The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend for the Dollar Tree 301, and this DraftKings DFS lineup takes a balanced approach to the 301-lap race. The roster combines three high-upside drivers with three mid-range options, leaving $500 in salary on the table.
The Dollar Tree 301 is scheduled for Sunday, August 23, at 3 p.m. ET at the 1.058-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It is the penultimate race of the regular season, adding another layer of importance for drivers fighting to secure playoff positions.
The lineup features Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Josh Berry, Todd Gilliland, and Riley Herbst. Here’s a closer look at each selection and the overall DFS strategy behind the build.
Joey Logano — $10,500
Joey Logano is one of the most intriguing plays on the slate. The Team Penske driver has an extensive history at New Hampshire, including two career victories at the track. Even more importantly for this week’s contest, Logano enters the Dollar Tree 301 with significant momentum after winning two of his last four Cup Series races, including the most recent race at Richmond.
At $10,500, Logano doesn’t carry the highest price tag among the elite drivers, which makes him an appealing anchor for this lineup. His combination of short-track experience, recent form, and potential to accumulate laps-led points gives him tournament-winning upside.
Christopher Bell — $10,700
Christopher Bell is another premium driver who brings plenty of upside to this roster.
Bell has become one of the strongest short-track drivers in the Cup Series, making him particularly appealing at a track like New Hampshire. At $10,700, he’s priced slightly above Logano, but the potential return justifies the investment.
The key with Bell is his dominator potential. In a 301-lap race, there are plenty of opportunities for one or two drivers to accumulate significant laps-led and fastest-lap points. A Bell victory combined with a strong number of dominator points could make him one of the highest-scoring drivers on the slate.
Chase Elliott — $8,500
Chase Elliott provides an excellent middle-tier option at $8,500.
Rather than spending nearly the entire salary cap on premium drivers, this lineup uses Elliott as a bridge between the high-priced stars and the value plays. Elliott has the talent to compete for a top-five finish, but his lower salary gives the lineup additional flexibility.
This is particularly useful in large-field tournaments. DFS players don’t necessarily need every driver to win; they need each driver to outperform his salary-based expectations.
Elliott is capable of doing that with a strong finish and additional points from positions gained during the race.
Josh Berry — $8,200
Josh Berry is one of the more interesting value selections in the lineup.
At $8,200, Berry sits in a salary range where a strong top-15 or top-10 performance could provide significant value. He’s also the type of driver who can become a difference-maker if the more popular high-priced options fail to dominate.
For tournaments, finding drivers in this range who can outperform their salaries is critical. Berry doesn’t need to lead 100 laps to be useful. If he runs competitively throughout the race and finishes substantially better than his starting position, he can deliver a strong DraftKings score.
Todd Gilliland — $5,600
Todd Gilliland is the first major salary-saving play in the lineup.
At just $5,600, Gilliland allows the roster to fit Logano, Bell, and Elliott without sacrificing the sixth roster spot. His value comes from the possibility of exceeding expectations and gaining positions throughout the race.
New Hampshire is a track where patience and consistency can be particularly important. Gilliland’s objective for this lineup is straightforward: stay out of trouble, run competitive lap times, and finish ahead of his starting position.
At this price, avoiding a major negative result can be just as important as producing a spectacular finish.
Riley Herbst — $6,000
Riley Herbst rounds out the lineup at $6,000.
Herbst is another value-oriented selection who provides the salary flexibility necessary to build around three strong premium drivers. At this price, a solid finish can make him a valuable component of the roster.
Herbst is also an interesting tournament play because lower-priced drivers can create separation when they outperform the expectations attached to their salaries.
Overall DraftKings Strategy for the Dollar Tree 301
The biggest takeaway from this lineup is balance. Rather than loading up on the most expensive drivers, this roster uses three premium-to-midrange drivers—Logano, Bell, and Elliott—alongside Berry, Gilliland, and Herbst.
That strategy makes sense for a 301-lap race. New Hampshire’s 1.058-mile oval creates plenty of opportunities for place differential, finishing-position points, and dominator production. The published race format lists stages ending on laps 70, 185, and 301.
DFS players should pay close attention to practice and qualifying before locking in final lineups. Starting position can dramatically change the value of a driver, particularly for mid-priced options. A driver starting deeper in the field can have considerably more place-differential upside than the same driver starting near the front.
The biggest priority should be identifying the drivers capable of leading significant portions of the race. Pairing at least one or two potential dominators with lower-priced drivers capable of moving forward is a strong approach for large-field DraftKings tournaments.
This lineup follows that philosophy. Logano and Bell provide the ceiling, Elliott and Berry provide balance, while Gilliland and Herbst supply salary relief and place-differential potential.
With $500 remaining, the roster also avoids forcing a final upgrade simply to spend every dollar. In NASCAR DFS, leaving a small amount of salary unused can sometimes be preferable to sacrificing the overall construction of the lineup.
For the Dollar Tree 301, the formula is simple: target proven short-track performers, identify potential dominators, prioritize drivers with room to gain positions, and avoid overpaying for name recognition alone. With three strong anchors and three value plays, this DraftKings lineup has a solid foundation for the New Hampshire slate.