This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Toyota Care 250
Location: Richmond, Va.
Course: Richmond International Raceway
Format: 0.75-mile D-shaved oval
Laps: 250
Race Preview
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series makes another short-track appearance at Richmond Raceway this weekend. Grant Enfinger won at the track last September when the series returned to the track for the first time since 2005. Enfinger started fifth and won despite leading just 18 laps, which was the fewest of any driver who led. Zane Smith and Ben Rhodes won the two stages, but it was Enfinger who led the final seven laps to capture the win over Matt Crafton. This will be the second short-track race in a row for the Trucks but the last one was on dirt. Martin Truex Jr. made his series return in that race and dominated to take the win. Rhodes and John Hunter Nemechek led the playoff race with three combined victories, while Austin Wayne Self holds the final playoff position with a two-point gap over Johnny Sauter in 11th.
Key Stats at Richmond International Raceway
- Number of races: 12
- Winners from pole: 1
- Winners from top-5 starters: 8
- Winners from top-10 starters: 10
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 2
- Fastest race: 104.227 mph
Previous 10 Richmond Winners
2020 - Grant Enfinger
2005 - Mike Skinner
2004 - Ted Musgrave
2003 - Tony Stewart
2002 - Tony Stewart
2001 - Jack Sprague
2000 - Rick Carelli
1999 - Greg Biffle
1998 - Jack Sprague
1997 - Bob Keselowski
This week's short-track race will be another where track position is a heavy factor in the outcome. Richmond's wide and flat turns offer ample opportunity to change grooves to make passes, but restarts and navigating traffic separates contenders from pretenders. The track's short lap distance also forces teams to run similar pit strategies, since pitting under green means losing laps to those who stay out front. Teams will take advantage of caution periods to pit and gain track position. Last year's race featured just four caution periods, including the stage breaks, which meant teams that missed the setup early in the race didn't get many opportunities to catch back up to the leaders. Teams will need to lean on the lessons from last year's race to make sure they start Saturday's race with the right package.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Kyle Busch - $16,500
John Hunter Nemechek - $11,500
Tyler Ankrum - $11,000
Sheldon Creed - $10,500
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Zane Smith - $9,800
Grant Enfinger - $9,500
Sam Mayer - $9,200
Brett Moffitt - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Matt Crafton - $8,700
Derek Kraus - $8,500
Ben Rhodes - $8,300
Stewart Friesen - $8,100
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Johnny Sauter - $7,700
Raphael Lessard - $7,100
Hailie Deegan - $6,500
Timothy Peters - $6,200
My Picks
Kyle Busch - $16,500
Johnny Sauter - $7,700
Ryan Truex - $7,500
Raphael Lessard - $7,100
Timothy Peters - $6,200
Spencer Boyd - $5,000
Kyle Busch is making one of his Trucks Series appearances this week at Richmond. He will start Saturday's race in 12th position and has two series starts at the track. Johnny Sauter was 27th here last year and has some extra motivation this week with a spot in the playoff positions within reach. He will start 19th and will be aiming to make a return to top-15 finishes after a disappointing dirt race at Bristol. Starting 16th is Ryan Truex, who is 17th in the championship standings and has started clicking off consistent top-20 finishes. Raphael Lessard gets a leg up this week with a top-five starting position. He started seventh at the track last season and his third-place finish at Bristol could be a sign his early-season troubles may be behind him. Timothy Peters will line up 27th Saturday. He finished 29th here last year. Finally, Spencer Boyd finished 20th in this race last season and will start 26th Saturday. His best finish so far this season was 13th at Daytona. Another driver fantasy players may want to consider this week is Hailie Deegan. She got her first top-20 finish of the season two weeks ago at Bristol and has shown speed nearly every race thus far. Closing our races will enhance her fantasy value as the season progresses.
