This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
DQS Solutions & Staffing 250 Powered by Precision Vehicle Logistics
Location: Brooklyn, Mich.
Course: Michigan International Superspeedway
Format: 2.0-mile D-shaped oval
Laps: 125
NASCAR Trucks DQS Solutions & Staffing 250 Race Preview
Rajah Caruth got the better of Corey Heim and Layne Riggs at Nashville to earn his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win of the season and the second of his career. It was evident from the start that Caruth had a quick machine, but it wasn't until the finish when he finally got out front and was able to keep the two hard-charging championship contenders at bay. Caruth's victory makes him just the fifth different full-time series winner this season, and it takes away one more playoff spot from those hoping to get in on points alone.
This week, the series heads to Michigan International Speedway for the last of a six-race stretch of consecutive outings before a brief respite Only six regular-season races remain before the playoffs commence, and this Michigan visit is the first for the series since 2020. Zane Smith was the last victor at the track but having not raced at the track in four years, teams and drivers will have plenty on their plates to figure out before going racing Saturday afternoon.
Key Stats at Michigan International Speedway
- Number of races: 21
- Winners from pole: 1
- Winners from top-five starters: 6
- Winners from top-10 starters: 17
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 1
- Fastest race: 161.110 mph
Previous 10 Michigan Winners
2020 - Zane Smith
2019 - Austin Hill
2018 - Brett Moffitt
2017 - Bubba Wallace
2016 - Brett Moffitt
2015 - Kyle Busch
2014 - Johnny Sauter
2013 - James Buescher
2012 - Nelson Piquet, Jr.
2011 - Kevin Harvick
The big and fast Michigan International Speedway awaits the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competitors for the first time since 2020. Prior to the recent four-year hiatus from the schedule, the 2.0-mile D-shaped oval hosted 21 series races. The track is long at two miles, and its banking allows for multiple grooves to be raced. Trucks can and will move up and down the banking to find the fastest line, and maintaining speed through those long corners will be a key goal teams try to dial in for Saturday.
This track is all about high power and high speeds. The long straights produce some of the fastest straight-line speeds of any circuit on the calendar and even bring the draft into effect. Trucks will have to put out maximum horsepower to drive into the corners at maximum speed to make passes or even maintain position. Drivers will be able to drive defensively by disrupting the air on vehicles behind, which means setups will have to enable drivers to run low or high in the turns to make passes. The track should be less harsh on tires, and fuel mileage can become a factor. Restarts will be critical opportunities for drivers to gain track position, too.
RotoWire NASCAR Truck Series DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the DQS Solutions & Staffing 250 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Corey Heim - $12,000
Carson Hocevar - $10,500
Ross Chastain - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Layne Riggs - $9,800
Corey Lajoie - $9,500
Grant Enfinger - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Chandler Smith - $8,800
Ty Majeski - $8,600
Kaden Honeycutt - $8,400
Rajah Caruth - $8,200
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Daniel Hemric - $7,700
Stewart Friesen - $7,200
Matt Crafton - $6,800
Connor Mosack - $6,400
NASCAR Truck Series DFS Picks for the DQS Solutions & Staffing 250
Layne Riggs - $9,800
Corey Lajoie - $9,500
Kaden Honeycutt - $8,400
Rajah Caruth - $8,200
Stewart Friesen - $7,200
Matt Crafton - $6,800
Layne Riggs finds himself on a run of fantastic form heading into this week's race at Michigan. The Front Row Motorsports driver finished fourth or better in the last three races and now has five top-five finishes on the season. He is still looking for a regular-season win that would secure a spot in the playoffs, but the team's trucks have had the speed to compete. Mistake-free execution on pit road and continued momentum should have Riggs in contention in Ford's backyard this week.
Returning to Spire Motorsports for nine series races this season is Corey Lajoie. The veteran driver was last with Spire in 2024 and Michigan marks his return. He only has five series starts in his career, but he gets behind the wheel of a truck that already won this season. He has 11 Cup Series starts at Michigan, but should be expected to help the No. 07 truck and Spire compete for the owner's championship.
Kaden Honeycutt also enters the weekend on a high of four consecutive top-10 finishes. He sits eighth in points with eight top-10 finishes on the season but still hunting for that first victory. Saturday's race will be his first at Michigan but Honeycutt and team have been quick and competitive regardless of the track this season and fantasy players have no reason to expect anything different this week.
Last week's victor Rajah Caruth heads to Michigan with a lot less pressure now that he has a regular-season win to secure himself a playoff spot. Don't expect Caruth to take his foot off the gas, though. He held off the two hottest drivers in the series a week ago to grab that victory, putting his full potential on display for anyone that may have forgotten about him. He has seven top-10 finishes this season, including three from the last five races. Like many others, this will be his first series start at this track. This will not be the first Michigan outing for Stewart Friesen. The veteran driver has four series starts at this track with two top-10 finishes. With just six races remaining in the regular season, Friesen knows he has to make moves now to be part of the playoffs. He is 49 points behind the playoff positions and a win Saturday would the ideal path to the championship battle. Friesen led 12 laps in an eighth-place finish at this track in 2018.
Veteran Matt Crafton also needs a win. He is too far out of the points to work his way into the playoffs with so few races remaining, which means he is hunting for race wins. He finished seventh four races ago at Texas and has 19 career starts at Michigan. He has never won at the track, but he was on a streak of seven straight top-10 finishes there before finishing 23rd the last time the series visited. Crafton started that last Michigan race from fourth, though.
NASCAR Truck Series Best Bets for the DQS Solutions & Staffing 250
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 6:30 PM ET Friday
Race Winner - Layne Riggs +800
Top-Three Finish - Ross Chastain +120, Layne Riggs +185
Top-Five Finish - Grant Enfinger +230
While Corey Heim has been the dominant driver this season, he isn't going to win every week, and one driver that is giving him a run for his money is Layne Riggs. Riggs is on a tremendous run of form with three consecutive top-five finishes heading into the Michigan race weekend. It is just a matter of time before he gets that first win of 2025, and his odds compared to Heim's are much more attractive. It will be hard to beat Heim and others this weekend, but Riggs has shown he can run with the best of them, and a clean execution Saturday afternoon should put him in contention for the first season victory.
Those willing to take lower odds for higher probability may consider Riggs for a top-three finish. Odds here are still positive and with three consecutive finishes of fourth or better heading into the weekend, Riggs has this finish within reach. Slightly lower odds for the same wager would get you Ross Chastain. This week's race will be Chastain's third series start this season and he finished in the top 10 in both prior outings. He also has two series starts at this specific track, which is a bonus considering its absence from the schedule for the past few years. Chastain start on pole in this race in 2019 and should be expected to be competitive again this week with Niece Motorsports.
Another wager worth considering would be Grant Enfinger to land in the top five. The veteran has been climbing the standings with four straight top-10 finishes leading up to Michigan. He also has five prior Michigan starts, which resulted in four top-10 finishes. Enfinger's best result at the track is seventh (which he did twice), so a top-five is a stretch. However, he was fifth at North Wilkesboro just a few weeks ago, and he has three other top-fives already this season. Enfinger's trajectory is upward at this time and wagerers may want to take advantage of that.
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