Race Weekend Central

2016 Frontstretch Cup: Staff Predictions for the Kobalt 400

Welcome to our ninth 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!

How we roll:
Each driver can be picked only twice each week.  We can’t pick the same driver two weeks in a row.  And if anyone is daring enough to pick from a pool of higher-risk drivers…well, he or she reaps some serious bonus points!

Prediction Scoring
+5 – Win
+3 – 2nd-5th
+1 – 6th-10th
0 – 11th-20th
-1 – 21st-30th
-2 – 31st-36th
-3 – 37th-40th

High-Risk Drivers—Las Vegas:
Michael McDowell
Matt DiBenedetto
Danica Patrick
David Ragan
Aric Almirola
Cole Whitt
Michael Annett

This week’s predictions: Kobalt 400

Amy Henderson, Senior Editor: Matt Kenseth.
Jeff Wolfe, Senior Writer:
Kyle Shrub, err Busch.
Matt Stallknecht, Senior Editor: Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Mark Howell, Senior Writer: Carl Edwards.
Joseph Wolkin, Assistant Editor: Kurt Busch.
Phil Allaway, Newsletter Editor:
For this week, I’m going to take Denny Hamlin. 
Mike Neff, Short Track Coordinator:
Jimmie Johnson.
Jeff Meyer, Semi-retired Contributor:
Martin Truex, Jr.
Aaron Bearden, Assistant Editor: Rowdy Busch
Tony Lumbis, Financial Manager:
Carl Edwards.
Zach Catanzareti, Contributor: Paul Menard.
Kevin Rutherford, Senior Editor: Aric Almirola.
Jason Schultz, Contributor:
Matt Kenseth.
Danny Peters, Senior Writer:
Kevin Harvick.
Huston Ladner, Senior Editor:
Kasey Kahne.
Dustin Albino, Contributor: Brad Keselowski.
Clayton Caldwell, Contributor:
Ryan Newman.
Bryan Gable, Contributor:
Joey Logano.
Dan Greene, Webmaster: Kevin Harvick.
Sean Fesko, Contributor: Jimmie Johnson … BOOM, confetti!
Michael Finley, Contributor:  
It being Las Vegas, I think it’s time to make a gamble. The Cuban Missile, Aric Almirola, is my pick this week.
Vito Pugliese, Senior Writer: Kurt Busch.

Folds of Honor 400

Writer Pick Finishing Position Points
Amy Henderson Jimmie Johnson 1st 5
Dustin Albino Jimmie Johnson 1st 5
Mike Neff Kyle Busch 3rd 3
Jeff Meyer Kyle Busch 3rd 3
Jerry Jordan Kurt Busch 4th 3
Sean Fesko Carl Edwards 5th 3
Jason Schultz Carl Edwards 5th 3
Jeff Wolfe Kevin Harvick 6th 1
Bryan Gable Kevin Harvick 6th 1
Dan Greene Martin Truex, Jr. 7th 1
Mark Howell Chase Elliott 8th 1
Vito Pugliese Brad Keselowski 9th 1
Matt Stallknecht Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. 10th 1
Clayton Caldwell Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. 10th 1
Joseph Wolkin Joey Logano 12th 0
Huston Ladner Joey Logano 12th 0
Tony Lumbis Casey Mears 14th 0
Aaron Bearden Paul Menard 18th 0
Tom Bowles Matt Kenseth 19th 0
Danny Peters Matt Kenseth 19th 0
Zach Catanzareti Danica Patrick 20th 0
Kevin Rutherford Kyle Larson 26th -1
Phil Allaway Kyle Larson 26th -1

 

Standings

 Writer Points Behind Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10
Sean Fesko 8 1 1 2 2
Jeff Meyer 6 -2 2 0 2 2
Danny Peters 5 -3 2 1 1 1
Dustin Albino 5 -3 1 1 1 1
Mark Howell 4 -4 2 0 1 2
Jerry Jordan 4 -4 2 0 1 2
Amy Henderson 3 -5 2 1 1 1
Huston Ladner 3 -5 2 0 1 1
Tom Bowles 3 -5 2 0 1 1
Jason Schultz 3 -5 1 0 1 1
Dan Greene 2 -6 2 0 0 2
Jeff Wolfe 1 -7 2 0 0 1
Tony Lumbis 1 -7 2 0 0 1
Summer Bedgood 1 -7 1 0 0 1
Matt Stallknecht 1 -7 1 0 0 1
Mike Neff 1 -7 2 0 1 1
Bryan Gable 1 -7 2 0 0 1
Clayton Caldwell 1 -7 2 0 0 1
Aaron Bearden 0 -8 2 0 0 0
Zach Catanzareti 0 -8 2 0 0 0
Vito Pugliese -1 -9 2 0 0 1
Kevin Rutherford -1 -9 2 0 0 0
Joseph Wolkin -2 -10 2 0 0 0
Phil Allaway -2 -10 2 0 0 0

 

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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JohnDoe

My pick is Matt Kenseth

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