AdventHealth 400: Will Hendricks Dominance Continue?
The Bissett Perspective: DFS picks Nascar Cup Series Race @ Kansas Speedway
Kansas City, KS – The NASCAR Cup Series is rollin' into Kansas Speedway this weekend for the AdventHealth 400, and the air's thicker than race fuel with anticipation. Kyle Larson's recent smack-talk about the sport being a bit "stale" has everyone on edge, wondering if he'll back up those words with some serious speed on the track.
As the engines fire up on the 1.5-mile asphalt oval, the big question is: will Larson's No. 5 Chevy dominate, or will another wheelman steal the show in what's shaping up to be a crucial race in the season?
Race Details:
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Race: AdventHealth 400
Location: Kansas Speedway
Track Type: 1.5-mile Tri-Oval
Surface: Asphalt
Banking: 17-20 degrees (variable in corners), 9-11 degrees (frontstretch)
Date: Sunday, May 11
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Purse: A hefty $11,055,250
TV: FS1 & FOX Deportes (coverage starts at 1:30 p.m. ET)
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 400.5 miles (267 laps)
Since its grand opening back in '01, Kansas Speedway has pumped some serious cash into the local economy – we're talkin' around $4 billion in development. Over the years, 20 different drivers have tasted victory in a Cup Series race here. This weekend, nine of those past winners are geared up and ready to rumble, including heavy hitters like Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, and Kyle Busch.
This weekend marks the 39th time the NASCAR Cup Series has hit the gas at Kansas Speedway, and the 25th since they repaved the joint back in 2012, adding that sweet progressive banking in the corners. Now, here's a fun fact: Ford hasn't exactly been tearing it up here lately. In the last 11 races at Kansas, a Ford driver only snagged a single win (Joey Logano back in October 2020). That stat highlights just how tough this track can be for the Blue Oval brigade.
Hendrick Motorsports: 2025 Belongs to Them (So Far)
Before we dive into the individual drivers, let's just acknowledge the elephant in the room: Hendrick Motorsports is straight-up DOMINATING this season.
They've led a staggering 1,135 laps in 2025, a whopping 419 laps more than any other team. That's their most since 2010!
Their 27 top-10 finishes are the most they've EVER had through 11 races.
They've snagged six of the last eight stages.
They're the ONLY team with at least one car finishing in the top-five in every single race this year. No other team can even say they've had a car in the top-10 for every race.
Three of the top-four drivers in points are Hendrick drivers: William Byron (1st), Kyle Larson (2nd), and Chase Elliott (4th). Alex Bowman's hangin' tough in 10th.
It's safe to say, if you're bettin' against Hendrick this weekend, you might wanna think twice.
Last week’s lineup at Texas included the winning driver, Joey Logano. Do we have another winner in today’s lineup? Let’s check it out!
DraftKings Lineup:
Kyle Larson
DK Salary: $11,000
Starting Position: Pole Sitter
Betting Line: +300 (DraftKings)
The wheelman everyone's watchin' this weekend, and for good reason. He's on fire! Larson's No. 5 Chevy has been untouchable in practice, topping the speed charts and snatching the pole position. He's the defending champ of this race, a two-time Kansas winner, and the only driver to crack the top-10 in all three 1.5-mile races this season. His average finish on those tracks is a blistering 4.67, which is a full five spots ahead of William Byron.
Larson's got nine wins on 1.5-mile tracks, placing him fifth among active drivers. What's even more impressive is that all nine of those victories came in his 32 starts with Hendrick Motorsports, giving him a killer 29% win percentage.
But Larson's been makin' headlines off the track too. He recently stirred the pot by saying the current state of Cup Series racing is "stale." Whether you agree with him or not, you gotta respect the guy for speaking his mind. That, combined with his raw talent, makes him one of the most captivating figures in the sport today. He also leads all drivers with 596 laps led in the Cup Series and 440 laps led in the Xfinity Series in 2025. Larson is 148 laps away from 10,000 laps led in Cup, with 67% of those laps coming in his five seasons with Hendrick Motorsports.
Denny Hamlin
DK Salary: $10,200
Starting Position: 14th
Betting Line: +700 (DraftKings)
Don't ever count out Denny Hamlin at Kansas. He's a consistent performer here, making him a solid DFS pick for the AdventHealth 400. Starting 14th, he's got plenty of room to move up, and his record at this track is straight-up impressive: six top-five finishes in the last seven races at Kansas, with no finish worse than eighth since 2021. He's a four-time winner here and boasts the best driver rating (113.6) in the series over the six Next Gen races. Hamlin has also finished inside the top-10 in the last seven Kansas Cup races, the longest active streak.
Even though Hamlin was just steady in practice, he's feelin' good about the balance of his No. 11 Toyota, and ranked ninth in 20-lap average even while running in the slower practice group. Hamlin's consistency and experience make him a reliable pick for DFS lineups, and his +700 betting line suggests he's a legitimate threat to win.
Ross Chastain
DK Salary: $8700
Starting Position: 26th
Betting Line: +3000 (DraftKings)
Don't let Ross Chastain's 26th-place starting spot fool ya. The "Melon Man" can wheel. He's the defending winner of the fall race at Kansas, so he knows how to get around this track. He started 19th at Las Vegas and finished fifth, and just last weekend at Texas, he raced from 31st to 2nd.
Chastain's aggressive style and never-say-die attitude make him a fan favorite, and his recent partnership with KDOT, promoting seatbelt safety through his "Buckle Up" and "Protect Your Melon" campaign, shows he's got his head on straight off the track. With decent speed in practice, ranking 11th in 20-lap averages, Chastain's got the tools to contend for the win, and his betting line offers some serious value.
Alex Bowman
DK Salary: $7800
Starting Position: 21st
Betting Line: +1800 (DraftKings)
Starting from 21st, Alex Bowman is a driver with sneaky upside at Kansas Speedway. Bowman himself explained on X that going out early hurt his qualifying lap, but he remains confident in his car's potential. His track record at Kansas speaks for itself, with top-10 finishes in all five of his Next Gen starts. Bowman's 10 top-10s at Kansas are his most at any track.
Bowman's No. 48 Chevy has shown impressive speed at similar low-wear, 1.5-mile tracks like Las Vegas and Texas, suggesting that he's well-suited for the conditions at Kansas. Bowman offers excellent value, with the potential to gain significant positions and secure a top-five finish. Hendrick Motorsports has had at least one car finish top-five in the last 19 races, the team's third-longest streak all-time and the longest since the team's longest streak at 24 between 2012 and 2013.
Josh Berry
DK Salary: $7200
Starting Position: 38th
Betting Line: +4000 (DraftKings)
Okay, so Josh Berry's got a mountain to climb in the AdventHealth 400, starting from the back in 38th after tagging the wall in qualifying. It's his worst starting spot in a Cup race at Kansas, but it also means he's a high-risk, high-reward pick for DFS players. While Berry's previous Kansas starts haven't been anything special, he's flashed some potential this season, with a win and four top-20s in 11 races.
Starting so far back, Berry has a ton of place-differential upside, making him a compelling option for those willin' to gamble on his ability to slice through the field. Hendrick Motorsports is the only team with at least one car finishing in the top-five in all 11 races in 2025, no other team had at least one car finish top-10 in all 11 races this year.
Ty Dillon
DK Salary: $5100
Starting Position: 29th
Betting Line: +40000 (DraftKings)
Ty Dillon is your ultimate salary-saver for DFS players in the AdventHealth 400. Starting 29th, Dillon ain't likely to win, but his consistent performances make him a safe bet to finish inside the top-20. Dillon has been remarkably consistent this season, reeling off a string of finishes between 12th and 16th. At Kansas, he's been equally predictable, finishing between 20th and 22nd in four of his five Next Gen starts.