Welcome to our eighth year of staff predictions! Each week, our experts attempt to tell you who the winner of each Cup race will be. Take a look to see who your favorite writers think will win it all (or at least score some points) this week!
Think you can out-prognosticate our staff? Leave your picks in the comments and see how they stack up!
Prediction Scoring
+5 – Win
+3 – Top 5
+1 – Top 10
0 – 11th-20th
-1 – 21st-30th
-2 – 31st-40th
-3 – 41st-43rd
This week’s predictions: Campingworld.com 500(k)
Tom Bowles, Editor-In-Chief: Harvick. Harvick. Harvick. Is there really any doubt?
Amy Henderson, Managing Editor: I’m going with Harvick. If the last couple of weeks mean anything, you might now want to avoid him like the plague. Fair warning.
Jeff Wolfe, Senior Writer: Harvick – Is there really any other choice?
Matt Stallknecht, Senior Editor: Harvick.
Mark Howell, Senior Writer: My pick is Carl Edwards.
Joseph Wolkin, Senior Writer: I’m going with Matt Kenseth, who is off to a decent start and has run well in the last two races at Phoenix.
Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer: I’ll take Jeff Gordon. He’s due for a good finish.
Greg Davis, Senior Writer: Give me Edwards again this week. He’s been in the hunt, and Phoenix is special for him; it was actually his first race ever on asphalt.
Vito Pugliese, Senior Writer: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Danny Peters, Senior Writer: I’m going with Harvick.
Sean Fesko, Contributing Writer: Can’t bet against the Harv!
Brett Winningham, Contributing Writer: Jimmie Johnson.
Jeff Meyer, Senior Writer: Darkhorse… Martin Truex Jr.!
Tony Lumbis, Financial Manager: Phoenix has been a popular place for breaking winless streaks and I say it happens with Kenseth.
Zach Catanzareti, Contributing Writer: I’ll pick Earnhardt. Feels like he’s been the second-best fella here the last couple years.
Toni Montgomery, Senior Editor: I’m going back to Earnhardt Jr. I did better with him.
Huston Ladner, Senior Editor: Denny Hamlin? Yeah, why not.
Mike Neff, Short Track Coordinator: I realize you are the kiss of death, Amy, but I can’t pick against Harvick at Phoenix right now. He’s going to destroy them or blow up.
Matt McLaughlin, Senior Writer: Despite the curse of Amy, I’m jumping on the Harvick bandwagon too. His record at PIR speaks for itself.
S.D. Grady, Senior Writer: Gordon, damnit!
Kevin Rutherford, Managing Editor: Kurt Thomas Busch.
Kobalt 400
| Writer | Pick | Finishing Position | Points |
| Matt Stallknecht | Kevin Harvick | 1st | 5 |
| Jeff Wolfe | Kevin Harvick | 1st | 5 |
| Brett Winningham | Kevin Harvick | 1st | 5 |
| Jeff Meyer | Kevin Harvick | 1st | 5 |
| Mike Neff | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 4th | 3 |
| Tom Bowles | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 4th | 3 |
| Vito Pugliese | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 4th | 3 |
| Danny Peters | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 4th | 3 |
| Joseph Wolkin | Denny Hamlin | 5th | 3 |
| Greg Davis | Brad Keselowski | 7th | 1 |
| Clayton Caldwell | Brad Keselowski | 7th | 1 |
| Mark Howell | Kyle Larson | 8th | 1 |
| Zach Catanzareti | Matt Kenseth | 9th | 1 |
| Huston Ladner | Matt Kenseth | 9th | 1 |
| Tony Lumbis | Joey Logano | 10th | 1 |
| Phil Allaway | Kasey Kahne | 17th | 0 |
| Matt McLaughlin | Jeff Gordon | 18th | 0 |
| Sean Fesko | Jimmie Johnson | 41st | -3 |
| Amy Henderson | Jimmie Johnson | 41st | -3 |
| Toni Montgomery | Carl Edwards | 42nd | -3 |
| Aaron Bearden | Carl Edwards | 42nd | -3 |
Standings
| Writer | Points | Behind | Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 |
| Mike Neff | 9 | — | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Matt Stallknecht | 9 | — | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Brett Winningham | 7 | -2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Danny Peters | 6 | -3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Jeff Wolfe | 5 | -4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Zach Catanzaretti | 5 | -4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Vito Pugliese | 5 | -4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Huston Ladner | 4 | -5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Jeff Meyer | 4 | -5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Toni Montgomery | 3 | -6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Phil Allaway | 3 | -6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Tony Lumbis | 3 | -6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| David Ifeguni | 3 | -6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Tom Bowles | 1 | -8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Mark Howell | 0 | -9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Joseph Wolkin | 0 | -9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Clayton Caldwell | -1 | -10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Greg Davis | -2 | -11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Sean Fesko | -2 | -11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| S.D. Grady | -3 | -12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt McLaughlin | -3 | -12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amy Henderson | -5 | -14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Aaron Bearden | -7 | -16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
About the author
Amy is an 20-year veteran NASCAR writer and a six-time National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) writing award winner, including first place awards for both columns and race coverage. As well as serving as Photo Editor, Amy writes The Big 6 (Mondays) after every NASCAR Cup Series race. She can also be found working on her bi-weekly columns Holding A Pretty Wheel (Tuesdays) and Only Yesterday (Wednesdays). A New Hampshire native whose heart is in North Carolina, Amy’s work credits have extended everywhere from driver Kenny Wallace’s website to Athlon Sports. She can also be heard weekly as a panelist on the Hard Left Turn podcast that can be found on AccessWDUN.com's Around the Track page.
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