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: STP 500
Amy Henderson, Senior Editor: I think I like Kurt Busch this week.
Jeff Wolfe, Senior Writer: Kevin Harvick.
Matt Stallknecht, Senior Editor: Denny Hamlin.
Mark Howell, Senior Writer: Joey Logano (and Ford) for the win, please.
Joseph Wolkin, Senior Writer: I’m going with Jimmie Johnson.
Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer: I’ll be really brave and take Johnson. Crazy, I know.
Greg Davis, Senior Writer: Give me Jeff Gordon.
Vito Pugliese, Senior Writer: Gordon.
Danny Peters, Senior Writer: I’ll go with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Sean Fesko, Contributing Writer: Ryan Newman is looking pretty good this season. Let’s see if he keeps his top-10 streak going.
Jeff Meyer, Senior Writer: Carl Edwards!
Tony Lumbis, Financial Manager: After taking years to get his first Martinsville victory, Dale Jr. scores two in a row.
Toni Montgomery, Senior Editor: I swear to God I am not trying to jinx him because I know I have been the kiss of death lately, but I am going to pick Johnson because I want to score some positive points and I think he will.
Huston Ladner, Senior Editor: Johnson.
Mike Neff, Short Track Coordinator: Are you drunk, Jeff Meyer? I’ll take Jr. to go back-to-back at Martinsville.
Matt McLaughlin, Senior Writer: Busch and Lord help anyone who gets in his way.
S.D. Grady, Senior Writer: Gordon.
Clayton Caldwell, Contributing Writer: Gordon.
Brett Winningham, Contributing Writer: Johnson.
Auto Club 400
| Writer | Pick | Finishing Position | Points |
| Matt Stallknecht | Brad Keselowski | 1st | 5 |
| Huston Ladner | Brad Keselowski | 1st | 5 |
| Joseph Wolkin | Brad Keselowski | 1st | 5 |
| Jeff Wolfe | Kevin Harvick | 2nd | 3 |
| Matt McLaughlin | Kevin Harvick | 2nd | 3 |
| Aaron Bearden | Kurt Busch | 3rd | 3 |
| Sean Fesko | Kurt Busch | 3rd | 3 |
| Zach Catanzareti | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 6th | 1 |
| Mike Neff | Joey Logano | 7th | 1 |
| Danny Peters | Joey Logano | 7th | 1 |
| Jeff Meyer | Martin Truex Jr. | 8th | 1 |
| Amy Henderson | Jimmie Johnson | 9th | 1 |
| Vito Pugliese | Jimmie Johnson | 9th | 1 |
| Tony Lumbis | Jimmie Johnson | 9th | 1 |
| Toni Montgomery | Kasey Kahne | 17th | 0 |
| S.D. Grady | Jamie McMurray | 21st | -1 |
| Tom Bowles | Kyle Larson | 26th | -1 |
| Greg Davis | Kyle Larson | 26th | -1 |
| Mark Howell | Matt Kenseth | 31st | -2 |
Standings
| Â Writer | Points | Behind | Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 |
| Matt Stallknecht | 19 | — | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Mike Neff | 15 | -4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Jeff Wolfe | 13 | -6 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Danny Peters | 12 | -7 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Huston Ladner | 8 | -11 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Brett Winningham | 7 | -12 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Sean Fesko | 6 | -13 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Jeff Meyer | 6 | -13 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Matt McLaughlin | 5 | -14 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Tom Bowles | 5 | -14 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Joseph Wolkin | 5 | -14 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Tony Lumbis | 4 | -15 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Phil Allaway | 3 | -16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| David Ifeguni | 3 | -16 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Vito Pugliese | 3 | -16 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Zach Catanzaretti | 3 | -16 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Amy Henderson | 1 | -18 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Toni Montgomery | 0 | -19 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Clayton Caldwell | -1 | -20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mark Howell | -2 | -21 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Greg Davis | -3 | -22 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| S.D. Grady | -3 | -22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Aaron Bearden | -3 | -22 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
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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