daytona trucks & xfinity

Unfortunately, I can't be as helpful as normal for Trucks & Xfinity this week. With same day qualifying, I just can't be all that specific about which drivers to target based on starting position. The general approach for cash games (50/50s) will be the same as the past. We're looking for drivers starting from at least 25th on back who have the most reliable equipment and experience at the plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega).

Trucks
There are 46 trucks on the entry list for at most 36 spots in the race. Obvious point, but make absolutely certain you're starting people who are in the race.

The truck races at plate tracks are usually very crazy, so I look for guys who are likely to be conservative and just ride around the back until the end of the race. For cash games, it's all about your trucks still running at the end of the race.

Here are some likely targets based on who I'd expect to be starting toward the back:

• Young's Motorsports -- Tate Fogleman and Spencer Boyd. Both have experience and should be conservative and ride in the back to avoid wrecks. Boyd had two Top 5 finishes at plate tracks in 2019. Kris Wright is also on this team, but he has only one Truck race ever and has no plate track experience, so is a likely avoid for me.
• Jordan Anderson -- Might be more aggressive than I'd really like, but should be starting near the back. He finished 2nd and 6th in the two plate track races in 2020 and has Top 10 finishes in four of the last six plate track races.
• Codie Rohrbaugh and Clay Greenfield -- Both veterans that should play it safe.
• Parker Klingerman -- Could be more aggressive than I want, but also will probably start far enough back to be an option. He hasn't done any plate track races in the Truck Series the last two seasons.
• Reaume -- I suspect these trucks miss the field because they'll be slow in qualifying, but if a Reaume truck makes the race, it will definitely ride around the back to avoid wrecks. Iwuji would still make me nervous. White is OK.
• Norm Benning and J.J. Cobb -- Same as Reaume. Likely to miss on speed, but will definitely ride in the back if they make the race.

Trucks Update after Thursday Practice--

• Adding Niece as a target. They should work together during the race. Looking back at last year's plate track races, this team tended to be more conservative which we want for cash games.
• The Young trucks all seemed to have some mechanical issues. Hopefully the shakedown allowed them to identify the problem and get it out of the way. But a little bit concerned. Same with Clay Greenfield.​

Xfinity
Much the same story with 45 entries for a 36 car field. Again, double check everyone you use makes the race.

• The Kaulig cars have dominated plate track races of late. Even still, they are likely to qualify too high to make it worth the risk in cash games.
• JD Motorsports and B.J. McLeod Motorsports are two teams to target. They almost always ride around the back together until late in the race. Jeffrey Earnhardt, Landon Cassill, Matt Mills and Jesse Little would be my top targets in that group since they have the most experience. I won't avoid the others, but they're secondary options to use only if they are starting quite a bit further back.
• Gray Gaulding in the #52 if he makes the back end of the field is good. He'll ride around in the back and I trust him not to mess up. I don't fully trust the car though.
• The Mike Harmon cars (Kyle Weatherman and Bayley Currey) should ride in the back.
• I also think the four DGM cars could be conservative and ride in the back for a while. Alex Labbe and Josh Williams would be the top targets there. I wouldn't use Mario Gosselin though since his last NASCAR race was four years ago.