NASCAR Xfinity DFS Martinsville Preview. Noah Gragson is a smart play this week. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

NASCAR Xfinity Martinsville DFS and Betting Preview: Time to bag up, ladies and gentlemen. The Dead on Tools 250 at Martinsville under the lights on Saturday night is gonna be the ultimate short-track racing shootout.

It’s awesome to see a triple header at this track for two years in a row after the Xfinity Series made it’s long awaited return in 2020. The series hadn’t raced here since 2006 before last year.

Harrison Burton was victorious in the return race after being the one of the dominant drivers throughout the day. He lead 81 laps en route to the victory.

Josh Berry won the spring race earlier this year for JR Motorsports, and at the time the win was a shocker and a major upset in the series. We now know what Berry is capable of. He is racing this weekend in the Jordan Anderson #31.

Much is on the line here in the playoff picture. Austin Cindric and AJ Allmendinger are virtually mathematically locked into the Championship 4. Just like the trucks, it’ll be a free-for-all for the other two spots.

Let’s get right into it.

NASCAR Xfinity DFS Martinsville Picks for DraftKings

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This Halloween, A Legend Returns. You thought he was gone. He was just at the next best party.

Martinsville. Halloween.

Garage Guys Tailgate Party: Saturday night after Xfinity. Halloween costumes welcome.

Just be there. We’re goin’ all-out. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/lDL5uqdyyE

— dale tanhardt (@daletanhardt) October 28, 2021

Noah Gragson: #9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet – $10,500

Noah Gragson has stellar performances in his two Xfinity starts at Martinsville- 3rd and 2nd. He also is a won his first ever NASCAR National Series race here in the truck series in 2017.

Gragson has an average finish at short tracks of 4.8 since the beginning 2020. He has two wins in that span (Bristol 2020 and Richmond 2021).

Gragson will start 9th on Saturday, and I believe he will lead laps and contend for the win. Additionally, his aggression level will be high considering he is basically in a must-win situation to advance to the Championship 4. Book Gragson as my top play.

AJ Allmendinger: #16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet – $9,500

Allmendinger has had fast cars here, but bad luck with tire issues relegating him to tough finishes. I expect AJ to battle for the lead early and often here.

I think AJ will be slept on with the results not showing, but at this price- for a guy who has five wins this season, you’re getting a potential steal. I think AJ will run in the Top 5 all night and will threaten to win this race.

Daniel Hemric: #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – $10,000

I can’t argue with the speed of the #18. He was very strong here in the spring- even with pretty good damage to the front of his car.

He’s been red-hot in the playoffs, contending for the win and a Top 5 at almost every one of the last five races. He has four Top 5’s in those last five, and likely would’ve had another had he not wrecked and massed too much damage last week.

I’m with you. We all know Daniel clearly doesn’t want to win. But he starts 7th, and if he runs in the Top 5 and contends at the front, he will pay off.

Josh Williams: #92 DGM Racing Chevrolet – $5,900

I like the experience here with Josh Williams. Williams is a solid short track racer, and in two starts at Martinsville, he’s finished in the Top 20 both times.

Don’t get me wrong. I love Preston Pardus who is a teammate to Williams this week as well. His place-differential potential drives his salary super high as he starts 38th.

Williams starts 22nd, and I think he will realistically run somewhere between 13th and 18th. I believe he has a Top 10 ceiling though.

Everybody else in this price range has the volatility of a hand grenade. I think inserting Williams allows you to build a top-heavy lineup and acts a safe punt with some sneaky upside. I think Williams has a good night on Saturday.