Corey Heim is the clear the projected favorite as the Craftsman Truck Series invades Bristol, but betting markets love Layne Riggs at +225. With Cup ringers Bell, Chastain, and Busch in the field, this 250-lapper promises chaos.
The Trucks Take on Thunder Valley
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series brings its unique brand of short-track aggression to Bristol Motor Speedway for the Tennessee Army National Guard 250. At 0.533 miles and 250 laps, this race is a sprint — and the entry list reads like an all-star event with Cup regulars Christopher Bell, Ross Chastain, and Kyle Busch all dropping down.
Corey Heim enters as the projections favorite with a projected finish of 6.6, but the betting markets tell a different story — Layne Riggs is the odds-on favorite at +225. That disagreement creates opportunity for sharp fantasy managers.
Cup Ringers vs. Truck Regulars
Cup drivers: Bell (#62), Chastain (#45), Busch (#7), Stenhouse Jr (#4), Suarez (#71), LaJoie (#10)
Truck contenders: Heim (#1), Riggs (#34), Eckes (#91), Smith (#38), Honeycutt (#11), Majeski (#88)
The Cup ringers add unpredictability. Bell in the Halmar Friesen Toyota is genuinely capable of winning, but the full-time regulars have more laps and more familiarity with their equipment.
Fantasy Scorecard
Premium Tier ()
| Driver | Car | Proj Pts | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layne Riggs | #34 | 35.0 | +225 |
| Kaden Honeycutt | #11 | 29.4 | +300 |
| Chandler Smith | #38 | 29.4 | +450 |
Riggs is the betting favorite and projects for a near top-10 finish. Honeycutt and Smith round out a premium tier of genuine win contenders.
Contender Tier (-)
| Driver | Car | Proj Pts | Proj Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corey Heim | #1 | 40.0 | 6.6 |
| Christian Eckes | #91 | 34.0 | 9.8 |
| Christopher Bell | #62 | 31.0 | 11.0 |
| Ty Majeski | #88 | 31.0 | 11.3 |
Heim at is the top projection on the board — our projections has him finishing 6.6, nearly 3 positions better than any driver. After his dominant 178-lap-led performance at Rockingham, Heim is clearly the most talented truck in the field. His price tag reflects his elite status.
Value Tier (-)
| Driver | Car | Salary | Proj Pts | Pts/$ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Chastain | #45 | 29.4 | 2.4 | |
| Kyle Busch | #7 | 28.1 | 2.6 | |
| Tanner Gray | #15 | 24.0 | 2.7 | |
| Jake Garcia | #98 | 24.0 | 3.0 |
Chastain at brings Cup-level talent of the race. Busch at brings elite short-track instincts.
Bargain Plays (-)
| Driver | Car | Proj Pts | Pts/$ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timmy Hill | #56 | 18.0 | 3.6 |
| Frankie Muniz | #33 | 14.0 | 4.7 |
Yes — Frankie Muniz, the actor from Malcolm in the Middle, is racing at Bristol in the #33 Team Reaume Ford. At he's a fun longshot play.
Recommended Lineup
| Group | Driver | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| A (2.0x) | Corey Heim | |
| B (1.75x) | Ross Chastain | |
| C (1.5x) | Tyler Ankrum | |
| D (1.25x) | Tanner Gray | |
| E (1.0x) | Timmy Hill | |
| Total | ** |
Heim in the A-slot is the key — his 40-point projection at 2.0x creates a massive ceiling. Chastain and Riggs provide reliable production.
Final Thoughts
This is one of the deepest Truck Series fields of the season. The Cup ringers add chaos, the title contenders add stakes, and Bristol's concrete bullring adds unpredictability. Build around Heim's dominance, find value in the Cup drivers dropping down, and don't be afraid to load up on plays — at Bristol, survival is half the battle.
DraftKings Tips (Trucks)
DraftKings runs Truck Series contests with a $50,000 cap and 6 drivers. Top Bristol values:
| Driver | DK Salary | Proj Pts | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Eckes | $8,300 | 34.0 | 4.10 |
| Daniel Hemric | $7,100 | 28.1 | 3.96 |
| Ben Rhodes | $6,600 | 26.0 | 3.94 |
| Tyler Reif | $5,600 | 22.0 | 3.93 |
| Andres Perez de Lara | $6,100 | 24.0 | 3.93 |
DK Strategy: Corey Heim ($11,000) is the most expensive driver but his projected 6.6 finish makes him the safest anchor. The real edge is in the $6,000-8,000 range — Eckes ($8,300), Hemric ($7,100), and Ben Rhodes ($6,600) all project well relative to price. Kyle Busch ($10,700) at the second-highest salary is a fade in cash games but has GPP ceiling if he channels his Bristol history.
Value stack: Riggs ($10,500) + Eckes ($8,300) + Rhodes ($6,600) + Hemric ($7,100) + Reif ($5,600) + any minimum salary driver fits under the cap and covers the top projected finishers.