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: Auto Club 400
Tom Bowles, Editor-In-Chief: I’m gonna go rogue and say Kyle Larson finally breaks through. But it’s probably going to be Harvick or a Hendrick guy.
Amy Henderson, Managing Editor: I’m going with Jimmie Johnson this week. No way I jinx him into 42nd twice, right?
Jeff Wolfe, Senior Writer: Kevin Harvick.
Matt Stallknecht, Senior Editor: I’ll take Brad Keselowski.
Mark Howell, Senior Writer: My choice is Matt Kenseth. Time for a Toyota win.
Joseph Wolkin, Senior Writer: I’m going with Keselowski.
Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer: I’ll take Kurt Busch since Kyle’s not running.
Greg Davis, Senior Writer: Give me Larson… almost pulled off a win there last year.
Vito Pugliese, Senior Writer: I’ll go Johnson too.
Danny Peters, Senior Writer: I’ll go with Joey Logano.
Sean Fesko, Contributing Writer: Kurt Busch.
Jeff Meyer, Senior Writer: Martin Truex Jr.
Tony Lumbis, Financial Manager: Johnson.
Zach Catanzareti, Contributing Writer: I’ll go with Dale Earnhardt Jr. again.
Toni Montgomery, Senior Editor: I’ll take Kasey Kahne this week. Sorry Kasey. I’ve been the kiss of death the last two weeks.
Huston Ladner, Senior Editor: KB… oh right, bummer Kyle’s not running. So switch that around. BK; going with Kes.
Mike Neff, Short Track Coordinator: Let me have Logano please.
Matt McLaughlin, Senior Writer: I’ll take Harvick again. But I’d love to see Kurt Busch win just to see Brian France brown his corporate shorts.
S.D. Grady, Senior Writer: I’ll take Jamie McMurray.
Last week: Campingworld.com 500(k)
| Writer | Pick | Finishing Position | Points |
| Matt Stallknecht | Kevin Harvick | 1st | 5 |
| Amy Henderson | Kevin Harvick | 1st | 5 |
| Tom Bowles | Kevin Harvick | 1st | 5 |
| Jeff Wolfe | Kevin Harvick | 1st | 5 |
| Danny Peters | Kevin Harvick | 1st | 5 |
| Sean Fesko | Kevin Harvick | 1st | 5 |
| Mike Neff | Kevin Harvick | 1st | 5 |
| Matt McLaughlin | Kevin Harvick | 1st | 5 |
| Kevin Rutherford | Kurt Busch | 5th | 3 |
| Jeff Meyer | Martin Truex Jr. | 7th | 1 |
| S.D. Grady | Jeff Gordon | 9th | 1 |
| Aaron Bearden | Jeff Gordon | 9th | 1 |
| Brett Winningham | Jimmie Johnson | 11th | 0 |
| Greg Davis | Carl Edwards | 13th | 0 |
| Mark Howell | Carl Edwards | 13th | 0 |
| Joseph Wolkin | Matt Kenseth | 16th | 0 |
| Tony Lumbis | Matt Kenseth | 16th | 0 |
| Huston Ladner | Denny Hamlin | 23rd | -1 |
| Vito Pugliese | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 43rd | -3 |
| Toni Montgomery | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 43rd | -3 |
| Zach Catanzareti | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 43rd | -3 |
Overall Standings
| Writer | Points | Behind | Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 |
| Mike Neff | 14 | — | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Matt Stallknecht | 14 | — | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Danny Peters | 11 | -3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Jeff Wolfe | 10 | -4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Brett Winningham | 7 | -7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Tom Bowles | 6 | -8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Jeff Meyer | 5 | -9 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Phil Allaway | 3 | -11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Huston Ladner | 3 | -11 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Tony Lumbis | 3 | -11 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| David Ifeguni | 3 | -11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Sean Fesko | 3 | -11 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Vito Pugliese | 2 | -12 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Matt McLaughlin | 2 | -12 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Zach Catanzaretti | 2 | -12 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Mark Howell | 0 | -14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Joseph Wolkin | 0 | -14 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Toni Montgomery | 0 | -14 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Amy Henderson | 0 | -14 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Clayton Caldwell | -1 | -15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Greg Davis | -2 | -16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| S.D. Grady | -2 | -16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Aaron Bearden | -6 | -20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
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.