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: 5-hour Energy 301
Amy Henderson, Senior Editor: I say Kurt Busch ties the track wins record this weekend with his fourth.
Matt Stallknecht, Senior Editor: Meh, I’ll go with Joey Logano. He’s good here.
Mark Howell, Senior Writer: This week’s race will be brought to you by the letter “L” for “Logano”, who’ll win, and for “lobster”, for what Joey will be lifting in Victory Lane (just one more).
Tony Lumbis, Financial Manager: I think Clint Bowyer has been showing just enough signs of life lately that he might pull this one off.
Toni Montgomery, Senior Editor: Let’s try Carl Edwards again. See what I can do to him this week.
Huston Ladner, Senior Editor: On board with the No. 2 express.
Matt McLaughlin, Senior Writer: The blue, er, black, er, white deuce seems the safe pick, but I’m going to color outside the lines with Matt Kenseth, whose car will likely be some shade of yellow.
Aaron Bearden, Assistant Editor: I’ll take Brad “Seriously, how did he lose at Kentucky?” Keselowski.
Greg Davis, Senior Writer: At Loudon, you got to go with Team Penske. I’ll take the No. 2 of Brad Keselowski this week.
Jerry Jordan, Contributing Writer: Jeff Gordon.
Danny Peters, Senior Writer: I’ll go with Logano.
Vito Pugliese, Senior Writer: Bowyer.
Zach Catanzareti, Contributing Writer: Although he may not win, I believe Aric Almirola will bring me home a strong result.
Sean Fesko, Contributing Writer: Gotta go with Kevin Harvick.
Mike Neff, Senior Editor: Please put me down for Kyle Busch. He will chop another 30 or so points off of his deficit this weekend.
Clayton Caldwell, Contributing Writer: No. 2.
Joseph Wolkin, Assistant Editor: Kyle Larson.
Results: Quaker State 400
| Writer | Pick | Finishing Position | Points |
| Toni Montgomery | Kyle Busch | 1st | 5 |
| Matt Stallknecht | Joey Logano | 2nd | 3 |
| Tony Lumbis | Brad Keselowski | 6th | 1 |
| Greg Davis | Brad Keselowski | 6th | 1 |
| Vito Pugliese | Brad Keselowski | 6th | 1 |
| Tom Bowles | Jeff Gordon | 7th | 1 |
| Jeff Wolfe | Kevin Harvick | 8th | 1 |
| Matt McLaughlin | Kevin Harvick | 8th | 1 |
| Aaron Bearden | Kevin Harvick | 8th | 1 |
| Amy Henderson | Jimmie Johnson | 9th | 1 |
| Huston Ladner | Jimmie Johnson | 9th | 1 |
| Danny Peters | Jimmie Johnson | 9th | 1 |
| Jerry Jordan | Kurt Busch | 10th | 1 |
| Sean Fesko | Kurt Busch | 10th | 1 |
| Zach Catanzareti | Jamie McMurray | 14th | 0 |
| Mark Howell | Martin Truex, Jr. | 17th | 0 |
Standings
| Writer | Points | Behind | Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 |
| Matt Stallknecht | 43 | — | 18 | 7 | 10 | 13 |
| Jeff Wolfe | 42 | -1 | 17 | 5 | 11 | 15 |
| Mike Neff | 34 | -9 | 16 | 4 | 9 | 11 |
| Huston Ladner | 26 | -17 | 17 | 2 | 7 | 12 |
| Aaron Bearden | 26 | -17 | 17 | 3 | 8 | 12 |
| Matt McLaughlin | 24 | -19 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Tom Bowles | 22 | -21 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Vito Pugliese | 21 | -22 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 9 |
| Brett Winningham | 20 | -23 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Sean Fesko | 19 | -24 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 10 |
| Amy Henderson | 17 | -26 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 9 |
| Danny Peters | 15 | -28 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 9 |
| Joseph Wolkin | 13 | -30 | 17 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Mark Howell | 11 | -32 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| Zach Catanzareti | 9 | -34 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| Phil Allaway | 9 | -34 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Tony Lumbis | 8 | -35 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| Clayton Caldwell | 6 | -37 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Greg Davis | 6 | -37 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| Jeff Meyer | 4 | -39 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| S.D. Grady | 4 | -39 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| David Ifeguni | 3 | -40 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Toni Montgomery | 2 | -41 | 18 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Jerry Jordan | 0 | -43 | 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.
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I’d say I called that one pretty close.