Window World 450
Location: North Wilkesboro, N.C.
Course: North Wilkesboro Speedway
Format: 0.63-mile oval
Laps: 450
NASCAR Cup Race Preview
Ryan Blaney and Ford drove to their second victory of 2026 last week at Atlanta Motor Speedway, further strengthening the Team Penske driver's third-place position in the regular-season standings. The win broke Toyota and Chevrolet's hold on Victory Lane and put Ford back on top of a race weekend for the first time since March, when Blaney drove to victory at Phoenix. This week could give the blue oval brand another shot. North Wilkesboro Speedway is set to host its first points-paying Cup Series race since 1996, and track position and tire management should be two of the biggest factors in the outcome. The track hosted the All-Star Race each of the last two seasons, and both the Open and main event were won from the front row in each of those weekends. That makes qualifying one of the most important sessions of this weekend. North Wilkesboro's rougher surface could also play a larger role with this race running significantly longer than the recent All-Star events. Tire management and pit strategy may ultimately be the difference between losing ground late or moving forward when it matters most.
Key Stats at North Wilkesboro Speedway
- Number of races: 93
- Winners from pole: 23
- Winners from top-5 starters: 69
- Winners from top-10 starters: 77
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 107.360 mph
Previous 10 North Wilkesboro Winners
1996 fall - Jeff Gordon
1996 spring - Terry Labonte
1995 fall - Mark Martin
1995 spring - Dale Earnhardt
1994 fall - Geoff Bodine
1994 spring - Terry Labonte
1993 fall - Rusty Wallace
1993 spring - Rusty Wallace
1992 fall - Geoff Bodine
1992 spring - Davey Allison
The NASCAR Cup Series makes its regular-season return to North Wilkesboro Speedway this week for the first time since 1996. Despite this being a new race, the series did run the All-Star weekends at the venue the last two seasons, so teams and drivers do have some limited recent experience. This track is a flat, short oval where track position carries a lot of weight. Like most short tracks, starting up front is a major advantage, and the winners of the last two years of All-Star Race and All-Star Open contests all started on the front row. Drivers still need drive off the turns to set up passes under braking into the next corner, though, especially on a layout where clean passing opportunities are limited. If passing is too big of a challenge, strategy can take over. Historically, not many drivers have won when starting outside of the top 10, though. North Wilkesboro's elevation is also worth watching. With a 14-foot elevation difference between each end, right-front tire wear could be a concern, especially is long green-flag runs come into play and drivers have to manage tire degradation. Drivers who qualify up front should be the favorites to win, and anyone starting in the middle of the pack will need a well-formulated strategy with long-run tire management to have a real chance at the win.
RotoWire NASCAR Cup Series DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Window World 450
Based on standard $50k Salary Cap
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Denny Hamlin - $11,000
Ryan Blaney - $10,700
Kyle Larson - $10,500
Christopher Bell - $10,200
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
William Byron - $9,900
Chase Elliott - $9,700
Joey Logano - $9,500
Tyler Reddick - $9,200
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Chase Briscoe - $8,900
Carson Hocevar - $8,700
Ty Gibbs - $8,500
Chris Buescher - $8,300
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Brad Keselowski - $7,600
Austin Cindric - $7,200
Erik Jones - $6,600
Austin Dillon - $6,300
Optimal DraftKings Lineup for the Window World 450
Kyle Larson - $10,500
Christopher Bell - $10,200
Carson Hocevar - $8,700
Brad Keselowski - $7,600
Erik Jones - $6,600
Austin Dillon - $6,300
Denny Hamlin has been the best short-track driver in recent seasons and is the deserved favorite early this week, but fantasy players may be better served taking a more balanced approach instead of going all in on one driver. By fading Hamlin, rosters can still include multiple top-tier options while leaving room for several long-shot plays at much lower price points. For those reasons, Kyle Larson (DK $10,500, FD $12,500) and Christopher Bell (DK $10,200, FD $13,000) are our top selections for North Wilkesboro. Both drivers are still winless in 2026, but both have been close to breaking through in recent weeks. Larson was one of the few drivers able to move forward in the two All-Star Races, leading five laps last year after starting 19th and finishing fourth in 2024 after starting 12th. Bell won from the front row in 2025 and qualified third the year prior, though he finished only 17th. Having two drivers with legitimate winning upside feels like the safer route this week instead of putting all of our eggs into one basket.
Carson Hocevar (DK $8,700, FD $8,200) continues to draw a lot of attention and he was back at the front of the field a week ago at Atlanta. His aggressiveness can pay off in the right circumstances, and a short track like North Wilkesboro is one of them. Last year, Hocevar led 46 laps of the All-Star Open, earning a spot in the main event. Despite starting 21st in that race, he still managed to climb up the order to finish 11th. His biggest unknown this weekend will be how the competition treats him.
This historic track could also be good news for Brad Keselowski (DK $7,600, FD $7,500). His veteran's approach to tire management and pit strategy could be big factors in pushing him up the finishing order this week. Add to those skills his past success at short tracks and this could be the week he grabs another top finish. He led 62 laps from pole before crashing out of last year's All-Star Race and started on the front row in 2024, too. While Keselowski has endured his share of struggles this season, this week's stop could be a rare bright spot for him and the team.
Veteran Erik Jones (DK $6,600, FD $6,000) offers similar value. Last year, he started 12th but clawed his way to a fourth-place finish in the All-Star Open race. He is coming off of a fifth-place finish a week ago at Atlanta and has three top-10s from the last six races, too. With a spot in The Chase on the line, Jones will be looking for another top-15 run this week.
This week could also offer Austin Dillon (DK $6,300, FD $5,800) an opportunity to outperform. He got his second top-10 of the season last week at Atlanta, which could give him a boost heading into this week's race. He moved from 15th to ninth in the All-Star Open in 2024 and finished 14th in the All-Star Race last season. Another top-15 finish this weekend would be good return for his relatively low cost.
Best Bets for the Window World 450
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 6:00 PM ET Friday
Race Winner - Joey Logano +1000
Top-Three Finish - Ty Gibbs +220
Top-10 Finish - Austin Cindric +235
With four top drivers virtually equal on odds, there is no clear-cut favorite to win this week at North Wilkesboro. Rather than trying to pick which of those four will win, wagerers may be better off looking at some drivers with longer odds, like Joey Logano. The Team Penske driver has had an awful season but is on the cusp of the championship positions and finished ninth at Atlanta, his first top-10 since Michigan. Logano has a history of winning NASCAR's first visits to a track, and he did that here at North Wilkesboro in the 2024 All-Star Race when he led 199 of 200 laps from pole. To prove that was not a fluke, he backed up that performance with a second-place finish from the fourth starting spot in the 2025 edition of that race.
A top-three finish from Ty Gibbs may also be a decent value. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has been productive on short tracks this season with his first series win coming at Bristol as well as a fourth-place finish at Martinsville. While neither track closely replicates North Wilkesboro, Gibbs has also tasted success here. In 2024 he won the All-Star Open, leading 100 laps from pole. After that, he moved from the 18th starting spot in the main show to finish 13th. As long as he doesn't qualify too far back, Gibbs is a driver that should be expected to be near the front on Sunday.
Another Team Penske wager to consider this week is Austin Cindric for a top-10 finish. Cindric enters this race with four top-15 finishes from the last five races, which is a consistent run of form he can improve from. He also finished eighth at Martinsville back in March. Cindric has been in the best form of the season and within touching distance of the top 10 in several recent races. With a starting spot inside the top 15, this wager will look even better.
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