2017 NextEra Energy Resources 250 Race Preview

2017 NextEra Energy Resources 250 Race Preview
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Betting Preview
Friday February 24th, 7:30PM (EST) at Daytona International Speedway
by Jay Horne of NASCARWagers.com, NASCAR Handicapping Service

Tonight the Camping World Truck Series returns to primetime as we officially kick off the 2017 season with the running of the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway. It does not get any bigger than kicking off the year off at Daytona and tonight Truck Series’ drivers will get their time in the spotlight as they battle it out for 100 laps in search of the first checkered flag of the season. As we anticipate another big year in the Truck Series, we take this time to provide our 2017 NextEra Energy Resources 250 race preview.

For those that may be ready to kick off the year with some serious betting action, I have to apologize in advance because this will not be a race where we release any official picks. There are way too many unknowns going into tonight’s race with new drivers, teams, and add in the inevitable fact that restrictor plate racing is very unpredictable just in itself. Therefore I do not much value in throwing a few blind darts to start the season. However I am not going to stop from providing some early thoughts and possible predictions if you cannot hold back the urge to throw some action on tonight’s race. So with that being side, let’s dive into it.

The first thing that you need to know before tuning in tonight is that there are going to be a ton of new faces in quality rides this year in the Camping World Truck Series. So the faster we can identify the next Erik Jones or William Byron, the better it is going to help us on down the road. Among some of the new drivers stepping into full-time roles, Noah Gragson will join Christopher Bell as full-time competitors at Kyle Busch Motorsports. As most are aware, KBM drivers have been the staple of the Truck Series in recent years in terms of victories. Therefore, Gragson will have the opportunity to run well right out of the gates and Bell should definitely be a force this season after a very successful rookie campaign a year ago.

At Brad Keselowski Racing, Austin Cindric will step into the #19 truck in place of Daniel Hemric who is now in the Xfinity Series and Chase Briscoe will pilot the #29 truck full-time this season. Briscoe is a driver that I really like this season and I would not be surprised if he competes immediately in his rookie season. Briscoe has developed fast in every stage of his career going back to his success in the ARCA Series and I believe he is a young driver that can get the job done. He also posted the fastest time in the only practice at Daytona this weekend for the Truck Series. Not that practice means much for restrictor plate racing, but it just coincides with my expectations for the young driver this season.

A few other drivers that are notable rookies include Kaz Grala who joins GMS Racing and Grant Enfinger who will join fellow rookie Cody Coughlin, Ben Rhodes, and Matt Crafton at Thorsport Racing. At 31 years old, Enfinger is not exactly a rookie in the same definition as some of these other drivers but he will get his first full-time season in the Truck Series and did capture a win at Talladega last year. Therefore, it will be interesting to see if he can build off that success because the Thorsport Racing trucks have performed well which should also equate to good things for both Crafton and Rhodes.

As far as tonight’s race is concerned, I would definitely lean away from the youth at least for this weekend. While we have seen several young drivers win and win often in the Truck Series, Daytona has historically favored the veterans in the Truck Series. Johnny Sauter has won 2 of the last 4 races and Timothy Peters has a Daytona win to his resume. I would not even rule out Matt Crafton from potentially scoring a victory tonight despite the fact he has never impressed at Daytona. However, I do think there is something to be said about experience and making the correct clutch decisions to win these races. As a result, I believe both Peters and Sauter will remain a very strong option for tonight’s race.

Another guy that may fly under the radar a bit is Regan Smith. Smith is making his first CWTS appearance since 2008 but he has shown strong restrictor plate skills in both the Monster Energy Cup and Xfinity Series. Smith may not have the best equipment to challenge in tonight’s race but I would not rule out the possibility of him finding his way to the front. Of course in theory, anybody could make it to the front tonight courtesy of the draft and restrictor plate racing. This plate racing has been especially tight in the Truck Series over the last few years. If you watch previous races, passing has been very difficult because the pack has been so compacted throughout the race which adds to the importance of being able to stay out front.

If you do want to venture out for a driver or two that could become a household name overnight, then I would like no further to the likes of Chase Briscoe and Noah Gragson. Both drivers have enormous potential and are getting the benefit of piloting some of the best equipment in the series. I would not be surprised if either driver challenged some of the likes of Christopher Bell, Johnny Sauter, and a handful of other CTWS veterans tonight. As always these restrictor plate races are volatile so if you decide to lay down some action, go with a low risk/high reward strategy. Be sure to check back with us next week when the real handicapping begins.

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2017 NextEra Energy 250 Unofficial Race Predictions

Johnny Sauter +350 (1 unit)
Christopher Bell +875 (1 unit)
Noah Gragson +2750 (.5 unit)