And then there was one.

For more than half the field, the season boils down to the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Four drivers have a chance to make the Chase on points; 17 can get into the playoffs by winning this week.

Unless players think the playoffs are hype that doesn’t impact them, simply look back at last week’s Bojangles’ Southern 500. The four drivers who are battling for a position based on points finished between eighth and 15th and probably would have been better overall if Jamie McMurray’s crew had not made a late-race mistake.

Rest assured the NASCAR teams know all of the scenarios involved in advancing and the four points’ contenders are going to be solid values. Newman may throw a Hail Mary pass, but all of the winless drivers below him will certainly be looking for a strategic advantage. They will try to short pit, stretch their fuel, or stay out on old tires to gain track position. Like Newman last week, that could benefit fantasy owners with a top-10 finish on their lineup—but it could also cost a lot of points if the teams misjudge.

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This week, we created a 25-person contest Draft Kings contest—and if that fills quickly, we will add another smaller league. As the week’s roll along, we will continue to seek the upper limit of these contests, but we need your feedback.

Communicate with us via Twitter or through the DanBeaver.com web site so that we can determine how to proceed. If you want us to keep growing this league so that the prize gets bigger, that is one option. The other option is to create multiple, 25-person contests with the top five positions paying out.

Send your response to Dan @FantasyRace or Victoria at @VictoriaBeav42.

Search for NAS $5 25-Player (Top 5 Win) by FantasyRace or click on the link https://www.draftkings.com/contest/draftteam/23442304?ugc=0 to join.

Since contests must be full to be in effect, we are taking baby steps. Anyone who wishes to be invited, should send @FantasyRace a note on twitter with his or her Draft Kings handle, and we will send invitations.

NASCAR visits its third short track in four weeks.

This year the Toyota Owners 400 is scheduled for daylight hours. Like last week’s venue Bristol Motor Speedway, that means their two races will be run in different conditions, which could eventually lead to a pattern of some racers performing better in the spring or fall.

And that is likely to make a bigger difference at Richmond than Bristol. Mostly concrete, the half-mile bullring is not as heat sensitive as the three-quarter-mile asphalt track.

This little track has delusions of grandeur. It is a short track that has as many similarities to the similarly-configured, 1.5- and two-mile tracks as it does to the other short courses and in some ways it is the best of two worlds. At less than a mile in length, cars are constantly in traffic. And with only 40 cars instead of 43 as the maximum field, drivers can maneuver more skillfully around the course.

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