Picks for the DoorDash 250 – NASCAR Truck Series (2022)

Last week was a tough race for my Truck Series picks. Stewart Friesen, Zane Smith, and Ben Rhodes led 12+ laps, and Grant Enfinger wrecked while battling for the lead. Friesen was the highest finisher in fourth.
The NASCAR Truck Series will embark on a new challenge with a trip to Sonoma Raceway. The 12-turn road course will host a Truck Series race for the first time since 1998. Sonoma has been on the Cup Series schedule for 30+ years, so a few drivers have experience.
Here are my favorite betting picks for the 2022 DoorDash 250.
John Hunter Nemechek (+700)
John Hunter Nemechek is a top contender for most Truck Series races, but he never presents value. I can’t pass up Nemechek at (+700) for Sonoma.
Nemechek finished third in Stage 1 at Gateway, but a midrace crash left him with a 35th-place finish. That ended a streak of finishing sixth or better in seven straight races. That includes a second-place finish at COTA.
Nemechek has been one of the drivers to beat in the Truck Series on road courses.
- 9 starts
- 1 win
- 5 top-five finishes
- 6 top 10 finishes
- 37 laps led
- 8.4 average finish
He hasn’t led many laps, but Nemechek runs near the front. His lone road course victory was at Canadian Tire Mosport Park in 2016. He has run four road course races since joining Kyle Busch Motorsports. Nemechek has three top-three finishes.
A few crashes have led to poor results, but Nemechek looks like a championship contender. He scored his first victory of the season at Darlington. The odds tell us Nemechek will be a top contender at Sonoma.
I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to wager on him winning at (+700).
Alex Bowman (+900)
Alex Bowman is back in the Truck Series for his second start of the season. Bowman will drive the same No. 7 truck for Spire Motorsports that he drove at COTA. Bowman was a top contender in that race, ranking top five in average running position and percentage of laps in the top 15.
He tried to make a late pass for the lead, but contact with Kyle Busch and Stewart Friesen led to a 25th-place finish. That finish wasn’t indicative of his performance.
I wouldn’t consider Bowman a top road course driver, but his Cup Series numbers tell a different story. Check out his road course numbers with Hendrick Motorsports.
- 16 starts
- 3 top-five finishes
- 9 top 10 finishes
- 5 laps led
- 10.9 average finish
Bowman nearly won at COTA in the Cup Series, but Ross Chastain moved him in the final corner. He hasn’t led many laps in the Cup Series, but that should change in the Truck Series.
We’ve seen the No. 7 truck in victory lane once this season. Bowman nearly finished the job at COTA. It wouldn’t surprise me if he visited victory lane at Sonoma.
Christian Eckes (+2000)
NASCAR doesn’t have a most improved award, but if they did, it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Christian Eckes earning it. Eckes scored his first career victory last season, but he only had two top-five finishes.
Eckes had three top 10 finishes in the first seven races of 2022, but we weren’t seeing much consistency. That hasn’t been an issue in the last four races.
- Kansas: 5th
- Texas: 2nd
- Charlotte: 4th
- Gateway: 2nd
Eckes is knocking on the door of his second career victory. He led on the final restart at Texas and Gateway, losing the lead in the final five laps. Those were tough defeats, but he continues to impress.
Saturday’s race will be his sixth road course start in the Truck Series. He has a pair of top 10 finishes, including a sixth-place finish in this year’s race at COTA. Given his recent speed, it wouldn’t surprise me if he competed for the win.
Road courses are a different animal, but how often will you find a driver with (+2000) odds coming off four straight top-five finishes? The NASCAR sportsbooks may have made a mistake with this price. I’d place your wager before it’s too late.
Matt DiBenedetto (+5000)
Matt DiBenedetto’s first season in the Truck Series didn’t have a great start. He only had one finish better than 10th in his first six races. However, we’re starting to see more consistent results.
DiBenedetto has finished 11th or better in four of his last five races. He’s coming off a season-best sixth-place finish at Gateway. It’s hard to find a longshot for the Truck Series, but DiBenedetto stands out at Sonoma.
DiBenedetto was always an underrated road course racer in the Cup Series. He had five top 10 finishes in his last 12 races. He finished 11th or better in his last four road course races. DiBenedetto finished fourth in the 2019 Sonoma race.
Will that road course success carry over to the Truck Series? I believe the Sonoma experience will be the biggest factor. There will be a practice session, but most drivers have never raced at Sonoma. DiBenedetto has six starts in the Cup Series.
There is plenty of value behind DiBenedetto for Sonoma. Can he surprise the field and score his first Truck Series victory?
Who Will Win the DoorDash 250?
There will be plenty of attention surrounding Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, and other Cup Series drivers in the field. However, I’m taking the Truck Series regular to win at Sonoma.
John Hunter Nemechek has been trending in the right direction for weeks. A crash at Gateway shouldn’t break his momentum. Ultimately, his success on road courses gives him the edge over the competition.
FS1 will have coverage of the DoorDash 250 on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Bettors can visit our NASCAR betting picks for more NASCAR coverage.
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