This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Kubota Tractor 200
Location: Kansas City, Kan.
Course: Kansas Speedway
Format: 1.5-mile tri-oval
Laps: 134
NASCAR Trucks Kubota Tractor 200 Race Preview
The first elimination race for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs is this week at Kansas Speedway. The field of 10 championship competitors will be slimmed down to eight at the end of Friday night's race, and while no driver has won their way through to the next round yet, Christian Eckes, Corey Heim, and Nick Sanchez have all secured their futures on points. Behind them, Daniel Dye and Ben Rhodes enter the weekend on the outside looking in. Grant Enfinger holds the final transfer spot with a seven-point margin over Rhodes. Every position will matter to those fighting for their playoff futures and stage points could also be critical. Corey Heim won at Kansas in May, taking that day's first stage victory, too. He led the most laps that afternoon, topping Zane Smith in second and Eckes in third. Just 15 points separate the bottom three in the playoff standings, which only increases the pressure packing into every decision as these teams and drivers fight to remain among the season's championship contenders.
Key Stats at Kansas Speedway
- Number of races: 28
- Winners from pole: 4
- Winners from top-5 starters: 17
- Winners from top-10 starters: 25
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 139.875 mph
Previous 10 Kansas Winners
2024 spring - Corey Heim
2023 fall - Christian Eckes
2023 spring - Grant Enfinger
2022 fall - John Hunter Nemechek
2022 spring - Zane Smith
2021 - Kyle Busch
2020 III - Brett Moffitt
2020 II - Matt Crafton
2020 I - Austin Hill
2019 - Ross Chastain
Kansas Speedway's 1.5-mile oval is a fast and multi-groove track. While several drivers have won at this venue when starting outside of the top 10 (Corey Heim did it in May) no one has started lower than 13th and driven to Victory Lane. As a result, teams will fight tooth and nail to be at their best in qualifying, hoping to give their driver a starting spot inside the first six rows and shot at victory in the race. While the track does promote passing via its multiple lines, restarts are still the best opportunities to make up ground. However, the spring race only had one caution outside of the scheduled stage breaks. Teams will likely focus on long-run speed, but a late caution could offer opportunity for those with short-run strength to make up some ground. The track's long green periods present a danger for those starting deeper in the field. With few chances to make adjustments or take a gamble on strategy, vehicles further down the order run the risk of slipping off of the lead lap. Therefore, it is critical that teams get the most they can out of qualifying, and fantasy players should consult the starting lineup prior to finalizing their rosters.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Trucks Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Kubota Tractor 200 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Corey Heim - $10,500
Christian Eckes - $10,300
Ty Majeski - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Nick Sanchez - $9,800
Grant Enfinger - $9,500
Layne Riggs - $9,300
Rajah Caruth - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Ben Rhodes - $8,700
Taylor Gray - $8,500
Tyler Ankrum - $8,400
Stewart Friesen - $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Daniel Dye - $7,500
Dean Thompson - $7,300
Connor Mosack - $6,700
Conor Daly - $6,100
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Kubota Tractor 200
Corey Heim - $10,500
Nick Sanchez - $9,800
Stewart Friesen - $8,000
Daniel Dye - $7,500
Dean Thompson - $7,300
Connor Mosack - $6,700
Kansas has been a profitable venue for Corey Heim. From five series starts at the track, the Tricon Garage driver has one win and four top-10 finishes. That victory came in the spring race and he is coming off of a second-place finish just a week ago at Bristol. Without the pressure of needing a result to advance in the playoffs a carefree Heim may be a difficult one to beat at Kansas. Nick Sanchez was the sixth-place finisher at this track in May. With back-to-back top-five finishes entering this weekend, Sanchez is also assured of a spot in the next round of the playoffs. He is another driver that is racing without pressure this weekend, and he already has three top-10 finishes from three starts at the track. Stewart Friesen is another driver simply racing for a win this weekend. The veteran qualified inside the top 10 last time at this track but only finished 25th after early contact with the wall. He does have three top-10 finishes from 11 Kansas starts, and is coming off of a top-10 finish last week at Bristol. Baniel Dye, on the other hand, is facing playoff pressure this weekend. The McAnally-Hilgemann Racing driver must make up seven points on Grant Enfinger in order to advance in the playoffs. Dye's playoff run started well with a top-10 at Milwaukee, but his poor finish at Bristol has him on the backfoot. However, he finished ninth at Kansas in May and another top-10 with some stage points could be enough to ensure he stays alive in this year's championship battle.
Further down the pricelist, Dean Thompson has been rewarding fantasy players throughout much of the 2024 season. Those who selected him at Kansas in the spring got a top-10 finish from him and he delivered three top-15 finishes from the last four races. After finishing 15th and eighth in his last two Kansas appearances, Thompson appears to be a reliable and inexpensive option this week. Connor Mosack is another driver worth considering this week. He is attempting his second series start at Kansas and qualified fifth at the track in May. A flat tire forced him to a 30th-place finish, though. However, he is a two-time defending ARCA race winner at the circuit. Mosack has plenty of Kansas success under his belt and should be a top finisher if he can steer clear of trouble Friday.
