field if he gets the Fan Vote nod. A 5.33 Gen 7 average finish across three Dover starts is one of the best marks of any active driver. Limited 2026 short-track-package data is the catch. Fan Vote watch.
11. Joey Logano ($8,000) — Penske teammate Ryan Blaney has the 2026 high-horsepower package figured out. The No. 22 Ford is not far behind. After an embarrassing effort at Darlington, Logano and his team regrouped for back-to-back top-10 finishes at Martinsville and Bristol.
12. Chris Buescher ($7,800) — The sneaky DFS play is to fade stars in the All-Star Race. No one is more no-name than blue collar Buescher. His working class stats can get the job done — average finish of 10.75 in the four Dover Gen 7 races.
13. Carson Hocevar ($7,700) — The new short-track package hasn’t been too much of a challenge for the new Chevy body. Hocevar’s Spire Motorsports Chevy is averaging a strong average finish of 12.75 at the short tracks.
14. Ross Chastain ($7,600) — History and current form pull in opposite directions. An average finish of 12.5 in four Gen 7 Dover starts with over 39 Hog Points (fast-lap and lap-led points) in two of the four races is one of the better non-winner marks here. The 2026 short-track package has been the problem, with a 20.0 average finish across four races.
15. Brad Keselowski ($7,500) — Quietly, the most improved short-track-package driver of the season, with an average finish of 11.0, is old man Keselowski. His Gen 7 Dover history is rough, but the Gen 7 era has been a period of transition for the RFK owner-driver. It appears the transition is over. Brad is back.
16. Kyle Busch ($7,300) — All eyes will be on the Andy Street partnership since. Is Busch washed, or can his new crew chief rejuvenate the future Hall of Famer? A 10.75 Gen 7 Dover average finish across four starts says the track fits, but current short-track-package form is ugly at a 21.75 average finish.
17. Bubba Wallace ($7,200) — The 23XI Racing No. 23 Toyota disappointed in the high-horsepower package at Darlington and Martinsville. Wallace got back on track at Bristol. Dover and Bristol are similar high-banked concrete tracks. Wallace could walk home with $1 million on Sunday afternoon.
18. Ryan Preece ($7,100) — Bristol produced an eighth-place finish, the highlight of the short-track-package season for the No. 60 RFK Ford. Dover has not been kind to Preece in the Gen 7 package — average finish of 24.5. Preece won the 2025 season-opening exhibition. He could become Mr. Exhibition with a win in the Dover All-Star Race.
19. Shane Van Gisbergen ($6,500) — Times are changing. SVG is still winning at road courses, but the biggest change is that he’s improving on the ovals. Despite the Trackhouse Racing struggles in 2026, Van Gisbergen has a top-15 finish in three of the four short-track package races.

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