This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Love's RV Stop 250
Location: Talladega, Ala.
Course: Talladega Superspeedway
Format: 2.66-mile tri-oval
Laps: 94
NASCAR Trucks Love's RV Stop 250 Race Preview
Two races remain for drivers to book their spot as one of the final four contenders to race for a championship at Phoenix in the season finale. Corey Heim took the first of those spots with a win last time out at Bristol. It was his third victory of the season, and it ensured he would have a chance at the series title. This week's race at Talladega Superspeedway is a chance for another playoff contender to join him. The 17 prior NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races run have been won by 12 different driver, which makes this a wild card that could shake up the established order. Matt DiBenedetto scored the win in this race last year, but after being eliminated from the playoffs, Rackley WAR dismissed him for the remainder of 2023. Talladega remains one of the more unpredictable tracks in NASCAR, and anything is still possible as the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series barrels towards its conclusion.
Key Stats at Talladega Superspeedway
- Number of races: 17
- Winners from pole: 3
- Winners from top-5 starters: 6
- Winners from top-10 starters: 9
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 4
- Fastest race: 145.513 mph
Previous 10 Talladega Winners
2022 - Matt DiBenedetto
2021 - Tate Fogleman
2020 - Raphael Lessard
2019 - Spencer Boyd
2018 - Timothy Peters
2017 - Parker Kligerman
2016 - Grant Enfinger
2015 - Timothy Peters
2014 - Timothy Peters
2013 - Johnny Sauter
Talladega Superspeedway can be an unpredictable venue. The high speeds mean that drivers run their trucks at full throttle and must draft to get to the front. Staying out of the crashes that occur can sometimes be more important than anything else, though. The field bunches together with everyone running at top speed, and small mistakes can ruin may drivers' days. Talladega is wider and tends to have more grip than Daytona, which helps make it a bit more forgiving as tires wear, but those characteristics also encourage more lanes of traffic and higher speeds. Teams will attempt to stay out of trouble until the stage and race finishes, and the level of aggression increases as those milestones approach. Putting yourself in position to race for the lead on the final lap will be the goal. The last five series races at the track have been decided on the final lap with the winner leading only that final lap. This race isn't over until it's over, and anything can happen up until then.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Trucks Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Love's RV Stop 250 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Zane Smith - $10,500
Corey Heim - $10,300
Carson Hocevar - $10,200
Ty Majeski - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Christian Eckes - $9,900
Grant Enfinger - $9,600
Ben Rhodes - $9,500
Chandler Smith - $9,200
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Nick Sanchez - $8,500
Stewart Friesen - $8,300
Matt Crafton - $8,100
Taylor Gray - $7,900
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Chase Purdy - $7,700
Rajah Caruth - $7,400
Tyler Ankrum - $7,100
Ryan Vargas - $6,000
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Love's RV Stop 250
Corey Heim - $10,300
Christian Eckes - $9,900
Nick Sanchez - $8,500
Rajah Caruth - $7,400
Tyler Ankrum - $7,100
Jack Wood - $6,800
Qualifying or starting position aren't as big of factors at Talladega as they are most weeks. For that reason, fantasy players should build a roster based on drivers who have demonstrated skill at navigating the track's pitfalls to get to the finish while also at the front. Corey Heim may have crashed out of last season's Talladega race, but he kepts his nose clean earlier this year at Daytona. That was an eighth-place finish for him, and he also hasn't failed to finish outside of the top 10 since the Bristol dirt race. Christian Eckes should also be a prime option this week. He led in each of his two Talladega starts, including 25 laps laps season when he finished fifth. He also finished fourth at Daytona in February. This will be the first series start at Talladega for Nick Sanchez, but he started on pole at Daytona in February. He doesn't have a ton of superspeedway experience for fantasy players to judge, but he has won at this track in ARCA equipment. He is one of the drivers racing to be in the championship finale, too.
Rajah Caruth raced to 17th at Daytona earlier this season. This will also be his first series start at Talladega, and it was announced earlier this week that he would be joining Hendrick Motorsports in the Phoenix Xfinity Series race. He is a capable driver that should be a top-15 or better contender this week. Additionally, while Tyler Ankrum's season hasn't been the best, Talladega gives him one of his best chances to be on equal footing. He qualified seventh at Daytona in February, and the draft can neutralize any differences in equipment. That should give Ankrum a chance to do better this week than we typically would expect. Lastly, Jack Wood will take the wheel for one of the last races for the Kyle Busch Motorsports organization. The team was purchased by Spire Motorsports and will transfer ownership following the 2023 season. Wood has the equipment to race at the front this week. He finished 19th last year with GMS racing.
