All three of NASCAR’s national series kick off this weekend at Daytona International Speedway, and that includes the Gander Outdoors Truck Series. DraftKings began offering contests for the Truck Series last season, but for the more casual racing fans, it is probably the series you are least familiar with.
Much like the XFINITY Series, some of the top Truck teams employ multiple drivers over the course of the year, and keeping track of which drivers offer legitimate fantasy value can be difficult. It can also be tough to keep track of who are the top drivers from one year to the next as drivers move up ladder.
We actually get a little lucky when it comes to the latter for the 2020 season. There actually wasn’t a lot of turnover at the top of the food chain. Ross Chastain did move on to a full-time XFINITY ride, but most of the other championship contenders from last year are backrrq .
As with any NASCAR DFS contest at DraftKings, being able to identify the drivers who will provide the most dominator points is the most important factor in building winning lineups. These drivers typically post the highest scores and have to be rostered if you plan on having any success.
With that in mind, I have taken a closer look at both the top Truck Series regulars for the 2020 season and the top teams that plan to employ multiple driver over the course of the year. Let’s check them out.
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Top Series Regulars
Brett Moffitt: No. 23 GMS Racing Chevy
After winning the 2018 title, Moffitt delivered another strong season in 2019. His four wins tied for the most among series regulars, and he led all drivers with 13 Top 5s. His 452 laps led ranked second and were the most for any driver returning full time in 2020, and he led the series in fastest laps run. Moffitt should be back in the mix for the championship this season, and he should be one of the steadiest sources of dominator points. He’s a true DFS building block.
Grant Enfinger: No. 98 Thorsport Racing Ford
He tied for the series lead with an 8.5 average finish last year, and he was tied for second with 18 Top 10s. Enfinger also ranked in the Top 3 in both Top 5s, laps led and fastest laps run. He was the total package in 2019, and he should provide all-around DFS production again this season. Enfinger is one of those drivers who can be a foundational piece for both cash and GPP contests.
Stewart Friesen: No. 52 Halmar Racing Toyota
Friesen is coming off a career year that saw him win a pair of races and tie for the series lead with an 8.5 average finish. His 12 Top 5s were the second most of any driver, and he ranked fifth with 256 laps led. This offseason, Friesen’s team partnered with Kyle Busch Motorsports, and starting in 2020, he will receive equipment from KBM. Already a weekly Top 5 option last season, Friesen’s ceiling looks even higher. Expect to build around him a lot at DraftKings.
Shared Rides and Part-Timers to Know
No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota
While you can debate which full-time driver is going to be the best DFS play in 2020, I don’t think there is much debate about the best team. Team owner Kyle Busch will drive his allowed five races, and in 2019, he won all five of his starts, leading 90-plus laps in all of them. Busch will share the ride with Toyota’s next big thing, Chandler Smith. Smith got his feet wet in the Truck Series for KBM last year, finishing in the Top 10 in all four of his starts and posting a 4.2 average finish. Busch will be a must-own option in all of his starts, and I expect Smith to do plenty of damage in the dominator categories, as well.
No. 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet
World of Outlaws driver David Gravel will make his Truck Series debut as part of this team, but the driver you need to know is Sam Mayer. He won the K&N East Series title last year and finished in the Top 5 in seven of his eight ARCA starts. Granted, he struggled a bit in his three Truck starts, but bad luck played a role. Mayer was actually running in the Top 10 in all three races at one point, and he led 33 laps at Martinsville. The 16-year-old shows signs of being a future star, and I bet he ends up being part of a winning GPP lineup more than once in 2020.
No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet
Ross Chastain is the headliner of this ride. He led the Truck Series with 19 Top 10s and 591 laps led in 2019, and while he won’t be competing full time in 2020, he is set to drive a partial schedule for Niece Motorsports. His dates haven’t been finalized, but when he is in the field, he deserves to be on the list of potential dominators. Carson Hocevar has also been confirmed for nine races with the team, but with just two Truck starts under his belt, the 17-year-old will be more of a DFS lottery ticket as he gets his first chance to show his stuff in solid equipment.
Ryan Truex: No. 40 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet
His last Truck Series start came in 2017 when he finished with eight Top 5s and 13 Top 10s as part of a solid overall season. Last year, Truex showed some muscle during a partial XFINITY campaign, notching four Top 10s in six starts. The journeyman will run a partial Truck schedule for Niece in 2020, which currently includes races at Texas, Kentucky, Michigan, Las Vegas, Martinsville and Phoenix. At worst, Truex should be a Top 10 contender in those starts.
John Hunter Nemechek: No. 8 NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet
Nemechek is entering his first season as a Cup Series driver, but he is expected to see a few Truck starts for his family-owned operation. His aggressive style doesn’t always produce consistent results, but it has allowed him to win six Truck races despite less-than-elite equipment. Nemechek is a high-risk, high-reward option, but he’s a driver you will want to throw in a GPP lineup or two when he does show up.
Brennan Poole: No. 30 On Point Motorsports Toyota
The No. 30 team is expected to use a rotation to fill this seat, but Poole is the driver to know. He posted a 15.7 average finish in 13 starts for On Point last year, cracking the Top 20 nine times and logging seven Top 15s. He was particularly strong at the mile-and-a-half ovals, finishing in the Top 15 in six of his seven starts and posting all four of his Top 10s for the year.
