Darlington Goodyear 400 Fantasy NASCAR Front Runner Rankings

Josh Berry
Darlington Fantasy Outlook – If you’re looking for a dark horse down the depth chart at Darlington, Josh Berry could very well be your driver. Berry has boosted upside at tracks where tire wear is prevalent and in 2024 at Darlington, Berry was 2 for 2 at being a top five contender despite what the results column will show you.
Darlington Track History – Last year at Darlington, Josh Berry was a standout performer and was 2 for 2 at being a top five driver. Last fall, Berry was strong but finished an asterisk mark 31st. In the race, Berry started 15th, finished 9th in Stage #1, finished 7th in Stage #2, was up to 5th on lap 327 but then shortly after that following a restart, Berry did an aggressive move and a “Big One” then ensued, leading to his poor result. In terms of Total Speed Rankings, Berry ranked 4th. Last spring, Berry had a great performance. In the race, Berry started 33rd, had a 14.3 average running position and then finished 3rd. In terms of speed stats, Berry ranked 3rd for speed late in a run and had the 11th best Total Speed Ranking.

Ryan Preece
Darlington Fantasy Outlook – If you’re looking for a Darlington dark horse, don’t overlook Ryan Preece. The #60 team is running well with Preece recently finishing 9th at Homestead (similar track) and Preece hasn’t been that bad at “The Lady In Black.” At Darlington in 4 of his last 5 races, Preece has finished between a respectable 12th to 17th. On Sunday, I would view Preece as a dark horse top ten contender as he vies for his 4th straight in 2025.
Darlington Track History – As you read above, Ryan Preece has finished between 12th to 17th in 4 of the last 5 Darlington races. Over that stretch minus summer 2023, Preece has a 14th place average finish. Last fall, Preece had a solid showing and finished 12th. Additionally, Preece had the 12th best  Total Speed Ranking and a 15.8 average running position. Last spring, Preece finished 17th, had a 24.9 average running position and had the 26th best Speed Ranking. In fall 2023, Preece finished a clunker 28th. In the race, Preece had the 29th best Total Speed Ranking and a 32.2 average running position. In spring 2023, Preece finished 15th. Additionally, Preece had a 21.6 average running position and ranked 24th for Total Speed Rankings. To close out the race, Preece ran well. On lap 266 before late chaos, Preece was legitimately in 12th.

Brad Keselowski
Darlington Fantasy Outlook – Brad Keselowski, the defending spring Darlington winner has been elite at Darlington but with how 2025 is playing out, he’s risky. Over the last five Darlington races, Keselowski has a series best 6.4 average finish, the 5th best Driver Rating, the 5th best Average Running Position and he’s had a result in the top 14 every race.
Darlington Track History – Darlington has been a great track for Brad Keselowski. He’s a 2-time winner and in 5 of the last 7 races he’s finished in the top 7. In the Next Gen, Keselowski ranks 4th in terms of average finishes (11.0) and 12th in terms of Next Gen Speed Rankings. Over the last four races, Keselowski has a series best 6.3 average finish. Last fall, Keselowski had a solid showing but was ultimately a disappointment since expectations were high after his spring win. Last September, Keselowski finished 14th, had a 12.0 average running position and earned the 11th best Driver Rating. In terms of speed stats, Keselowski ranked 12th for Green Flag Speed and then 19th for Total Speed Rankings. Last spring, Keselowski had a hot rod and raced his way to victory lane. In the race, Keselowski started 2nd, finished 3rd in Stage #1, finished 2nd in Stage #2, had the best Driver Rating, the best average running position (2.6) and led 37 laps. I’ll also note, his win wasn’t just because Reddick and Buescher crashed, I think he was legitimately the best, especially late in the race. In terms of speed stats, Keselowski ranked #1 for speed late in a run and then 2nd for Total Speed Rankings. In fall 2023, Keselowski ran well throughout. In the race, Keselowski finished 6th in Stage #1, finished 9th in Stage #2, had a 9th place average running position and then finished 6th overall. In spring 2023, Keselowski finished 4th.

Make sure you read the full spectrum of our Darlington Fantasy NASCAR Rankings

Top Tier Elite Picks > Front Runners Rankings > Mid Pack Predictions & The Low Tier