2026 Bully Hill Vineyards 176 DFS Picks: Truck Series Watkins Glen Lineup

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is back on a road course this weekend at Watkins Glen International for the Bully Hill Vineyards 176.

If you are building DraftKings lineups or placing bets, you have to completely change your approach. Road courses throw standard oval track numbers out the window. Passing is incredibly difficult here, so clean air and track position mean everything. Place differential is nice, but relying on guys starting in the back is risky when it is so hard to work through traffic.

I ran the field through the FASTLAP composite model. We looked at average running position specifically at Watkins Glen, general road course metrics, and pit crew times.

Here is what the data and the betting markets show for this weekend.

The Heavyweights: Zilisch vs. SVG

You cannot talk about this race without starting at the very top of the betting board. The oddsmakers expect a two-horse race between a pair of road course ringers.

Connor Zilisch (+140) Zilisch is the outright favorite to win this race, and for good reason. He is an absolute prodigy on road courses. He grades out incredibly well in our FASTLAP model, ranking second on this specific tire combo and fourth in general road course average running position. He has elite raw speed and will be a massive threat to lead the most laps. He did underperform in a Spire truck last year at the Roval - but it would appear Spire has made improvements in 2026 and we saw Connor Mosack be competitive in a Spire truck at St. Pete’s.

Shane van Gisbergen (+150) Right behind Zilisch is SVG. We all know what he can do on a road course. He is suiting up in the Truck Series for the first time on a road course this weekend, and his road racing prowess makes him a near-lock to run up front. Given his short odds, he will likely command massive ownership in DFS, but the Neice equipment is the biggest concern. Against most of the field, that probably won’t matter. But when matched up with Zilisch and Crews in better gear, it is something to consider. You have to decide if you are eating the chalk with him and Zilisch or pivoting to find leverage.

The Top Truck Series Regulars

If you are looking past the heavy favorites, the FASTLAP data highlights a few full-time Truck Series drivers who excel on road courses.

Ty Majeski (+2500) Majeski is just a really solid road racer. He ranks first in our overall road course average running position and sits inside the top six across almost every other metric we track. At 25-1 odds, he offers a great payout if the top ringers run into trouble.

Tyler Ankrum (+3000) Ankrum boasts the super solid average running position specifically at Watkins Glen. He also brings an elite pit crew to the track. He is a very steady DFS play who won't break your salary cap.

Ringers and Value Plays

Watkins Glen always brings in Cup Series regulars dropping down for extra track time. The betting odds highlight a few guys you absolutely need to pay attention to.

Brent Crews (+500) Crews is another name that pops in the model. He actually ranks second in general road course average running position, sitting right between Majeski and Zilisch. He is priced right alongside the top favorites and is exactly the kind of play you need to round out your DFS rosters. We saw Crews dominate at the Roval, and Zilisch has not been shy to talk about how fast Crews is on the road.

A.J. Allmendinger (+800) & Carson Hocevar (+800) Allmendinger knows exactly how to get around The Glen, but could be limited by the RAMs lack of pace, and Hocevar is one of the hottest drivers in NASCAR right now. Both sit at 8-1 odds. They bring potential massive floors and ceilings to your DFS lineups.

Ross Chastain (+1400) Chastain is dropping down from the Cup Series. He ranks second in our Watkins Glen dominance metric (laps led plus fast laps). He will likely be low-owned, but his raw speed makes him a tough fade.

The Pit Crew Advantage

Because passing on the track is so difficult at Watkins Glen, gaining spots on pit road is incredibly valuable. A slow stop will ruin a driver's day.

Right now, Kaden Honeycutt has the fastest crew on pit road. That elite pit crew gives him a huge advantage to gain track position during green-flag cycles.

Tyler Ankrum and Tanner Gray also bring elite over-the-wall crews this weekend. You can track all the live times during the race on our FASTLAP pit stops page.

FASTLAP Race Day Tools

Here's the thing about road courses. They are unpredictable, and passing is tough. If you want to find the actual mathematical advantages before lock, you need to look at the data yourself.

We have three tools you should use before the green flag drops on Friday:

1. The Track Edge Database We talked about average running positions above, but you can dig much deeper. Use the FASTLAP Track Stats page to look at the Course Delta. This shows you exactly who over-performs their normal career baseline specifically on road courses. It is the easiest way to find sleeper picks.

2. The 10,000 Race Simulator Once qualifying is over and the starting grid is set, plug the field into the FASTLAP Simulator. It runs 10,000 Monte Carlo race simulations using our loop data and pit road metrics. This will show you the exact optimal lineups and highest ceiling plays based on where everyone is starting.

3. Head-to-Head Betting Tool If you are betting on the race, do not just guess on the driver matchups. Run them through the Head-to-Head tool. It breaks down the head-to-head metrics so you can find the actual win probabilities and see where the sportsbooks made a mistake with their odds.