Derek Kraus

A young racer out of Stratford, Wisconsin who became the youngest feature winner in Rockford Speedway history at age 13, Derek Kraus has been climbing the NASCAR ladder one rung at a time. After winning a Midwest Truck Series championship and earning Truck Series poles at Nashville and Bristol, Kraus made his Cup debut in 2024 and picked up scattered starts in 2025. Results have been rough with no top-20s at the Cup level yet. In fantasy, Kraus is a deep longshot in most formats. He runs for underfunded teams and typically qualifies in the high 30s. The talent is there from lower series, but the equipment gap makes him a minimum-salary punt only.