This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Toyota Tundra 225
Location: Austin, Texas
Course: Circuit of the Americas
Format: 3.41-mile road course
Laps: 41
Race Preview
NASCAR visits a new circuit this week at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. The Camping World Truck Series had a week off, but for the first time in recent memory, the teams will get a crack at practice and qualifying ahead of racing on the 20-turn circuit Saturday afternoon. Sheldon Creed ended Toyota's early-season stranglehold on Victory Lane with his win two weeks ago at Darlington Raceway. That victory also ended a five-race win streak for Kyle Busch Motorsports. It was Creed's first win since the 2020 season finale at Phoenix when he captured the title. This week's trip to Austin will be an entirely different challenge, however. It will be the second time in as many seasons the series has attacked a new road course. Both fans and teams should be excited to watch how the trucks adapt to the elevation and configuration challenges this 3.41-mile track presents.
Key Stats at Circuit of the Americas
- Number of races: 0
- Winners from pole: 0
- Winners from top-5 starters: 0
- Winners from top-10 starters: 0
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: N/A
Recent Road Course Winners
2021 Daytona Road Course - Ben Rhodes
2020 Daytona Road Course - Sheldon Creed
2019 Bowmanville - Brett Moffitt
2018 Bowmanville - Justin Haley
2017 Bowmanville - Austin Cindric
2016 Bowmanville - John Hunter Nemechek
2015 Bowmanville - Erik Jones
2014 Bowmanville - Ryan Blaney
2013 Bowmanville - Chase Elliott
Circuit of the Americas is a long, 20-turn, natural-terrain road course with elevation changes and a mix of slow and fast corners. The long straights are followed by heavy braking areas where passing opportunities should be plentiful. Teams and drivers will be looking to maximize mechanical grip through the flowing esses section, while also maximizing top speed and gearing for the long straights. Brakes, and a driver's ability to brake later into the corner than the competition while not missing the apex, will be key factors. The long lap opens the opportunity for teams to approach the race with different pit strategies. Those strategies coupled with the frequency and timing of yellow flags could be where this race is won. However, while strategy should be a heavy player in the outcome, drivers will have to be as perfect as possible throughout every 20-turn lap.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
John Hunter Nemechek - $10,400
Sheldon Creed - $10,300
Ben Rhodes - $10,100
Matt Crafton - $9,900
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Austin Hill - $9,800
Paul Menard - $9,600
Kaz Grala - $9,500
Zane Smith - $9,300
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Parker Kligerman - $8,900
Grant Enfinger - $8,700
Todd Gilliland - $8,400
Christian Eckes - $8,300
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Stewart Friesen - $8,100
Johnny Sauter - $7,700
Hailie Deegan - $5,800
Austin Wayne Self - $5,000
My Picks
Sheldon Creed - $10,300
Kaz Grala - $9,500
Stewart Friesen - $8,100
Johnny Sauter - $7,700
Bayley Currey - $7,300
Timmy Hill - $7,100
Sheldon Creed won at the Daytona Road Course in 2020 and then backed that up with a second-place finish earlier this season. It will be challenge to win back to back races, but his ability on the road courses is quite good, and he turned in one of the fastest times in practice Friday afternoon. Another top road course selection is Kaz Grala. The part-time driver has impressed multiple times on road courses, including Daytona earlier this year when he finished eighth despite starting 24th. Stewart Friesen has a pair of seventh-place finishes at Bowmanville along with a finishes of 11th and 10th in two Daytona Road Course visits, too. He is a capable road course racer, which should make him a nice choice for rosters this week at Texas. Johnny Sauter enters this weekend's race in the final playoff position in the standings. He holds a five-point advantage over Carson Hocevar and finished in the top 10 four of the last five races. He finished 18th on Daytona's road course earlier this season. This weekend's race is a home state visit for Bayley Currey. He has six road course starts in the Xfinity Series with a best finish of 14th. One of Timmy Hill's two Truck Series top-10 finishes this season came on the road course at Daytona, which could make him a good prospect this week, too.
