UNOH 250
Location: Bristol, Tenn.
Course: Bristol Motor Speedway
Format: 0.5-mile oval
Laps: 250
NASCAR Truck Series UNOH 250 Preview
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs got underway two weeks ago at Darlington Raceway, and it was Corey Heim who asserted his championship intentions with another race victory, his eighth of the season. The win was all-important as it secured his passage into the penultimate round of elimination races, earning him a shot at racing to be one of the final four championship eligible drivers in the season finale at Phoenix. This week, the rest of the playoff contenders get another chance at joining him. Top of that list might be Chandler Smith, who led 127 of 250 laps at Bristol Motor Speedway in April to score one of his two wins so far this season. He overcame both Heim and Kyle Larson to get that victory in a convincing performance that might put him amongst the favorites to win again this week. He could use that confidence, too. After finishing 30th in the kick-off race of the playoffs, Smith joins Kaden Honeycutt below the cut line to advance. Those two still have two races to turn things around and claw their way forward as the 2025 season marches toward its conclusion with everything still left to race for.
Key Stats at Bristol Motor Speedway
- Number of races: 29
- Winners from pole: 7
- Winners from top-5 starters: 18
- Winners from top-10 starters: 24
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 91.919 mph
Previous 10 Bristol Winners
2025 spring - Chandler Smith
2024 fall - Layne Riggs
2024 spring - Christian Eckes
2023 - Corey Heim
2022 - Ty Majeski
2021 - Chandler Smith
2020 - Sam Mayer
2019 - Brett Moffitt
2018 - Johnny Sauter
2017 - Kyle Busch
In 29 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway, only three have been won by a driver starting outside of the first six row. The half-mile track's high banked turns and short laps make track position one of the biggest determinants of success. Despite the short lap, speeds at Bristol are quick and force drivers and teams to be on their toes all race. Being off the pace early can be detrimental as any early setbacks can quickly create a hole too big to climb out of. Drivers need to settle into a rhythm quickly, and having a good handling truck that works well in traffic will enable them to do so. Traffic will be something everyone must deal with. Leaders can build a gap by navigating it quickly, while struggling to make passes can erase any advantages in the blink of an eye. With multiple racing lanes, teams and drivers can find grooves to help maximize lap times, but when it gets closer to the finish, being as close as possible to the front is the best advantage to have in hand.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Truck Series Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the UNOH 250 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Corey Heim - $14,000
Layne Riggs - $12,000
Chandler Smith - $10,500
Ty Majeski - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Daniel Hemric - $9,700
Tyler Ankrum - $9,500
Kaden Honeycutt - $9,200
Grant Enfinger - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Rajah Caruth - $8,700
Corey Lajoie - $8,500
Parker Kligerman - $8,200
Ben Rhodes - $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Jake Garcia - $7,800
Tanner Gray - $7,500
Matt Crafton - $7,100
Jack Wood - $6,000
NASCAR Truck Series DFS Picks for the UNOH 250
Chandler Smith - $10,500
Tyler Ankrum - $9,500
Rajah Caruth - $8,700
Parker Kligerman - $8,200
Matt Crafton - $7,100
Jack Wood - $6,000
Chandler Smith dominated the spring race at Bristol in the first of his two race wins so far this season. Given his position in the playoff standings heading into this week's return, he will be hoping he has the same kind of performance. With two Bristol series wins from five tries, it would not be a surprise if he was able to pull it off, too. He led 127 of 250 laps in April, and another victory this week would see him through to the next round of championship eliminations. Even extending his run of five straight Bristol top-10s would help that cause as he sits just two points from safety.
Tyler Ankrum is another driver fantasy players should check out this week. He enters this week's race fifth in the playoff standings and with four top-10 finishes from the last five races. Ankrum finished fourth at Bristol in April, which was his second top-five and third top-10 in as many races at the track. Another driver that had a good Bristol run going in the spring is Rajah Caruth. The Spire Motorsports driver led 85 laps on his way to a ninth-place finish, which came despite a spin and a late stop for fuel. Given the right execution this week, Caruth could be one to contend with as the race draws to a close. He finished ninth or better in four of five series starts at the track.
Parker Kligerman will make his sixth series start of the season this week at Bristol. In a part-time effort, he has two finishes of 14th from those first five races, and he also snagged an Xfinity Series victory when substituting for the injured Connor Zilisch at Daytona just a few weeks ago. Kligerman's experience makes him a prime choice further down the price sheet, and with four top-fives and six top-10s behind the wheel of a truck at Bristol, his upside potential this week could be bigger than usual.
Another veteran to consider is Matt Crafton. While he plans to step back from full-time competition after this season, he is still capable of scoring top finishes. Two-thirds of his 24 Bristol starts have resulted in top-10 finishes, and he came home 16th at the track earlier this year. Like Crafton, Jack Wood could earn fantasy rosters valuable points with minimal expense. The McAnally-Hilgemann Racing driver raced to his best Bristol series finish in April of 11th and has two top-15 results from the last five races heading into the weekend. Each of these drivers offer upside potential while leaving room for more expensive options further up the roster.
NASCAR Trucks Series Best Bets for the UNOH 250
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 12:00 PM ET Thursday
Race Winner - Chandler Smith +400, Rajah Caruth +1800
Top-Three Finish - Rajah Caruth +425
Top-Five Finish - Tyler Ankrum +170, Rajah Caruth +200
With another victory on the season, Corey Heim +130 is making it very difficult to bet against him. The odds make it significantly easier, though. Yes, he finished third at Bristol earlier this season, but he didn't led any laps in that race. Along with getting significantly better odds for Chandler Smith and Rajah Caruth, wagerers are picking up two drivers that led a combined 212 of that race's 250 total laps run along with the win. While it isn't inconceivable that Heim may win this week, fans are getting much better value out of Smith and Caruth. Both drivers have victories this season and both were quick at Bristol in their last visit, which makes them more attractive options this week versus putting all of our eggs in the Corey Heim basket.
Those that are uncomfortable taking the big swing for Caruth to potentially win Thursday night's race, can still get attractive odds for other finishing spots. He is +425 to finish in the top three and +200 to finish in the top five. With four Bristol top-10s in five tries, including a third-place run in this race last season, there is good value to be had. Barring any issues, Caruth should be battling inside the top 10 in this race, and those top finishes should be within his reach. Alternatively, another driver offering good value for a top-five finish would be Tyler Ankrum. He is another driver that has regularly run at the front at Bristol and has two top-fives from his last three visits to the track with an average finish of 6.3 in that span. Positive odds for a driver with a recent track record like Ankrum's typically are not available, so take advantage of them now if you can.
