This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
CRAFTSMAN 150
Location: Avondale, Ariz.
Course: Phoenix Raceway
Format: 1.0-mile oval
Laps: 150
NASCAR Trucks CRAFTSMAN 150 Race Preview
This week's CRAFTSMAN 150 at Phoenix Raceway is set to bring the curtain down on the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season. Corey Heim, Carson Hocevar, Ben Rhodes, and Grant Enfinger will duke it out in a winner-take-all finale to determine the 2023 series champ. Hocevar earned his spot alongside Corey Heim with a victory last time out at Homestead, his fourth of the season, while Rhodes and Enfinger did enough in that race to earn their spots on points. Now the four are poised to battle it out this week at Phoenix, with the highest-placed finisher among them taking home the championship trophy. Zane Smith accomplished that last season with a win. In fact, he left no question that the championship was to be his as he swept stage wins and led 77 of 154 laps to clinch the title. The four championship contenders will hope to emulate that form this week with the championship on the line.
Key Stats at Phoenix Raceway
- Number of races: 32
- Winners from pole: 8
- Winners from top-5 starters: 24
- Winners from top-10 starters: 30
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 108.014 mph
Previous 10 Phoenix Winners
2022 - Zane Smith
2021 - Chandler Smith
2020 - Sheldon Creed
2019 - Stewart Friesen
2018 - Brett Moffitt
2017 - Johnny Sauter
2016 - Daniel Suarez
2015 - Timothy Peters
2014 - Erik Jones
2013 - Erik Jones
Phoenix Raceway has been the site of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship race since 2020. There have been 32 total series races at the track, and the teams know it well, though. The configuration is a relatively flat 1.0-mile oval with different turns throughout. Mechanical grip and track position are two of the most important things to maximize in order to earn a top result. The flat layout and lack of an out of bounds line allows drivers to try many different lines and drivers will have to use the whole track throughout the race distance as they work through traffic. With track position being an important factor, teams may gamble on pit and tire strategy to gain spots. Teams and drivers must to stay on top of adjustments throughout the race, and this race's relatively short distance means they have to get things right as quickly as possible. The best scenarios is qualifying up front and staying there, though. Only two series races at this track have been one by someone starting outside of the top 10.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Trucks Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the CRAFTSMAN 150 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Carson Hocevar - $11,200
Corey Heim - $11,000
Grant Enfinger - $10,800
Ben Rhodes - $10,500
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Zane Smith - $10,200
Ty Majeski - $9,800
Christian Eckes - $9,400
Derek Kraus - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Taylor Gray - $8,500
Stewart Friesen - $8,700
Nick Sanchez - $8,300
Matt Crafton - $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Rajah Caruth - $7,600
Marco Andretti - $7,400
Jesse Love - $7,200
Jake Drew - $6,900
NASCAR DFS Picks for the CRAFTSMAN 150
Corey Heim - $11,000
Derek Kraus - $9,000
Nick Sanchez - $8,300
Rajah Caruth - $7,600
Marco Andretti - $7,400
Dean Thompson - $6,700
Corey Heim may only have one prior series start at Phoenix, but his lead into this championship race has been impressive. He enters the weekend on the heels of five straight top-five finishes, including the win at Bristol that made him one of the four championship contenders. Heim hasn't finished outside of the top 10 since April and he finished seventh at Phoenix last season. Derek Kraus should also be a top fantasy consideration this week. He has a best Phoenix finish of eighth from five tries. This will be just his third series start of the season, but last time out he scored a top-10 finish at another 1.0-mile oval at Milwaukee. Nick Sanchez, on the other hand, is wrapping up an impressive season. The rookie driver made the playoffs in his first try and has five poles, two top-fives, and 11 top-10s. This will be his first series try at Phoenix, but he has been a top-10 contender nearly every week all season and that shouldn't change this week.
Another rookie, Rajah Caruth, has been turning heads, too. Caruth has four top-10 finishes so far in his rookie season and is aiming to add one more at Phoenix. He was in this race last year and qualified inside the top 10. His race didn't go as planned and he crashed out, though. A similar performance without the trouble this year could earn him that fifth top-10. Marco Andretti returns to the series again this week. It will be his third race of the season, and he delivered two top-20 finishes in those first two starts. Andretti's veteran oval experience should translate well to Phoenix this weekend where he had a best IndyCar Series finish of 12th in 2018. Wrapping up this week's selections is Dean Thompson, who consistently offers fantasy rosters top-15 potential with upside. His two top-five finishes this season show that potential, but he continues to be a regular fixture among the top 15 each of the past weeks since August. This will be his third Phoenix start in the series, and his best finish at the track was 12th in 2018.
