“Between Bets” is an article series revealing our staff’s best wagers across the NFL, NASCAR and PGA Tour. This edition’s bets feature our favorite wagers for the 2024 Wright Brand 250 for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
2024 Wright Brand 250 Betting Picks
Christian Eckes (+350)
I have gotten the opportunity to watch a handful of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races in full this season. One of which was Martinsville, a race that Christian Eckes absolutely dominated, leading 133 laps out of the 200 total in the race.
A lot of talk this Truck season has been about the favorite Corey Heim (+250) and “Heim Time.” Rightfully so, as he has won two of the last five races with three T3s. Still, the current points leader is Eckes.
Regarding North Wilkesboro specifically, if the No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet Team can bring the speed they had at Martinsville, Eckes should be able to pull away early and bypass the chaos. Last year in this race, Eckes finished 25th with a 13th-place lap average. I think both the driver and team have improved drastically since then.
Sammy Smith (+1100)
Sammy Smith is a driver who does not have much Truck racing experience. But keep in mind that four of the T5 finishers in this race last season will not be racing in this event. The experience that does matter, Smith has.
I’m alluding to his late model and short-track racing career/history. He made his CARS Tour debut at just 14 years old in 2019. The CARS Tour is known for racing on local short tracks comparable to North Wilkesboro and on the speedway itself.
At odds of 11-1, I think that’s some fair value for a young but experienced driver. Smith will be racing in the No. 7 truck for Spire Motorsports. That is something that excites me here because that truck is responsible for two victories this season. Both were driven by Kyle Busch, coming at Atlanta & Texas, two tracks that definitely don’t compare to the .625-mile oval of North Wilkesboro. But hey, at least we know it has some speed.
Layne Riggs (+1600)
Layne Riggs is my value play for this weekend. After a tough start to his 2024 Craftsman Truck campaign, with three finishes outside the T20, Riggs and the No. 34 Team turned things around at Bristol with a T10 finish.
Riggs intrigues me in this race not only because it will include the short-track truck chaos. I want a driver who can work his way through the field and manage the equipment/tires to be in position for a late restart and potential overtime finish. At Martinsville earlier this season, he battled with damage for a gritty T15. Running as high as P3 in Stage No. 1 showed me that his short-track background could pay off.
Riggs, much like Smith, has roots in the CARS Tour and Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. In 2022, Riggs won the National Championship after notching 16 wins and 29 T5s. Short-track racing is his thing. If he can keep the car clean enough to make it to the end, I think we’ll be hearing a lot about this driver on Saturday.
Check out all of our content for the 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race:
- PropKings: 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race
- Between Bets: 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race Outrights
- Between Bets: 2024 NASCAR All-Star Open Outrights
- NASCAR DFS Picks, Tiers & Rankings: 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race
Thanks for reading my best bets for the Wright Brand 250. Also, follow me on Twitter/X @tinopattigno for more NASCAR takes and betting advice.
*Photo Credit: Jasen Vinlove – USA TODAY Sports*