The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia, for the season’s third race, the 2022 Fr8Auctions 208. It will mark the 17th edition of the race, first held in 2004 and every year since except for 2013 and 2014.
As a race that has produced surprise winners in the past, the Fr8Auctions 208 might be one of the most unpredictable races on the schedule. But that doesn’t take away from its recognition as a highly entertaining race no NASCAR fan should miss.
The 2022 Fr8Auctions 208 is set for Saturday, March 19, at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. It will mark the 17th edition of the race that was first held in 2004 and has since produced some of the most memorable NASCAR moments in history.
Interestingly, Kyle Busch (2008, 2009, 2019, 2021) and Ron Hornaday Jr (2005, 2011) are the only two drivers to win this race more than once. Meanwhile, Kevin Harvick Inc. (2005, 2010, 2011), Kyle Busch Motorsports (2017, 2019, 2021), Billy Ballew Motorsports (2008, 2009), and ThorSport Racing (2015, 2020), are the only three teams with two or more wins on the track.
Toyota leads the all-time manufacturer standings with nine wins, followed by Chevrolet (five), and Dodge with only one win in 2004. As such, NASCAR sports betting guides would likely suggest Toyota drivers might be the smartest pick, although that’s not necessarily the case.
The 2022 Fr8Auctions 208 will be a 207.9-mile race (334.6 km), contested over 135 laps. It will make the first time since 2020 that Fr8Auctions 208 will consist of over 130 laps and the first time since 2006 that the race will be 207.9 miles long.
Last Races Record
Known as the race that produces a different winner each year, the Fr8Auctions 208 has kept the tradition relatively intact over the last five years, seeing four different drivers come out ahead. The only driver who stood out over that stretch is Kyle Busch, who won Fr8Auctions 208 twice (2019, 2021).
Past Five Winners:
- 2021 – Kyle Busch
- 2020 – Grant Enfinger
- 2019 – Kyle Busch
- 2018 – Brett Moffitt
- 2017 – Christopher Bell
Race Information
- Time, day: Saturday, March 19
- Location of the race: Hampton, Georgia
- Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway
Fr8Auctions 208 Betting Analysis
Zane Smith won the opening race of the season (NextEra Energy 250) and looked set to win the Las Vegas race as well. Many believed he could do it, and Smith did well enough to justify the short NASCAR odds by placing second; however, things turned sour very quickly.
The no.38 Form of Smith has been disqualified from the race following a post-race inspection in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series garage. As revealed, his truck was found to not conform to NASCAR rule book specifications per 14.16.1 – 1-4 Lug Nuts. An unfortunate situation saw Zane end the race in 36th, albeit he has unofficially finished the race in second place.
And while Zane’s disqualification was the hot topic of discussion, it’s hard to look past Chandler Smith, who secured his first win of the season and his first race victory since the Phoenix race in 2021. It marked only his third career victory, albeit Smith’s third across the last seven, the third being the 2021 UNOH 200.
Chandler Smith has definitely proven that he can compete with the best and is rightly the current leader in the standings. Still, he has yet to deliver in Atlanta, with only one 35th-place finish from 2021, so he might not be someone who you will find in sports betting guides as a driver to bet on.
Looking ahead for the Fr8Auctions 208, Tanner Gray comes off as a serious candidate to claim his first victory of the season and should be one of the top dogs on the NASCAR odds. He drove well at Daytona (4th) and did not disappoint in Las Vegas (5th) either. And even though his past performances at Atlanta (11th, 19th) are less-than-convincing, Gray has found serious momentum of late, with three top-fives across his last four starts.
Likewise, it’s tough to ignore John Hunter Nemechek despite his horrendous start to the season. He has been largely disappointing over the first two races, but Hunter Nemechek had his moments despite his poor finishes. At Daytona, he won the first two stages and drove well in Las Vegas before the final stage, which is why he is our main focus and someone who should be included in all NASCAR betting guides.
Moreover, he placed third in Atlanta last year, so he isn’t someone who we can write off just yet.
Fr8Auctions 208 Betting Preview
Many drivers have proven their worth this season and should be considered strong candidates to win the Atlanta race, but sometimes it’s worth looking past the recent showings. John Hunter Nemechek will fly under the radar due to his less-than-convincing start to the season, but even though he could not secure a single top-20 finish yet, he has done well in Atlanta before.
He finished the 2021 Camping World Truck Series in third place with five wins, and while not a single came from Atlanta, he had secured a bronze medal in the spring race. Moreover, he won here in 2016 and has a fourth-place finish in Atlanta in the Xfinity series.
It’s also worth noting that even though Hunter Nemechek managed only 24th at Daytona, he led the first two stages, so there’s definitely more to his form than what his results would suggest.
Fr8Auctions 208 Betting Prediction
There are many solid NASCAR betting picks, but John Hunter Nemechek is our guy for the Fr8Auctions 208, where he’ll want to bounce back from an iffy start to the season and show what he’s capable of. Granted, he doesn’t have to do much to receive anyone’s respect, given how impressive he was last season.
In 2021, he won five of 22 races had 12 top-5s and 16 top-10s, meaning he has missed a top-10 in only six races. Moreover, he ended last year with an average finish of 9.77. In Atlanta, he has an average finish of only 14.25, albeit he won once in four starts and has two top-5s, so we would take that figure with a grain of salt.
Like in all of our betting guides, we conclude this one with our main pick, which is no other than John Hunter Nemechek, who flew under the radar for long enough.
Prediction: John Hunter Nemechek to win
If you love sports and want more sports betting information follow us as @InsidersBetDig on Twitter and sign up to our mailing list for free betting picks.