This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Fr8 208
Location: Hampton, Ga.
Course: Atlanta Motor Speedway
Format: 1.5-mile quad-oval
Laps: 135
Race Preview
The NACSAR Camping World Trucks Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway this week and will encounter an entirely different challenge than they faced at the track last year. Since the Trucks last visited the speedway, the circuit has undergone a repaving and reconfiguration. The banking in the turns is slightly higher, the width is slightly narrower, and the surface is brand new. Gone will be the old abrasive surface that was heavy on tire wear. Since the track is practically all new, the teams will get some extra practice time this week. This weekend's race will be the 21st time the series has visited the track, and Kyle Busch is the defending race winner. His driver, Chandler Smith, arrives as the 2022 points leader. He holds a five-point gap over Tanner Gray as the championship battle resumes Saturday.
Key Stats at Atlanta Motor Speedway
- Number of races: 20
- Winners from pole: 5
- Winners from top-5 starters: 11
- Winners from top-10 starters: 14
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 142.424 mph
Previous 10 Atlanta Winners
2021 - Kyle Busch
2020 - Grant Enfinger
2019 - Kyle Busch
2018 - Brett Moffitt
2017 - Christopher Bell
2016 - John Hunter Nemechek
2015 - Matt Crafton
2012 - Ty Dillon
2011 - Ron Hornaday
2010 - Kevin Harvick
One of the most notable features of the Atlanta Motor Speedway of the past was its abrasive surface. That characteristic forced teams and drivers to manage their tires and produced some exciting racing throughout the field. There will be many unknowns facing teams this week, though. The track now features the steepest banking of any intermediate track on the calendar. The venue was trying to create pack racing more similar in nature to Daytona and Talladega. Those are significant changes to what was already one of the fastest tracks on the schedule, and teams will have to alter their approaches to getting the most out of their equipment. One thing fantasy owners can bank on is that the track's speeds will likely remain, if not increase, and horsepower will remain a key factor in determining Saturday's winner.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
John Hunter Nemechek - $11,100
Ross Chastain - $10,700
Chandler Smith - $10,400
Ryan Preece - $10,200
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Christian Eckes - $9,800
Zane Smith - $9,600
Grant Enfinger - $9,400
Matt DiBenedetto - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Ty Majeski - $8,700
Matt Crafton - $8,300
Carson Hocevar - $8,200
Tanner Gray - $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Tyler Ankrum - $7,800
Derek Kraus - $7,500
Hailie Deegan - $7,100
Brennan Poole - $6,400
My Picks
John Hunter Nemechek - $11,100
Matt DiBenedetto - $9,000
Carson Hocevar - $8,200
Tanner Gray - $8,000
Hailie Deegan - $7,100
Spencer Boyd - $6,600
John Hunter Nemechek won at Atlanta in 2016. Last year he started this race from pole and went on to finish third. He has been fast each race this season but needs to translate that speed into a complete race finish at the front. With two top-10s in the first two races Matt DiBenedetto is off to a good start in his 2022 season in the Trucks. He finished sixth at Las Vegas, which will give him confidence that he can do more of the same this week at another fast 1.5-mile oval. Carson Hocevar started 17th and finished 12th last year in his first series start at this track. This week's race will be quite different than that experience, but he has two top-15 finishes so far this season, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him leave this weekend with his second top-10 of the year. Tanner Gray is leading the points among nonwinners with top-fives in both of the opening rounds of the 2022 season. He has a best finish of 11th from two trips to this track. Hailie Deegan will be aiming to turn around her early season this week. Her best finish from the two races so far was 17th at Daytona. She finished 21st at Atlanta last season but should be a more consistent challenger for top-15s if she can make the necessary changes to turn things around. Spencer Boyd has three Atlanta starts on his resume with a best finish of 25th in 2019. He is currently 16th in points in large part due to his 11th-place finish in the season-opener at Daytona.
