NASCAR · Fastest Laps
What Are Fastest Laps in NASCAR DFS?
Last updated October 25, 2026 by Ship It Nation
A fastest lap goes to the driver who posts the quickest time on a given lap of the race. DraftKings awards 0.45 points for each one, and any car in the field can earn it.
Why It Matters
Fastest laps pay nearly twice as much as laps led, and they spread across more drivers, so a fast car stuck in traffic can still build dominator points without leading. Fresh tires after a pit stop often produce fastest laps, which is why pit strategy and caution timing move these points around during a race.
Example
Say a driver starts 18th at an intermediate track and never leads a lap, but his car is among the fastest on long runs. If he posts 40 fastest laps while working through traffic, he earns 18 points from that category, on top of his finishing position and place differential points. A projection built only on laps led would have missed him.
Trust long-run practice speed over single-lap qualifying speed. Cars that hold their pace as the tires wear tend to post fastest laps all race long.
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Common Questions
How many points is a fastest lap worth on DraftKings?
A fastest lap is worth 0.45 points in DraftKings NASCAR contests, almost double the 0.25 points for a lap led. A driver who runs 50 fastest laps earns 22.5 points from that category alone.
Can a driver earn fastest laps without leading?
Yes. The fastest lap goes to whoever posts the quickest time on that lap, regardless of position. A car running in traffic, or one on fresher tires after a pit stop, can earn fastest laps while sitting well behind the leader.
Why are fastest laps harder to project than laps led?
Because they spread across more drivers and depend on tire age and pit timing. A car that pits under green may post several fastest laps on new tires, then give them back as the rest of the field cycles through its stops.