NASCAR DFS picks 2025 COTA: Top drivers, sleepers, and strategy for DraftKings and FanDuel

The NASCAR Cup Series circuit returns this Sunday with the running of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas. With this being the first non-drafting track race of the campaign, it might be easier to narrow down the odds for those who want to bet on the event.

As of Wednesday afternoon EST, Shane van Gisbergen has opened up as the odds-on favorite on both DraftKings and FanDuel at +500. This is no surprise as the former Supercars champion is a threat in any road course race. He most notably won the inaugural Chicago Street Race back in 2023 and finished runner-up at Watkins Glen last season. For those on DraftKings and FanDuel this Sunday, it'd be smart to have the driver of the #88 on your bet slips.

NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Connor Zilisch is the second favorite at +600, followed by Tyler Reddick at +700, William Byron at +750, and Kyle Larson at +900. Zilisch might come as a surprise to some but he's proven to be a road course ace after winning his debut Xfinity race at Watkins Glen last season. Meanwhile, Reddick and Byron have won the last two Cup races at CoTA, making them threats once again this season.

Worth a play down at +1200 might be AJ Allmendinger, who currently has the eighth-best odds to win. All three of the driver of the #16's Cup victories have come on road courses, and he's proven he can be a threat at any road course he goes to. While he might have a tough time outrunning van Gisbergen, Allmendinger could easily slip through and win Sunday at CoTA.

Another solid play might be Chris Buescher, who won on a road course last year at Watkins Glen. At +2500 to win, the driver of the #17 has finished eighth in his last two races at CoTA and has finished top 15 in all but one start. At +350 to place top five, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have Buescher on your bet slip.

There's two former champions that bettors might want to avoid this weekend, and that's Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. For Logano, at +3500 to win, he has an 18.3 average finish at CoTA and has only one road course win in his Cup career which came back in 2015. Keselowski, at +10000 to win, has never won on a road course and has finished outside the top 30 in his last two CoTA starts. With numbers like these, it might be best to avoid Logano and Keselowski this weekend.

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When does Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race start?

The NASCAR Cup Series race at the Circuit of the Americas will begin Sunday at 3:30 p.m. EST. The race can be watched on FOX or can be listened to on the Performance Racing Network.

This weekend's race marks the fifth time the NASCAR Cup Series has raced on the Austin, Texas road course. The race is 95 laps long and is called the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix.