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It has been a bit of a strange start to the Truck Series in NASCAR in that we are not really seeing any drivers totally dominate in the early going. We have 1 driver who has picked up more than a single win, but we are also seeing Cup Series drivers come in and get wins, just as Martin Truex Jr. did in the last race. All of this is good news for the fans, as it means that we never really know what to expect from week to week. On the flipside, it makes races a little tougher to handicap. Still, it’s our job to look at who might win on any given weekend, so let’s look at the current top 4 drivers and how they might make out at the ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond on Saturday afternoon.

Let’s jump right into action so you can get all set to place your bets against their NASCAR Truck Series odds.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: ToyotaCare 250 Betting Preview

John H. Nemechek

It is probably more than fair to suggest that Nemechek is a bit of a surprise leader at the top of the driver standings through the first 5 races of the season. After spending most of his time in the Xfinity Series and Cup Series over the last couple of seasons, Nemechek is back in the truck and off to a great start. Prior to this season, his last win in the Truck Series came in 2018, but he got back to winning early in 2021, taking the checkered flag in Las Vegas. He doesn’t have a lot of history at Richmond, but given that he already has 3 top 5 finishes this season, you cannot count him out.

Ben Rhodes

In terms of the overall driver standings, Ben Rhodes has been consistently in the top 10 without ever really making a serious championship challenge. It looked as though he was ready to make a big leap forward this season, though, as he came out and won the opening 2 races of the season. He cooled off a little in the next two, although he did nab a top 10 in Vegas, but returned to form last time out, finishing in 2^nd. Last season, Rhodes raced at Richmond and took 3^rd place, so there is every reason to believe that he could win this one.

Sheldon Creed

This was always going to be a tricky season for Creed as he looks to repeat a brilliant 2020 season that saw him win the Truck Series Championship. After 5 races, he is still looking for his first win of the year, but it has not been all bad. Creed has a pair of top 5 finishes and another one in the top 10. We should also remember that it took him until the 7^th race of the season last year to get his first win, after which he managed another 5. He did not have a great run at Richmond last season, but you do get the sense that a breakout performance may be coming.

Matt Crafton

If you want to talk about consistency in the Truck Series, you need to talk about Matt Crafton. Going back to 2007, he has never finished worse than 8^th in the overall standings, plus he has picked up no less than 3 championships in that time, the latest of which came in 2019. Rather than racking up wins, Crafton tends to stay consistent throughout the year, landing in the top 5 or 10 and picking up points while other drivers falter. He has yet to win this season, but a 2^nd place finish at Richmond in 2020 suggests he might be ready to change that.

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?