In a groundbreaking move that is set to shake up the world of motorsports, William Byron has officially inked a lucrative four-year contract extension with powerhouse team Hendrick Motorsports.

The multi-year deal, which has been confirmed by the team, solidifies Byron’s future with the elite racing organization. This strategic move not only cements Byron’s position as a key player in the NASCAR arena but also underscores Hendrick Motorsports’ unwavering commitment to nurturing top-tier talent.

Byron, known for his exceptional driving skills and unwavering determination on the track, is poised to continue making waves in the world of professional racing. With this contract extension, both Byron and Hendrick Motorsports are gearing up for a future filled with victories, milestones, and electrifying performances.

This bold partnership between Byron and Hendrick Motorsports is not only a testament to their shared vision for success but also a clear signal to their competitors that they mean business. As the adrenaline-pumping world of NASCAR prepares for the next chapter, all eyes will undoubtedly be on Byron as he revs up for the ride of a lifetime with the full support of his powerhouse team behind him.

By Austin Lawton, Staff Writer

The final practice for the 109th Indianapolis 500 is complete, with Josef Newgarden fastest at 225.687 mph. 

The driver of the No.2 Shell Chevrolet for Team Penske is the winner of the last two “500”’s and starts in 32nd on Sunday. Newgarden was sent to start at the rear of the field after the team, along with the No.12 crew of Will Power, were found to have illegally modified the rear attenuator. Newgarden certainly has the car to win, despite the deep starting position. He was confident during Indy 500 Media Day on Thursday about his chances to pass cars. 

“I like the challenge coming from 32nd,” Newgarden said. “I don’t know what the day looks like, it’s so hard to predict. We do have a great car. It just seems to be getting better every year. I’m trying to protect that right now. It’s one of these things where every day changes a little bit at the Speedway. You have to stay on top of it. Sunday is really going to be the day that counts. We have to make sure we’re in the right place for that day. If we can do that, we should be in a good spot.” 

Following Newgarden on the practice charts was Takuma Sato (225.415 mph) in the No.75 Amada Honda for Rahal Letterman-Lanigan Racing, Scott Dixon (225.200 mph) in third driving the No.9 PNC Bank Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing, Sato’s teammate, Devlin DeFrancesco (224.778) in the No.30 Dogecoin Honda in fourth and Newgarden’s teammate, Power (224.419 mph) in the top five. 

The Carb Day practice session did not see any wrecks, after a weekend filled with heavy impacts. The only yellows on Friday were for mechanical reasons. 

The No.15 United Rentals Honda for Graham Rahal experienced a big mechanical failure in the car, ending his day early. 

“We had a mechanical failure unfortunately,” Rahal told FOX Sports. “ It seems like we’re always behind, little things keep happening and this is yet another one. The car wouldn’t stay in the pack and it kept getting slower and slower.” 

Ryan Hunter-Reay experienced a fire underneath the No.23 Wedbush Chevrolet for Dreyer & Reinbold/Cusick Motorsports. The 2014 “500” winner starts 25th on Sunday. 

“I felt a lot of liquid on my left side,” Hunter-Reay told FOX Sports. “After I felt the liquid, it just started smoking more and more. I tried to keep air speed up, get back to the side of the track where there is more help.” 

Hunter-Reay was not injured in the incident, jumping out of the car quickly. 

The field of 33 will sit in their respective garages until Sunday morning for the 109th Indianapolis 500.

Thanks to an aggressive renewal policy, as well as excitement on the track last year, the Indianapolis 500 has sold out the grandstands for the first time in almost a decade.

Around 350,000 people will be on hand for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, the first sellout since 2016.

“We’ve just worked really hard at continuing to engage our fans more, tell the stories about our drivers more,” Doug Boles, president of both the speedway and the IndyCar racing circuit, said in a phone interview.

Right after Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden bested Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward in the final laps to win his second straight Indy 500 last year, the clock started ticking for fans who wanted to attend the race in 2025.

As soon as the race ends, fans have 500 hours (about 21 days) to renew tickets for the following year. Boles said that the renewal rate during that period was “significantly ahead year over year.”

Of the 232,000 permanent seats at the speedway, between 170,000 to 180,000 people secured seats during those initial 500 hours.

Many fans are looking to upgrade their seats or at least move to a different section during that three-week window. Since the organizers aren’t outsourcing ticket sales through Ticketmaster, SeatGeek and the like, all the shifting is done in-house.

Sales then reopen in late September for fans who did not renew in the spring. Finally, in mid-February, the last 50,000 tickets are sold, the second-biggest sales period for the event.

Selling out the grandstands means the local blackout of the race is lifted for just the eighth time ever, and fans at home in the Indianapolis market can watch the race live. That’s a small bonus for new broadcast partner Fox, which is supplanting NBC after the Peacock network aired the race for 16 years.

Boles praised NBC for advancing the TV production of IndyCar races, but he lauded Fox for bringing the overall IndyCar circuit closer to its affiliate stations, adding more promotional might to races and making the racing league “more of a household name.”

The sellout crowd will be showing up in the midst of controversy. During inspections, two of the three Team Penske cars (that of Newgarden and Will Power) were found to have an illegal modification to their rear crash structures. Boles announced that in addition to fines, both cars were penalized by being pushed to the back of the 33-car field.

Newgarden and Power, who qualified 11th and 12th respectively, lost the points they earned for those positions. On Wednesday, team owner Roger Penske fired his team’s top three executives: president Tim Cindric, managing director Ron Ruzewski and general manager Kyle Moyer.

In his statement about the dismissals, Penske cited last year’s scandal where his team’s cars had an illegal software for their “push to pass” engine boost. “We have had organizational failures during the last two years, and we had to make necessary changes,” he said. “I apologize to our fans, our partners and our organization for letting them down.”

Boles said the latest issue may not hurt IndyCar. “Certainly when there’s controversy, you get more eyeballs on you,” he said. “They’re more people talking about it, and you get outside of the endemic coverage and fans that you might have when the story becomes bigger than the on-track racing itself.”

He said watching how the Penske drivers adapt to starting in the rear may gin up fan interest. “I do think there are opportunities in challenges that allow us to grow.”

Editor’s note: The Indianapolis 500 race, IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are owned by Penske Entertainment Corporation, a subsidiary of Penske Corporation that is owned and operated by Roger Penske. Sportico is owned by Penske Media Corporation (PMC), operated by Jay Penske, Roger’s son. PMC operates independently of Penske Corporation.

Santa Claus is not coming to town.

After this year, race fans will find themselves on the permanent naughty list as the tripleheader Memorial Day Weekend tradition affectionately known by some as “Motorsports Christmas” will end.

Formula One’s Monaco Grand Prix is moving to June, separating it from the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 — all of which are typically contested on the same Sunday. American motorsports fans are fond of getting up early to watch Monaco with a cup of coffee, gluing themselves to the Indy 500 while grilling and settling in for NASCAR’s longest race at night with an adult beverage or two.

But after Sunday, our “Motorsports Christmas” stockings will be filled with coal.

Before we bid farewell to the greatest day in racing, here’s a group discussion among our four motorsports writers, all covering one of the races in question: Luke Smith and Madeline Coleman (both in Monaco this week), Jeff Gluck (Indy 500) and Jordan Bianchi (Coke 600).

For anyone new to the idea, what makes Monaco, Indy and the Coca‑Cola 600 sharing one Sunday so special?

Coleman: The Monaco Grand Prix embodies what F1 represents, capturing the glitz, glamour and history of the sport. Meanwhile, the Indy 500 showcases the capabilities of IndyCar, illustrating the fine line of where the limits lie. The Coca-Cola 600 serves as NASCAR’s Memorial Day tribute and holds a significant place for me, as it was my first NASCAR race in person (and the first motorsport race I ever covered). With a full day of racing, motorsport fans can experience a variety of driving disciplines and strategies, including Kyle Larson attempting to do the “Double” by racing in both the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600.

Gluck: It depends on whether you’re an American reading this or someone overseas. I’m guessing the NASCAR part of the tripleheader is not at all special to fans outside the U.S., but many NASCAR fans I know will watch all three as part of the tradition. In some ways, it’s been a gift to expose other forms of racing to an often-insular group (everyone thinks their series is the best, after all). As mentioned above, Monaco and the Indy 500 may be the only non-NASCAR races some stock car fans watch all year.

Smith: Any of these races would be a significant event. The fact they all fall on the same day, allowing fans to enjoy back-to-back racing, is exciting. Monaco and the Indy 500 are crown jewel events in the F1 and IndyCar seasons, respectively, forming two-thirds of the “Triple Crown of Motorsport’ alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Both events feature a level of pomp and ceremony not found in other races. To immerse yourself in motorsport history in just 12 hours, there’s no better way than these three events.

Bianchi: These are races that are proudly noted by the winning driver when looking back at their career. So when you have all three held on the same day, consecutively, it creates a sense of celebration where instead of fans of each series throwing their noses up at the other, they take an increased interest in what is happening that they otherwise wouldn’t.

For those who might not be as familiar with the intricacies of each series, why is it so hard for someone in today’s era to be successful in multiple disciplines? After all, isn’t racing just racing?

Coleman: Something I thoroughly enjoy about working in motorsports is talking about this topic with drivers and team personnel because these disciplines are so different, from the cars to the tracks to training to the technology and data. It isn’t simple. Plus, as Jenson Button told me last year, “I don’t think you can class yourself as the best driver in the world unless you’ve raced in other categories and been competitive. Driving an F1 car is very specific compared to driving a rally car, compared to driving even a GT car.”

Gluck: It’s all so specialized in the modern era, and it’s borderline impossible to jump from one series to another and expect success. The cars drive differently, the racing standards are different, the race procedures are different. An F1 driver simply isn’t going to jump into an oval race and expect to win, just like a NASCAR driver would never be up to speed in an F1 car without extensive seat time. What Larson is doing with the “Double” on Sunday has captured so many imaginations because being successful in two different cars is extremely challenging.

Monaco will move dates in 2026 (Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Smith: It’s very, very different, being able to race around a street circuit like Monaco versus a superspeedway like Indianapolis in an Indy car versus Charlotte in a stock car. Each requires a very different set of skills, but the common theme is bravery. It’s why seeing Robert Shwartzman score pole for his debut in the Indy 500 is such a big deal, given he’s spent the entirety of his career racing in single-seaters on road and street courses — and never before on an oval. The skills are completely different. The other big limiting factor is time: The hectic schedule for each series makes it impossible to prepare for a shot at any other discipline properly.

Bianchi: There is also the issue of manufacturer and sponsor conflicts that often interfere with a driver from jumping to a different series. This wasn’t such a hurdle decades ago — at least not insurmountable, but it too frequently acts as a blockade. The sponsorship money required to support top-flight racing has increased to such a level that many teams don’t feel the financial risk is worth allowing their drivers to go “play” elsewhere.

Based on their comments, it sounds like most F1 drivers have no interest in running the Indy 500. What’s your take on why that is?

Coleman: Part of it likely is the risk versus reward aspect as well as the speed. Racing in the Indy 500 takes a lot of preparation because ovals are dangerous and require focus and skill. That is significant banking, the walls are fairly close, and the speeds are quicker than F1’s top speeds. Yes, one may argue that street circuits could prepare F1 drivers for close proximity, but there’s a reason F1 doesn’t have a lot of banking anymore. They respect the race; however, many don’t sound like they want to try it. Oscar Piastri recently discussed it, ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.

Gluck: From what I’ve read, it’s a safety concern. The F1 guys think Indy 500 drivers are nuts. But let’s have IndyCar driver Colton Herta chime in on this one: “It’s more dangerous than most stuff that they do (in F1). There’s no doubt about that. … But it’s not that much worse than crashing at some other places in an IndyCar. So I think they have a bit of a misunderstanding. And I bet they have never been here in person and just don’t understand it, because I think if they saw everything (with 350,000 people in attendance), they’d be willing to give up their gripe with it being unsafe.”

Smith: If you ask the majority of the F1 grid, they’ll admit that even watching the Indy 500 is a scary experience for them, given the speeds and impacts involved. Daniel Ricciardo was always pretty clear in saying it was a step too far for him to consider trying his hand at it for that reason. It’s often only when drivers make the switch from F1 to IndyCar that they start to get a better understanding of it. Alexander Rossi and Marcus Ericsson are two drivers who have both gone on to win at the Brickyard post-F1, but neither would have likely given thought to doing the Indy 500 while still part of the grand prix racing world.

Bianchi: If someone who’s never previously raced on an oval, let alone at such high speeds with other cars close, doesn’t feel comfortable doing so, it’s hard to criticize their decision.

If an F1 driver did cross over next year and run Indy, who would you be most excited to see try it? 

Coleman: I’d like to see Max Verstappen or Valtteri Bottas, the latter of whom I think would be most likely to try. Verstappen’s skill level and adaptability are arguably unmatched, and if he were ever open to trying ovals, it would be interesting to see how he’d adjust to IndyCar. It’s highly unlikely, but it would be exciting. Meanwhile, Bottas has had conversations with IndyCar teams before, and he’s admitted to having his eye on the Indy 500 before.

Gluck: I’d want to see someone with a chance of adapting quickly and winning, so definitely Verstappen. You’d think the adaptability of Verstappen and his sim-racing experience would help him get up to speed quickly. But three years ago, he was among those who said Indy is too dangerous, and he had no desire to do it, so that probably will never happen.

Smith: I want to see Alonso go back to the Indy 500. Back in 2017, Alonso got permission to miss Monaco and race at Indianapolis, famously leading a big chunk of the race before an engine failure forced him to retire late on. He failed to qualify in 2019 and barely registered on the radar in 2020. Alonso is the closest active driver to completing the “triple crown,” having won at Monaco and Le Mans. I’d love to see him take a shot at achieving racing history.

Bianchi: Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen are the obvious choices. Especially Hamilton, just because an Indy 500 win would elevate him to an even higher plane, which is hard to fathom considering he already has a case for being F1’s greatest driver. Imagine the build-up to the month of May and race day itself if Hamilton or Verstappen filed an entry.

Juan Pablo Montoya is the only driver who has raced all three in his career. Do you ever see another driver doing that?

Coleman: One day, someone will race all three again. There are barriers to consider — reaching F1 means eventually joining the European ladder. Multiple IndyCar drivers are ex-F1 drivers, and some F1 drivers have crossed over into the NASCAR world, such as Kimi Räikkönen with Trackhouse’s Project 91. So it’s not impossible to do all three.

Gluck: I don’t see any viable candidates, but it’ll happen again someday. We have to rule out NASCAR drivers, because they’d never get a superlicense to race F1, so it would have to be an F1 castoff who ended up in IndyCar for a few years and then decided to try NASCAR. Maybe if someone like a Logan Sargeant rediscovers his passion for racing and runs IndyCar for a bit, then gets curious about NASCAR and tries to run a couple of seasons there. It’s possible, just not anytime soon.

Our writers agree: Every driver will be watching the Indy 500 on Sunday (Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Smith: It’ll take a very special type of driver and a unique career path for that to happen again. My best bet is that it would be a driver who makes it to F1, races in Monaco, doesn’t hang around too long, makes the move over to IndyCar, spends time in the U.S., and then thinks, “Hey, let’s give NASCAR a go.” Nowadays, multidisciplinarians are rare, especially when considering the demands of the F1 schedule. So for now, I don’t see it happening again.

Bianchi: It will definitely happen again. The likeliest scenario is a driver whose opportunity in F1 has concluded, who then comes to the United States to continue their racing career. Maybe Kimi Räikkönen will get bored in retirement and give it a go; after all, he does have experience racing a stock car at Charlotte.

Can you tell us how much the drivers in the series you cover care about or follow the other races on this day?

Coleman: It is probably more likely that F1 drivers will tune in for the Indy 500, at least some of them. The time zones don’t help, considering Monaco is six hours ahead of the East Coast. It’ll be midnight when the Coca-Cola 600 begins. Verstappen has stayed up to watch a NASCAR race before (when Shane van Gisbergen competed), but I believe the Indy 500 is more likely.

Gluck: Most NASCAR drivers will keep an eye on Monaco and watch as much of the Indy 500 as they can while going through their pre-race appearances and obligations at the Coke 600. IndyCar drivers will be getting busy around Monaco time, but might watch a bit of it during breakfast. Anyway, go ahead, Madeline and Luke, hurt the NASCAR drivers’ feelings by telling them no one in F1 watches the 600.

The Coca-Cola 600 rounds out the day (Logan Riely/Getty Images)

Smith: Sorry, Jeff, but I don’t think many F1 drivers will be watching the 600 — partly because it won’t start until midnight in Monaco! A lot of them will tune in to the Indy 500 once they’re through everything in Monaco after the race. McLaren has a natural interest given its involvement there and how much it emphasises the crossover between its teams, but others will also be trying to find somewhere to watch it.

Bianchi: Although F1 drivers may not watch NASCAR’s longest race, the reality is that of the three races, the Coca-Cola 600 may be the most competitive from green flag to checkered flag than any of the three races on Sunday.

If you were a race fan with an unlimited budget and could only do one of these races on Sunday, which would you pick?

Coleman: I’d pick Monaco every time. Legends have raced the same streets locals take to work and school, and Monaco has become synonymous with F1. The racing product is an issue, and I am intrigued to learn how this year’s changes will impact it. It’s not a given that Monaco will always be on the F1 calendar, a question that the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 do not face. It’s best to enjoy the moment while it lasts.

Gluck: This is so tough, because Monaco is absolutely on my bucket list just for the glamorous and gorgeous setting. Still, there’s nothing like the Indy 500. I truly believe it’s the world’s greatest race, as do every one of its competitors. It’s the largest single-day attendance on the planet (a sold-out crowd of 350,000), and if it were up to me, I’d never miss another one for the rest of my life.

Smith: A bit like Alonso is out to complete his “Triple Crown” of Le Mans, Monaco and Indy, I’m also just one race shy of having covered those three events — and it’s the Indy 500 that’s missing. When F1 announced earlier this year that Monaco would be moving date to try and help the calendar make more sense, my first thought was, “Does this mean I can do the 500!?” I love how much ceremony goes into the race, the traditions involved, and how it stands as so much more than just another round of the season. I adore Monaco, and I really want to cover a NASCAR race someday. But the Indy 500 would be a bucket list event for me.

Bianchi: Sitting on a yacht docked alongside Monaco’s famed circuit while sipping overly expensive champagne sounds absolutely delightful. Yes, please.

Top photo of Charles Leclerc and the 2024 Indianapolis 500:  Mark Sutton – Formula 1/Formula, Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Purdue University and Italian race car manufacturer Dallara are accelerating their partnership this Indianapolis 500 weekend with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony set for Saturday at the Dallara Experience Hub in Speedway, Indiana.

The event will mark the official launch of an innovative collaboration that places Purdue’s nationally unique undergraduate motorsports engineering program inside Dallara’s U.S. headquarters, just a mile from the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“This partnership puts Purdue students and industry leader Dallara alongside one another in the epicenter of the motorsports world,” said Dan Hasler, Purdue’s chief operating officer for Indianapolis. “The education, training and connection opportunities through this collaboration will benefit our students, Dallara and the motorsports industry as a whole.”

Purdue’s program is the only ABET-accredited undergraduate motorsports engineering degree in the U.S. Beginning in fall 2025, students will attend classes and receive hands-on training at the Dallara facility. The immersive environment is expected to provide unparalleled access to real-world motorsports engineering and early networking opportunities with one of the sport’s most influential players.

Chris Finch, director of the motorsports program and a former IndyCar engineer, will lead the academic side. Dallara, known for designing and building race chassis for INDYCAR, NASCAR, IMSA, and other global series, has been the exclusive chassis supplier for the NTT INDYCAR Series since 2012.

Many Purdue alumni have gone on to work with top teams in IndyCar, IMSA, and the NHRA, helping to power Indiana’s $2 billion motorsports industry, according to the Indiana Economic Development Corp.

The move underscores Purdue’s growing presence in Indianapolis and strengthens central Indiana’s reputation as a hub for racing innovation and education.

This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.

North Carolina Education Lottery 200

Location: Concord, N.C.
Course: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Format: 1.5-mile quad-oval
Laps: 134

NASCAR Trucks North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Race Preview

Chandler Smith topped the competition last week at North Wilkesboro to score his second victory of the season, leading just one lap in a race that was otherwise dominated by Corey Heim. The race looked as though it would be Heim’s fourth victory of the season, but contact on the last lap between he and Layne Riggs opened the door for Smith to power through to the win. Heim led 162 or 255 laps but left with just a 17th-place finish. This week, he will be looking for redemption. Heim’s quest to come out on top at Charlotte Motor Speedway runs deeper than last week’s missed opportunity, too. A year ago, Heim was one of the dominant contenders for the win, leading 72 of 134 laps and sweeping the stage wins, but trouble on pit road left him scrambling back up the order in the final miles. He made it up to second position at the finish, but three loose lug nuts found in post-race inspection cost him the finish and dropped him to last place. This year is a fresh page, but Heim may be coming with even more purpose this week. The question is whether or not anyone in the garage can challenge him.

Key Stats at Charlotte Motor Speedway

• Number of races: 22
• Winners from pole: 4
• Winners from top-5 starters: 11
• Winners from top-10 starters: 16
• Winners from 21st or lower starters: 1
• Fastest race: 128.947 mph

Previous 10 Charlotte Winners

2024 – Nick Sanchez
2023 – Ben Rhodes
2022 – Ross Chastain
2021 – John Hunter Nemechek
2020 – Chase Elliott
2019 – Kyle Busch
2018 – Johnny Sauter
2017 – Kyle Busch
2016 – Matt Crafton
2015 – Kasey Kahne

The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series tackles the high banks and high speeds of Charlotte Motor Speedway this week. Charlotte’s 1.5-mile quad-oval layout offers a wide surface and steep banking that enables passing via multiple grooves, but the sheer speed of the track tends to amplify the differences between trucks. Those teams that qualify at the front gobble up that valuable track position and can use the clean air in the race to distance themselves from the pretenders. Teams that don’t have the early speed often find themselves losing ground quickly and anxious to make adjustments at the first opportunity. Opportunities to stop for adjustments must be taken advantage of, and any moves in the wrong direction can be detrimental. While Charlotte offers multiple grooves for drivers to use, clean air and track position are still some of the biggest advantages. Fantasy players should pay close attention to starting position. Those drivers starting inside the top 15 will likely have the best opportunity to win.

RotoWire NASCAR Truck Series DFS Tools

NASCAR Lineup Optimizer

NASCAR Projections

DraftKings Value Picks for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)

DraftKings Tier 1 Values  

Corey Heim – $12,000
Kyle Busch – $11,500
Layne Riggs – $10,000

DraftKings Tier 2 Values  

Chandler Smith – $9,800
Ross Chastain – $9,500
Ty Majeski – $9,200
Daniel Hemric – $9,000

DraftKings Tier 3 Values

Grant Enfinger – $8,800
Tyler Ankrum – $8,500
Kaden Honeycutt – $8,300
Brandon Jones – $8,000

DraftKings Long-Shot Values

Ben Rhodes – $7,500
Rajah Caruth – $7,100
Stewart Friesen – $6,900
Connor Mosack – $6,500

NASCAR Truck Series DFS Picks for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200

Corey Heim – $12,000
Ross Chastain – $9,500
Ben Rhodes – $7,500
Rajah Caruth – $7,100
Tanner Gray – $7,000
Stewart Friesen – $6,900

There may be an extra edge propelling Corey Heim forward this week at Charlotte. After losing this race last season and also missing out on the win a week ago at North Wilkesboro, Heim will be pushing hard to set the record straight this week. He led 72 laps from the front row in this race last year and has two 1.5-mile oval wins already this season. There hasn’t been anyone better than him yet this season, and with the extra motivation driving him, Heim could be tough to beat this week. 

Ross Chastain may give him a challenge, though. The Cup Series driver will make his second series appearance of the season this week. Last time out, Chastain started seventh and finished sixth at Homestead, another 1.5-mile oval. Chastain finished eighth in the Cup race at this track last season and won in a truck for Niece Motorsports in 2022, which was his last time racing in this series at Charlotte. 

Ben Rhodes is another veteran to keep an eye on. Rhodes is just six points out of the playoff positions and finished 11th or better in three of the last five races. Last week’s stop at North Wilkesboro wasn’t the best, but Rhodes will be anxious get things back on track this week. At Charlotte, he won in 2023 and has not finished worse than 10th since 2016.

The 1.5-mile ovals have been good venues for Rajah Caruth this year. He finished seventh at Las Vegas and third at Texas. Caruth is currently 13th in points and trying to turn around a two-race run of finishes outside of the top 10. Having qualified fourth in both of his prior Charlotte starts, Caruth just needs to put a full race together to better his average finish at the track of 13.5, which isn’t bad this far down the price list to begin with. 

Tanner Gray is also a bit of a bargain. He is currently 14th in points and finished 11th and fifth in two of the last three races. At Charlotte, Gray has been a monster qualifier. He started from pole the last two races and inside the top six four of his five tries. He finished 17th in this race last year and has a best result at the track of sixth. Like Caruth, just putting a full race distance together this week should better his average Charlotte finish of 18.4. 

That leaves room for Stewart Friesen to close out the roster. The veteran driver appears to have moved past a rough patch of results and sits 10th in points after finishing 14th and fifth in the last two races. From eight Charlotte tries, Friesen claims five top-10s and his best finish was second last season. Charlotte’s 1.5-mile fast oval is a track Friesen can continue his upward trend.

NASCAR Truck Series Best Bets for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 12:00 PM ET Friday

Race Winner – Corey Heim +175, Ross Chastain +600
Top-Five Finish – Layne Riggs +110

It is no surprise that Corey Heim is the favorite to win this week’s race. Despite missing out on wins the last two races, Heim was still in contention and led at least 50 laps in each of those races. In fact, Heim has led laps in every race this season and hasn’t led fewer than 16 in a race since February. He and the team are firing on all cylinders, and they should be even more fired up this week. After being disqualified from a runner-up finish in this race last season and getting knocked out of contention just last week, Heim should be more motivated than ever to right the wrongs and get himself back into Victory Lane this weekend. He will face stiff competition to do so, though. Ross Chastain will make his second series start of the season this week. His prior outing was a sixth-place finish at another 1.5-mile oval, too. That competitiveness is what wagerers should expect from him again this week, and his odds are more favorable than Kyle Busch’s.

Another driver on the path of success is Layne Riggs. He finished second on track at Kansas two weeks ago but was disqualified after failing post-race inspection. That led to an inspired charge a week later at North Wilkesboro where he finished second and helped teammate Chandler Smith win through late contact with Heim. Riggs and Heim now have a score to settle, but both are expected to be contenders at Charlotte. After a runner-up finish last week and stage finishes of fifth and sixth in last year’s Charlotte race, Riggs is likely to have a chance at a top-three this week. Positive odds for him to do so, while low, are a relatively confident bet to take.

Mapping out your wagers for the Truck Series race? Check out the latest Sportsbook Promo Codes to get special offers and make the most of your bets.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it’s possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. C.J. Radune plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: DraftKings: cjradune, RaceDayScore: cjradune.