This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Black's Tire 200
Location: Rockingham, N.C.
Course: Rockingham Speedway
Format: 0.9-mile D-shaped oval
Laps: 200
NASCAR Trucks Series Black's Tire 200 Race Preview
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series returns to race at Rockingham Speedway in this week's Black's Tire 200. It is the first time the series visits the historic and rebuilt 1.0-mile oval in more than a decade. Kasey Kahne and Kyle Larson won the only two series races held at the track, and Matt Crafton is the only series regular to have raced in those events. After opening in 1965, the speedway regularly hosted NASCAR through 2004. Since then, the facility largely sat dormant barring a few special events. In 2018, the speedway was purchased and a redevelopment effort was undertaken with the work's culmination being this week's return to action for both the trucks and Xfinity.
With six races in the books already this season, a new challenge in this D-shaped oval faces those looking to make their mark on the standings. Corey Heim leads the field into this back-to-the-future weekend with last week's winner, Chandler Smith, nipping at his heels. Jake Garcia currently holds the 10th and final playoff spot with just five points separating him from Kaden Honeycutt in 11th. Twelve races remain for drivers to get the most they can out of the regular season before the intense playoff rounds commence.
Key Stats at Rockingham Speedway
- Number of races: 2
- Winners from pole: 0
- Winners from top-5 starters: 2
- Winners from top-10 starters: 2
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 107.239 mph
Previous Rockingham Winners
2012 - Kasey Kahne
2013 - Kyle Larson
Despite hosting NASCAR since 1965, the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series only raced twice at the venue in 2012 and 2013. The track is one many drivers know well, though. The circuit is a D-shaped oval, one mile in length, with slightly different banking at either ends of the speedway. NASCAR hosted a tire test for teams to get familiar with the track, too. It was the first test since the track's surface was repaved in 2022 and the speeds were high. Several drivers remarked about how little they had to lift in the tracks corners, and many drivers were able to eclipse the track's official lap record held by Rusty Wallace.
With high speeds and little fall off experienced through the one-day test, fantasy players should expect a fast race with drivers testing their limits in keeping cornering speeds high and avoiding as much lifting off of the throttle as possible. Track position is likely to be a factor, but tire wear could give some teams an opportunity to try something different. Given the many changes to the tracks characteristics, there isn't much for anyone to go by and fantasy players should pay close attention to practice times before settling on a lineup for Friday night's race.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Trucks Series Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Black's Tire 200 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Corey Heim - $11,000
Chandler Smith - $10,800
Ty Majeski - $10,500
Layne Riggs - $10,300
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Grant Enfinger - $9,800
Tyler Ankrum - $9,600
Sammy Smith - $9,300
Rajah Caruth - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Kaden Honeycutt - $8,600
Parker Kligerman - $8,400
Ben Rhodes - $8,200
Stewart Friesen - $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Matt Crafton - $7,800
Gio Ruggiero - $7,500
Jake Garcia - $7,000
Connor Mosack - $6,800
NASCAR Truck Series DFS Picks for the Black's Tire 200
Ty Majeski - $10,500
Kaden Honeycutt - $8,600
Parker Kligerman - $8,400
Ben Rhodes - $8,200
Matt Crafton - $7,800
Matt Mills - $6,500
With only testing to look back on, there isn't much to go by when selecting a roster this week. With two short tracks, two 1.5-mile ovals, and two superspeedway races thus far, Rockingham also puts up the first 1.0-mile oval race of the year. Despite the many unknowns, there are some current trends that can help. Despite being collected in an early crash at Bristol, Ty Majeski has been consistently quick and sits third in points. All of his finishes prior to Bristol were top-15 results with three top-10s, and two top-fives. He set the fastest time in the first day of the Rockingham test and said he was barely lifting the throttle. That advantage could carry over to this week's race for him.
Kaden Honeycutt holds 11th in the standings just five points out of the playoff positions. He heads into this week's race with a top-10 the week prior and three top-10s from the last five races. Honeycutt also posted the second-fastest Rockingham test time from the combined sessions. Like Majeski, that speed may give Honeycutt an early advantage this weekend.
Veteran Parker Kligerman will attempt his third series start of the year this week and has a best 2025 finish of 14th last time out at Bristol. Kligerman won at Rockingham in ARCA competition in 2009, and his veteran experience could prove to be a difference maker with so many unknowns this week.
After consecutive fifth-place finishes, Ben Rhodes has worked his way into the playoff positions. He had one other top-10 from the first four races of the season and has a head full of steam rolling into Rockingham. Rhodes was also among the top-10 fastest testing times. That speed, combined with his strength the past two races, make him one to watch this week.
Another driver to watch is veteran Matt Crafton. As the only driver to have raced in this series at this track, it should be fun to watch how Crafton performs. While the track is significantly different than the last time the series stopped, Crafton will remember starting both series races at the track inside the top 10 and collecting finishes of third and sixth. This could be a week Crafton's wealth of experience helps him to outperform his 15th position in the standings.
The final driver fantasy players should take note of this week is Matt Mills. Friday's race will be his first ever start at the speedway, but he was seventh fastest in the aforementioned test. Crew Chief Mike Shiplett may be the ace in the hole for Mills, too. Shiplett guided Kasey Kahne to Victory Lane at Rockingham in 2012.
NASCAR Trucks Series Best Bets for the Black's Tire 200
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 5:00 PM ET Thursday
Race Winner - Ty Majeski +550
Top-three Finish - Layne Riggs +160
Top-five Finish - Kaden Honeycutt +150
With no prior races to compare to for this weekend's Black's Tire 200, Rockingham's test session should give us some clues. Among the fastest trucks at that trial was Ty Majeski. The ThorSport Racing driver was fastest that Tuesday and will be hoping that same speed is there this week. Majeski has been very consistent so far this season with five finishes of 13th or better from the first five races, too. Assuming he avoids trouble like what he encountered at Bristol, his pace from the Rockingham test suggests that he could be back inside the top five and fighting for victory Friday night.
Along with Majeski, Layne Riggs has reason to be optimistic this week. Riggs sits sixth in the series standings and finished 11th or better in the last three races. He was sixth in Bristol a week ago and the Front Row Motorsports pace that got him to a second-place finish at Homestead could propel him to a top-three finish at fast Rockingham.
From a top-five perspective, the odds for Kaden Honeycutt look fairly attractive. Honeycutt sits just outside the playoff positions in the standings but has three top-10 finsihes from the last five races including an eighth-place finish at Bristol. His best finish so far this season was sixth at Atlanta, but Honeycutt has a Rockingham series race winner calling the shots from his pit box and he was second fastest in the combined testing times. A top-finish finish could be in the cards for this pairing.
Mapping out your wagers for the Black's Tire 200? Check out the latest Sportsbook Promo Codes to get special offers and make the most of your bets.
