As we head into our second road race of the year at the Circuit of Americas, we will have to look at drivers’ stats and history from other road courses as we build our lineup this week. Another great part about this weekend is we are back to practice and qualifying. This week we are going to focus on finding value by looking at previous top contenders at road courses. There are quite a few value drivers that you can insert into your lineup. Let’s now take a deep dive into who I think you can insert into your lineup for the Toyota Tundra 225 at Circuit of Americas.
Below is a lineup that we believe can provide the best value for the Toyota Tundra 225 at Circuit of Americas on 05/22/2021 (DraftKings Values)
| Driver #1 | Sheldon Creed | $ 10,300 | |
| Driver #2 | $ | ||
| Driver #3 | Todd Gilliland | $ 8,400 | |
| Driver #4 | Stewart Friesen | $ 8,100 | |
| Driver #5 | $ | ||
| Driver #6 | $ 5,000 |
Sheldon Creed ($10,300)
This pick is in the realm of a no-brainer to me. Sheldon Creed is likely to be the sure thing week in and week out this year. Creed has also been the best in the Truck Series the last three years where he has one win, three top five finishes and has led 36 laps in three races on road courses. Those totals are a series most except for laps led, that record belongs to Brett Moffitt. Creed is going to want to continue to show his Road Course dominance this year. After finishing second earlier this year at the Daytona Road Course to Ben Rhodes, I believe Creed is going to want to win this one. Creed will be out for blood. Creed was able to finally get his first win of the year in the last race at Darlington. So far in 2021 Creed has one win, three top-five finishes and four top 10 finishes. I am sure that is not up to his standards as the reigning Truck Series Champion. I think this is a great race for Creed to get himself back into victory lane and join John H Nemechek and Ben Rhodes in the two-win club.
Todd Gilliland ($8,400)
In his fourth season full-time with the NASCAR Truck Series, Todd Gilliland has been off to a good start, currently in sixth place. In eight races he has finished 31st, fourth, 13th, 17th, fourth, sixth, sixth, and 15th. Gilliland has been good as of late, as you can see by his three top 10 finishes over three of the last four races. Overall, not bad. Gilliland has raced on road courses four times in the last three years where he has one top five finish, three top 20 finishes and has led 11 laps. Again, that is pretty good, Gilliland has consistently the last two years raced to many top 15 performances. He has been constantly getting better and could be just around the corner from getting his second win of his career. In 2020 Gilliland finished with four top-five finishes, 10 top 10 finishes, and 98 laps led. A downgrade from his 2019 production but we all know 2020 was a difficult season for many reasons. Gilliland will look to add another top 10 finish to further bolster his claim to being a top 10 driver in the Truck Series.
Stewart Friesen ($8,100)
Coming into the second of four road courses on the season the driver of the number 52 Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota Stewart Friesen will have a slight advantage over most drivers due to the fact that he has raced on road tracks four times in the last three years. Not many others can say that. In the last three years on road courses Friesen has three top 10 finishes and has finishes top 20 in all four. Friesen has yet to find victory lane this year but does have one top five finish and two top 10 finishes. Friesen has not won since Phoenix in 2019, I think he puts in a good bid this week for another top 10 finish. At road courses, he has been very consistent.
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Below is a lineup that we believe can provide the best value for the Toyota Tundra 225 at Circuit of Americas on 05/22/2021 (DraftKings Values)
| Driver #1 | Sheldon Creed | $ 10,300 | |
| Driver #2 | Matt Crafton | $ 9,900 | |
| Driver #3 | Todd Gilliland | $ 8,400 | |
| Driver #4 | Stewart Friesen | $ 8,100 | |
| Driver #5 | Derek Kraus | $ 7,500 | |
| Driver #6 | Austin Wayne Self | $ 5,000 |
Matt Crafton ($9,900)
As one of the series’ steady veterans you can always count on Matt Crafton to race his heart out. Crafton added his best finish of the year at Darlington two weeks ago where he finished in fourth place. The Truck Series will visit Circuit of Americas for the first time. If you look at how Crafton has fared on road courses the last three years you will see that he has been as good as anyone. In four races Crafton has two top five finishes, three top 10 finishes and has finished top 20 in all four races. In eight races this year Crafton has yet to find victory lane but does have two top five finishes at Las Vegas and Darlington, four top 10 finishes and had finished top 15 in six of eight races. I think this could be the week he gets his first win of the season.
Derek Kraus ($7,500)
Earlier this year at the Daytona Road course, Derek Kraus had his best race of the year where he finished in seventh place. This was after starting in 31st, showing that Kraus knows how to navigate a road course with ease. As a 19-year-old in the series, Kraus has shown excellent potential while racing and I believe is an excellent sleeper this week. Also, as a rookie in 2020, Kraus was able to improve his track position in 15 of 23 races, not bad for a rookie. In 2021 Kraus has improved his position in three of eight races. So far in 2021 Kraus has one top 10 finish at the Daytona Road Course. I can imagine that Kraus will start near the back of this race which will mean he may have excellent point differential potential.
Austin Wayne Self ($5,000)
Austin Wayne Self was finally able to out it all together last race at Darlington where he had his best finish of the year of ninth place. This was Self’s second top 10 of the year after he finished in 10th at the Bristol Dirt Track. What is intriguing about Self this week is that two of his best races have been at the Daytona Road Course and the Bristol Dirt track this year. Self has raced at road courses four times over the last three years where he has finished top 20 in all four. Self is likely to start in the back of the pack this week which will put him in line to rack up point differential points if he can work his way into a top 15 or better finish, something he has done four times already this year.
Now go win your matchup and let us know how you did. Or if I picked every driver that will be in that lap 12 crash, I encourage you to let me hear it. Either way come find us on Twitter (@FantasyDFSX).
