This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Buckle Up Your Truck 225
Location: Sparta, Ky.
Course: Kentucky Speedway
Format: 1.5-mile tri-oval
Laps: 150
Race Preview
The NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors trucks return to the racetrack this week at Kentucky Speedway in a Saturday showdown to continue setting the playoff field. Brandon Jones won last time out at Pocono Raceway with Austin Hill and Sheldon Creed finishing out the top three. Grant Enfinger continues to hold the top spot in the standings with two victories so far in 2020. The battle around the cut-off line continues to intensify, though. Tyler Ankrum currently holds the final playoff position with just a four-point gap to Brett Moffitt and only three behind Zane Smith in seventh. Only six races remain for drivers to differentiate themselves from the field and claim one of those eight positions eligible to battle for the 2020 season championship.
Key Stats at Kentucky Speedway
- Number of races: 22
- Winners from pole: 3
- Winners from top-5 starters: 15
- Winners from top-10 starters: 18
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 2
- Fastest race: 146.739 mph
Previous 10 Kentucky Winners
2019 - Tyler Ankrum
2018 - Ben Rhodes
2017 - Christopher Bell
2016 - William Byron
2015 - Matt Crafton
2014 - Kyle Busch
2013 - Ty Dillon
2012 fall - James Buescher
2012 spring - James Buescher
2011 fall - Ron Hornaday, Jr.
Kentucky Speedway marks a very different racing experience than Pocono Raceway. The 1.5-mile tri-oval rewards track position and does not offer the same opportunities to use pit strategy as the larger Pocono oval did in the last race. Turn 3 is the key to getting around Kentucky quickly and setting up the truck to handle that lower banking will pay off in a faster lap time. With just four prior Kentucky winners coming from outside of the top 10 fantasy owners can see how important track position is. The newer pavement at Kentucky should also minimize the impact of tire wear, which means two- and no-tire stops could come into play late in the race as drivers attempt to move forward in the order. Brett Moffitt and Zane Smith will start on the front row, and a premium should be placed on drivers starting in the first four rows.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Johnny Sauter - $11,200
Austin Hill - $10,800
Brett Moffitt - $10,500
Todd Gilliland - $10,200
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Matt Crafton - $9,700
Parker Kligerman - $9,400
Tyler Ankrum - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Ben Rhodes - $8,700
Christian Eckes - $8,500
Zane Smith - $8,400
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Grant Enfinger - $7,800
Ryan Truex - $7,500
Brennan Poole - $7,400
Ty Majeski - $7,000
My Picks
Johnny Sauter - $11,200
Ben Rhodes - $8,700
Grant Enfinger - $7,800
Ryan Truex - $7,500
Brennan Poole - $7,400
Ty Majeski - $7,200
Despite starting outside of the first four rows, Johnny Sauter will roll off close to the top 10 and should be one of the faster trucks in Saturday's race. He has the potential to win and will likely also add finish differential points if he can make it to the finish. He has seven top-10 finishes from 13 starts at the track. Ben Rhodes will start sixth. He won this race in 2018 with 38 laps led. With four top-10 finishes in the last five races he has momentum on his side, too. Grant Enfinger started on pole in this race last season, leading 22 laps before crashing. He has one top-10 finish from four Kentucky starts. Ryan Truex has just one Kentucky start in this series. In 2017 he qualified eighth but crashed out of the race. His 18th-place starting position should allow for finish differential points considering he should be capable of scoring a top-10 finish. Brennan Poole is another driver with a low starting position with opportunity to finish higher in the order. He will start 32nd but has finished in the top 20 in all but two series races so far this season. Ty Majeski also makes an attractive fantasy option with two top-10s from the six races so far this season. Crashes at Daytona and Pocono are the only two blemishes on his record so far this season.
