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: GEICO 500
Amy Henderson, Senior Editor: Casey Mears did right by me in Daytona. He’s underrated as a plate racer, too.
Jeff Wolfe, Senior Writer: It’s always a crapshoot on who is gong to win these plate races so I’ll go with… Kevin Harvick.
Matt Stallknecht, Senior Editor: Can’t help but chuckle at all of you who are making picks out of a blind draw. I’ll take Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win in authoritative fashion, no luck or randomness necessary. Just for effect I’m gonna pick a full top 5: 1. Junior 2. Kenseth 3. Johnson 4. Ragan 5. Bowyer
Mark Howell, Senior Writer: Lady Luck will smile graciously on Clint Bowyer this weekend.
Joseph Wolkin, Senior Writer: I’m going with Landon Cassill this weekend. He’s been outrunning those he needs to all year long, and had two great runs at Talladega last year.
Jeff Meyer, Senior Writer: Carl Edwards.
Tony Lumbis, Financial Manager: Martin Truex Jr. and the No. 78 team break through to get that win everyone is expecting them to get this year.
Zach Catanzareti, Contributing Writer: AJ Allmendinger will end his hate for plate racing and get the win.
Toni Montgomery, Senior Editor: Joey Logano. I gave some absolute serious consideration to David Ragan.
Huston Ladner, Senior Editor: Da Biff: Greg Biffle.
Mike Neff, Short Track Coordinator: Dale Jr. Duh.
Matt McLaughlin, Senior Writer: Picking a winner at a plate track is like trying to pick which fantail guppy lasts the longest in a piranha tank. Thus I’ll go off the grid and pick Danica Patrick to win. If nothing else the conspiracy theorists would have a field day with saying she got an oversize plate to help attract a new sponsor. Guppies are sentient beings and should not be fed to piranhas.
Brett Winningham, Contributing Writer: Earnhardt Jr.
Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer: Juuuuuuuuuuunyer. It’s been a long time, and he’s been close again in the last few years.
Greg Davis, Senior Writer: I’m going with Kurt Busch (back2back)!
Phil Allaway, Senior Editor: Talladega is quite the toss-up. Assuming that he gets in the field, I’m going with David Gilliland. He’s got poles there in the past and that nice second behind Ragan.
Danny Peters, Senior Writer: Danica.
Toyota Owners 400
| Writer | Pick | Finishing Position | Points |
| Matt McLaughlin | Kurt Busch | 1st | 5 |
| Jeff Wolfe | Kevin Harvick | 2nd | 3 |
| Zach Catanzareti | Kevin Harvick | 2nd | 3 |
| Huston Ladner | Jimmie Johnson | 3rd | 3 |
| Brett Winningham | Jimmie Johnson | 3rd | 3 |
| Joseph Wolkin | Jamie McMurray | 4th | 3 |
| Sean Fesko | Jamie McMurray | 4th | 3 |
| Mike Neff | Kyle Larson | 12th | 0 |
| Toni Montgomery | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 14th | 0 |
| Matt Stallknecht | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 14th | 0 |
| Aaron Bearden | Brad Keselowski | 17th | 0 |
| Jeff Meyer | Carl Edwards | 19th | 0 |
| Tony Lumbis | Carl Edwards | 19th | 0 |
| Amy Henderson | Denny Hamlin | 22nd | -1 |
| Mark Howell | Denny Hamlin | 22nd | -1 |
Standings
| Writer | Points | Behind | Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 |
| Matt Stallknecht | 21 | — | 9 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Jeff Wolfe | 18 | -3 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Mike Neff | 16 | -5 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Sean Fesko | 16 | -5 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Huston Ladner | 15 | -6 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Matt McLaughlin | 11 | -10 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Danny Peters | 11 | -10 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Tom Bowles | 11 | -10 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Brett Winningham | 11 | -10 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Jeff Meyer | 6 | -15 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Vito Pugliese | 6 | -15 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Joseph Wolkin | 6 | -15 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Zach Catanzareti | 4 | -17 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| S.D. Grady | 4 | -17 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Amy Henderson | 3 | -18 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| David Ifeguni | 3 | -18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Phil Allaway | 2 | -19 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Mark Howell | 1 | -20 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Toni Montgomery | 1 | -20 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Tony Lumbis | -1 | -22 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Greg Davis | -2 | -23 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Aaron Bearden | -2 | -23 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Clayton Caldwell | -3 | -24 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
About the author
The Frontstretch Staff is made up of a group of talented men and women spread out all over the United States and Canada. Residing in 15 states throughout the country, plus Ontario, and widely ranging in age, the staff showcases a wide variety of diverse opinions that will keep you coming back for more week in and week out.