NASCAR Truck Series DFS: DraftKings Lineup Picks for Pocono CRC Brakleen 175 (7/12/24)

Top Drivers

Note: The condensed schedule on Friday makes it tough, so all the thoughts below are before qualifying, and place differential comes into play. Feel free to ask me over on X if you have specific questions post-qualifying!

This No. 11 truck finished second here last year, with Corey Heim leading 27 of the 60 laps in that race. He was fourth in his previous Truck Series start here and has an ARCA win at the track. Look for Heim to challenge for another victory on Friday.

Pre-practice Truck sims for Pocono:

1. Corey Heim 31.2%
2. Christian Eckes 12.6%
3. Zane Smith 8.8%
4. Nick Sanchez 7.7%
5. Ty Majeski 5.9%

Full win/T3/T5 sims plus values at @FDSportsbook ⤵️ https://t.co/00bSzQP673

— Jim Sannes (@JimSannes) July 12, 2024

Christian Eckes - $10.8K

Christian Eckes has been the most consistent driver in the Truck Series this season, winning one less time than Corey Heim but posting one more top-10 with an average finish of 6.8. Eckes has been top-10 here the past two seasons and has an ARCA win at this track.

Zane Smith makes his fifth Truck Series start of the season today. He's finished eighth or better in each race and was second last time out in the Heart of America 200 at Kansas. Smith led 29 laps and recorded 39 fastest laps in that one. He's won here in ARCA, plus he led double-digit laps in two of the last three Pocono Truck Series races.

Ross Chastain - $10.5K

Taylor Gray - $9.5K

We're still waiting on Taylor Gray to break through with a Truck Series victory, but maybe it could happen this weekend? He's been to this track twice in his career, winning the 2022 ARCA race after leading 38 of 64 laps and then finishing third here last season in the Truck Series race.

As seems to be a trend in this field, Ty Majeski has an ARCA win here, taking victory back in May 2019. In four Truck Series starts at the track, Majeski has a pair of top 10s, including a sixth-place finish here last season. He enters Friday's race with two consecutive top 10s in the series.

Ben Rhodes is on a hot streak, finishing in the top 10 in four of the past five races. Pocono isn't his best track, but he's finished 11th or better in six of his eight Truck Series races here, with a top finish of second in 2017.

After finishing a career-best second at Nashville, how will Daniel Dye follow that up on Friday? He was only 17th in this race last season, but Dye has shown immense improvement in 2024, so don't be surprised to see him up there racing for another top-10.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Sleeper Picks

Luke Fenhaus is a short-track guy, so there's definitely some risk in playing him at a 2.5-mile track like Pocono. As far as I can tell, this is only the second time he's ever raced at a track larger than one mile. But that other race was his Truck Series debut at Gateway, where Fenhaus started 27th and ultimately finished 10th.

Jake Garcia hasn't had a great year with his move to Thorsport. Last season, Garcia had nine top-10s and an average finish of 14.0 in the No. 35 truck. This year, he's down to two top 10s and a 17.5 average finish. Still, Garcia has upside on Friday as those two top 10s have come in the past three races. He seems to be finding some speed.

I don't really love the value on this slate, but Timmy Hill knows how to keep a truck clean. If he starts outside of the top 25, he's worth playing in case we get some carnage, as he has a shot to finish in the top 20.