This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Clean Harbors 250
Location: Richmond, Va.
Course: Richmond International Raceway
Format: 0.75-mile D-shaved oval
Laps: 250
NASCAR Trucks Clean Harbors 250 Race Preview
Ty Majeski scored the all-important win at Indianapolis to secure his spot in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and, after a few weeks of rest, the 2024 playoff field will be finalized this week at Richmond. Saturday night's contest is the final of the regular season, and a minimum of four drivers will advance to the knockout rounds by virtue of their points tallies alone. Corey Heim still leads the pack with five 2024 victories, but the battle for the 10th and final spot remains a tight one. Tanner Gray currently holds the position, but he only has a five-point safety margin to Daniel Dye in 11th. Stewart Friesen isn't far behind either. Suffice to say, much remains to be decided at Richmond. Carson Hocevar won last season's race at the track, but Ty Majeski was the one to beat with the pole, two stage wins, and 168 laps led. Championship hopes are set to be confirmed or denied in this week's Clean Harbors 250 at Richmond Raceway.
Key Stats at Richmond International Raceway
- Number of races: 15
- Winners from pole: 1
- Winners from top-5 starters: 9
- Winners from top-10 starters: 11
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 2
- Fastest race: 104.227 mph
Previous 10 Richmond Winners
2023 - Carson Hocevar
2022 - Chandler Smith
2021 - John Hunter Nemechek
2020 - Grant Enfinger
2005 - Mike Skinner
2004 - Ted Musgrave
2003 - Tony Stewart
2002 - Tony Stewart
2001 - Jack Sprague
2000 - Rick Carelli
Richmond Raceway's 0.75-mile oval is one of the sport's traditional short-track venues where track position plays a vital role and close racing in traffic is the order of the day. The best way for drivers to gain track position is to start up front and consolidate their spot up front throughout the race. This short oval's wide and flat turns offer ample opportunity to change grooves to make passes, but side-by-side racing slows progress and enables others to make up ground. The track's short lap also converges pit strategy, which means unexpected cautions are one of the best opportunities for teams to move forward. Most opportunities to head to pit road will come with four-tire stops, but opportunities to dash to the pits before the finish or stage breaks could come with some two-tire or fuel-only strategies to pick up track position. Opting not to pit can also gain that valuable track position, but a penalty is paid for that choice via a lack of grip and slower lap times. Getting the right setup early on Friday can be a difference maker in the race.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Trucks Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Clean Harbors 250 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Christian Eckes - $10,900
Corey Heim - $10,600
Ty Majeski - $10,400
Grant Enfinger - $10,100
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Nick Sanchez - $9,900
Connor Zilisch - $9,700
Rajah Caruth - $9,400
Tyler Ankrum - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Ben Rhodes - $8,800
Layne Riggs - $8,700
Tanner Gray - $8,500
Stewart Friesen - $8,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Ty Dillon - $7,700
Daniel Dye - $7,000
Matt Mills - $6,600
Conner Jones - $6,200
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Clean Harbors 250
Ty Majeski - $10,400
Nick Sanchez - $9,900
Ben Rhodes - $8,800
Stewart Friesen - $8,000
Daniel Dye - $7,000
Bret Holmes - $5,800
Winning consecutive races is a very tough thing to do in NASCAR, but Ty Majeski has the chance to do it this week at Richmond. He led the final 56 laps at Indianapolis to win his first race of the season, and he will ride that momentum right into Richmond where he has some unfinished business. Last year, Majeski started this race from pole, led the most laps, and won both stages. However, he was pipped in the final four laps and finished second. This week, Majeski is seeking what he missed out on a year ago. Nick Sanchez is another driver worthy of selection. He hasn't finished lower than 13th since March and is gearing up for the playoffs. Last year at this track he finished eighth, too. Sanchez has been very consistent in 2024 and should carry that trend through to the championship fight.
Ben Rhodes has also been quick at Richmond. He has four prior starts at the track and started inside the top five three of those times. He led 79 total laps in that span and finished 12th last season. Rhodes is one of those drivers needing a good night to secure his playoff spot and all indications are that he can get the job done. Stewart Friesen has more work to do than Rhodes. He enters the weekend on the outside looking in at the championship positions. His gap to 10th in the standings is just 16 points, though. Friesen will be aiming for the victory, but a good points day might also be enough for him. He has one prior top-10 at Richmond, but has been finding his footing as the playoffs approach. Challenging him will be Daniel Dye, though. Dye is just six points behind Tanner Gray and a place in the playoffs. Inconsistency from race to race has been his challenge, but the potential to force his way into the championship conversation is within his reach. Some of Dye's better finishes this season have come on short tracks, which makes him a worthy selection this week at Richmond. The final selection is Bret Holmes. He has been known to pick up top-15 finishes this season, which put him 20th in the standings. This week's race will be his third at Richmond, and his best finish at the circuit was another 15th-place back in 2022.
