This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Weather Guard Truck Race on Dirt
Location: Bristol, Tenn.
Course: Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Track
Format: 0.5-mile dirt oval
Laps: 150
NASCAR Trucks Weather Guard Truck Race on Dirt Race Preview
Carson Hocevar led just a single lap last week at Texas Motor Speedway, but it was the lap that counted the most as he won his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race. The day seemingly belonged to Nick Sanchez, who led 168 of the race's 172 laps. In the final miles it came down to a battle between him and Zane Smith, but a late restart put Hocevar in position to capitalize as the pair ahead battled and subsequently crashed. The decisive contact came when Sanchez went through the grass while racing closely with Smith just after the white flag waved, only for him to return to the pavement and collide with Hocevar, turning Sanchez into Smith. Both drivers lost their chances at the win as Hocevar squeaked through the melee and into the clear out front. The victory puts him into the championship playoffs for the third time in his career.
This week the championship heads to its third visit to the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Track. NASCAR Cup Series veteran Martin Truex Jr. scored the inaugural Bristol dirt win, while Ben Rhodes took the honors in 2022. The series is no stranger to racing on dirt having run 11 races on the surface across three tracks through its history. Three Cup Series regulars will also be using this week's Truck race to gain extra experience for their race on Sunday, which will give the series regulars some extra competition.
Key Stats at Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Track
- Number of races: 2
- Winners from pole: 0
- Winners from top-5 starters: 1
- Winners from top-10 starters: 1
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 45.957 mph
Previous Bristol Dirt Winners
2022 - Ben Rhodes
2021 - Martin Truex Jr.
Saturday's race lineup will be set via four 15-lap qualifying races where only green-flag laps will count toward the total. Drivers will earn points in those qualifying heats through finishing position and passes, and those point totals will determine the main event's starting lineup. Starting positions for the main event are vital, too. The two prior races have seen the same driver sweep both stages along with the race win. Last year's main event only saw a total of three lead changes, too. Starting at the front and staying there will the best path to success this weekend, which makes the qualifying heats the best opportunity for fantasy players to observe the pecking order and make their lineup selections accordingly. Roster selections will typically hone in on the top-10 starters in the main event. However, racing on dirt is tricky and the opportunity for drivers to spin or crash will be a factor for everyone to consider, and those mistakes offer opportunities for drivers deeper in the field to move forward if they can avoid the same pitfalls.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Trucks Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Weather Guard Truck Race on Dirt (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Joey Logano - $10,400
Ben Rhodes - $10,300
William Byron - $10,100
Chase Briscoe - $9,900
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Zane Smith - $9,700
Ty Majeski - $9,500
Christian Eckes - $9,300
Stewart Friesen - $9,200
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Carson Hocevar - $8,800
Grant Enfinger - $8,600
Parker Kligerman - $8,500
Matt Crafton - $8,200
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Matt DiBenedetto - $7,700
Tyler Ankrum - $7,500
Colby Howard - $6,200
Dean Thompson - $6,100
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Weather Guard Truck Race on Dirt
Ben Rhodes - $10,300
Zane Smith - $9,700
Matt Crafton - $8,200
Chase Purdy - $7,900
Tyler Ankrum - $7,500
Colby Howard - $6,200
It will be a challenge to repeat last year's win on the dirt, but Ben Rhodes might be the best option given his full-time status in the series. His familiarity with the competition and machinery is likely to come in handy this week on a tricky and ever-changing surface. Rhodes is one of just four drivers to have finished in the top-10 in both Bristol dirt races. Another one of those four is Zane Smith. He was achingly close to victory last week at Texas and has been the best so far this season with two wins already. Smith finished 10th last year and seventh the year before. Matt Crafton scored his Bristol dirt top-10 last year. He was 14th the year before, and in this unique race it seems as though experience counts a little bit more than most other weeks. Another early consideration should be Chase Purdy. He finished 13th in last year's dirt race and was 18th the year before. With three top-10s already in 2023 he could be on the prowl for his first top-10 in this race. A riskier play this week would be Tyler Ankrum. His average finish from the two dirt races is 35.5, and he crashed out of the 2021 edition. He enters the weekend on the cusp of the playoff positions and should be aiming for a top-15 finish to help him in that quest. Colby Howard is our final selection. His only start in this race was last season when he started and finished 12th. He brought a steady approach to this race last season and a similar attack in 2023 could pay off with another top-15 result.
