What’s up guys. Ryanlarkin88 here with a preview of the 2019 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series season. Throughout the season I will be providing an early week preview of each race as well as my top plays and fades to our DFSArmy VIP members. Be sure to follow me @Larkin8 on twitter or stop by the VIP slack to talk all things NASCAR. With that said time to get things rolling for the 2019 Trucks season.
The Truck series is the lowest of the national touring series under the NASCAR umbrella. Providing a great breeding ground for young talent as well as a place for veterans usually in the twilight of their careers to still be competitive and win races. The defining characteristic of the series over the years has been the obvious truck body style but also it’s unique race locations. All races are shown nationally through FS1 and FOX and last less than 2 hours.
Become a VIP MEMBER today to get access to points scoring data from all 3 NASCAR series with our elite Research Station as well as utilize the Domination Station
QUICK FACTS
Number of Races: 23
Number of Drivers: 32
Defending Champ: Brett Moffitt
Top Teams: Kyle Busch Motorsports, GMS Racing, Thorsport Racing
Top Plays for 2019
Todd Gilliland & Harrison Burton: Both drivers take over full time rides with the most successful team in truck series history, Kyle Busch Motorsports. Their youth was on full display last year with too much inconsistency during their limited schedules. That said they also showed great potential as well. Over the years we have seen numerous drivers strive in their second season with KBM. I expect this to continue with both these guys combining to win multiple races at a solid price on Draftkings.
Brett Moffitt: Moffitt is the defending Truck Series champion. Shortly after winning the title it was announced he had lost his ride with HRE. He won 6 races with HRE in 2018 which was tied for most in the series. He is replacing Johnny Sauter in the #23 at GMS Racing. Sauter won 6 races in the #23 in 2018. The #23 will become the #24 for this season. This was a shocking move that put Brett right back into a top ride. Seeing as Sauter won a championship and 13 races in his three seasons with GMS his being replaced by Moffitt a month before the season was a total shock. His Crew Chief will be Jerry Baxter who has won in the Truck Series with 6 different drivers. All signs point to good things in 2019 for Moffitt.
Jesse Little: Jesse Little drives for his family-run team on a partial schedule. Last season he finished in the top 10 in 6 of the 9 events he raced. The early plan is for him to race 12-15 races this season. He should come in at a very reasonable price on DK. His average finish was almost two positions better than he started. If he continues that strong consistency then he will be a fantastic mid tier play.
Top Fades of 2019
Johnny Sauter: Unlike Moffitt, Sauter did not land in the best position. He is back with Thorsport where he raced previously for 7 seasons, however, it was done at the last minute and with a lot of catching up to do. While he brings elite experience and ability I believe he will struggle to get things going this season especially early. He will, of course, be priced at the top end on DK thus making it hard to see getting value out of him. If you can get some position upside he will be worth a play but otherwise, I would be careful picking Sauter overall.
KBM #51: This truck will be shared by a few drivers in 2019. Kyle Busch will be in this truck a few races and will be a threat to dominate but at his price and ownership fading him is a great idea. He could dominate and be in the optimal lineup or he could kill 60-70% of lineups with an issue. Brandon Jones and Christian Eckes will be in the truck but both underperformed last season. Both drivers seem to lack that next level of ability and need to take a step up to compete with the elite.
Jennifer Jo Cobb: with only two top 20 finishes and an average finish of 24th there is very little upside with her. She may be a playable at Daytona and Talladega as she will most likely avoid the big wrecks> I could also see her paired with a Kyle Busch type driver if she starts 28th or worse. Otherwise, Cobb should be routinely faded as there will be many drivers with much higher upsides every race.
VIP members are off and running this year in NASCAR. Be sure to SIGN UP and get the best DFS content out there. Use Code Xfinity and receive 20% off the membership!!
This will conclude the 2019 NASCAR Truck Series preview. If you would like to reach out and talk NASCAR Follow me on twitter @Larkin8 or Become a VIP member and join me as well as our other DFS Army NASCAR contributors (Brady Miller, Taco, and NillyJay) in the NASCAR coaching channels.