This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
United Rentals 176 at the Glen
Location: Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Course: Watkins Glen International
Format: 2.45-mile road course
Laps: 72
Race Preview
The teams and drivers of NASCAR's Camping World Truck Series returns to action this week for the first time since Austin Hill won at Knoxville. This week the drivers will tackle the Watkins Glen International road course for the first time since 2000 when Greg Biffle won at the track. The Trucks raced at Watkins Glen five times between 1996 and 2000, producing four different winners. Hill will start this week's race from pole position after his Knoxville victory, with Todd Gilliland lining up alongside him on the front row. Gilliland is the most recent road-course winner with his victory at Circuit of the Americas, while Ben Rhodes captured the other road course win earlier in the year at Daytona. This is the final regular-season race for the Trucks before the playoffs get underway at Gateway later in the month.
Key Stats at Watkins Glen International
- Number of races: 5
- Winners from pole: 3
- Winners from top-5 starters: 4
- Winners from top-10 starters: 5
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 97.790 mph
Previous Watkins Glen Winners
2000 - Greg Biffle
1999 - Ron Fellows
1998 - Joe Ruttman
1997 - Ron Fellows
1996 - Ron Hornaday
Watkins Glen will pose a somewhat new challenge to teams and drivers this week in the first return to the track in two decades. With two road courses under drivers' belts already this season, the visit shouldn't be too much of an oddity, however. Watkins Glen has historically been a track-position circuit with all five previous races being won by a driver starting inside the top 10. Both 2021 road course winners will start this week's race inside the top five, which makes it likely that trend will continue. Fantasy managers will want to consider part-time drivers for extra points this week, particularly AJ Allmendinger and Sam Mayer who will start 25th and 40th respectively.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Sam Mayer - $10,600
Parker Kligerman - $10,200
AJ Allmendinger - $10,100
Kaz Grala - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Sheldon Creed - $9,800
Grant Enfinger - $9,600
John Hunter Nemechek - $9,500
Todd Gilliland - $9,300
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Matt Crafton - $8,700
Zane Smith - $8,500
Austin Hill - $8,300
Stewart Friesen - $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Carson Hocevar - $7,500
Josh Berry - $7,300
Johnny Sauter - $7,000
Derek Kraus - $6,600
My Picks
Sam Mayer - $10,600
AJ Allmendinger - $10,100
Austin Hill - $8,300
Christian Eckes - $7,400
Johnny Sauter - $7,000
Derek Kraus - $6,600
Mayer will make his fourth start in the Trucks this week. Two of his three prior starts were on road courses, however. His best finish of those three prior starts came at Circuit of the Americas when he started 21st and finished sixth. He will start 40th this week. Allmendinger is always a driver to watch at Watkins Glen. This weekend's race will be his 14th series start and first since 2008. He has a Cup Series win at the track along with a runner-up finish from the Xfinity Series. Hill will lead the field to green after his win three weeks ago at Knoxville. He is locked into the playoffs and finished ninth on the road course in Austin earlier this year. Christian Eckes will start his seventh Trucks race of the season 15th. He finished 10th on the road course at Daytona, but was forced to retire at Austin with suspension trouble. Johnny Sauter is in a must-win situation to make it into the playoffs. He will start this regular-season finale 14th, but his experience in the series could be an asset this week. Derek Kraus finishes out the selections this week. He will start seventh and drove from 31st to seventh on the road course at Daytona earlier this year.
