This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
UNOH 200
Location: Bristol, Tenn.
Course: Bristol Motor Speedway
Format: 0.53-mile oval
Laps: 200
Race Preview
Sheldon Creed continued his winning ways in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs with a second win in the Round of 10 last time out at Darlington Raceway. This week he will have a chance to sweep the first round of playoff eliminations at Bristol Motor Speedway. Thursday's trip to the speedway is the first on Bristol's concrete surface since 2020 when Sam Mayer won from the 17th starting spot. That was the furthest back anyone had ever won in the series at the circuit. This week Creed will be joined by John Hunter Nemechek on the front row. Those are the only two drivers currently locked into the next round of the playoffs, and the remaining eight championship contenders will all be vying to secure their spots in the next round Thursday night.
Key Stats at Bristol Motor Speedway
- Number of races: 23
- Winners from pole: 6
- Winners from top-5 starters: 16
- Winners from top-10 starters: 20
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 91.919 mph
Previous 10 Bristol Winners
2020 - Sam Mayer
2019 - Brett Moffitt
2018 - Johnny Sauter
2017 - Kyle Busch
2016 - Ben Kennedy
2015 - Ryan Blaney
2014 - Brad Keselowski
2013 - Kyle Busch
2012 - Timothy Peters
2011 - Kevin Harvick
Track position is a big factor in success at Bristol. Very rarely do drivers starting outside of the first five rows wind up in Victory Lane at the end of the race. The short track means trucks are almost always in traffic throughout the difference. It also means that any drivers struggling with handling issues can find themselves a lap down to the leaders very early. Bristol demands a certain rhythm for drivers to maximize their machine's potential, but slower traffic can quickly disrupt that groove. That disruption can easily cause frustration, which is one reason why Bristol can be one of the most entertaining tracks. Generally, faster trucks will prefer the high line, but the track does offer multiple lines as tires wear away through a fuel run. Opportunities to go off strategy will generally fall around yellow flags since the short lap distance guarantees losing laps by making stops under green.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Sam Mayer - $11,900
John Hunter Nemechek - $11,000
Sheldon Creed - $10,600
Austin Hill - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Zane Smith - $9,700
Grant Enfinger - $9,400
Todd Gilliland - $9,200
Tyler Ankrum - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Ben Rhodes - $8,800
Matt Crafton - $8,500
Johnny Sauter - $8,400
Stewart Friesen - $8,200
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Derek Kraus - $7,800
Drew Dollar - $7,400
Tanner Gray - $7,100
Hailie Deegan - $6,600
My Picks
John Hunter Nemechek - $11,000
Todd Gilliland - $9,200
Johnny Sauter - $8,400
Carson Hocevar - $7,600
Tanner Gray - $7,100
Hailie Deegan - $6,600
John Hunter Nemechek came home second at Darlington to get his playoff effort back on track after a rough race at Gateway. He has five top-10s from six track starts, but a win this week would be his first Bristol victory. Todd Gilliland also righted his championship charge by delivering a fourth-place finish at Darlington. He has two Bristol top-10s and a worst finish of 14th from three starts at the venue. He will also start on the second row. Carson Hocevar enters this week's race above the cut line, but he will need to be careful and maximize points in order to stay there. He will start Thursday's race eighth and finished 17th in this race last season. Fantasy players will also want to consider Tanner Gray this week. He also only has one prior Bristol start, but that was an eighth-place finish last season that came from the 16th starting spot. He starts further back this week in 21st, though. Rookie Hailie Deegan only has one Bristol visit but that was on the dirt surface. She finished 19th that day and grabbed her first top-10 two races ago. She will be one to watch this week on the Bristol concrete.
