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2016 Frontstretch Cup: Staff Predictions for the STP 500

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 section 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—Martinsville I:
Michael McDowell
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
Kyle Larson
Michael Annett
Matt DiBenedetto
Trevor Bayne
Landon Cassill

This week’s predictions: STP 500

Amy Henderson, Senior Editor: Since I picked Jimmie Johnson last race (and I’m not complaining about it!) I can’t take him again. So, I’ll go with Denny Hamlin to cart the clock home.  Via FedEx, of course.
Jeff Wolfe, Senior Writer: Give me Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
Jeff Meyer, Semi-retired Contributor:
Carl Edwards.
Aaron Bearden, Assistant Editor: Wow. No one’s picked Johnson yet? Well, if he’s still available…
Mark Howell, Senior Writer: I’ll take Jimmie Johnson since I rarely ever do so.
Tony Lumbis, Financial Manager:
Keselowski brings back the blue deuce magic at Martinsville.
Dan Greene, Webmaster: Kurt Busch.
Zach Catanzareti, Contributor: Jamie McMurray.
Joseph Wolkin, Assistant Editor:
Matt Kenseth, who won’t get suspended this time.
Jason Schultz, Contributor:
Joey Logano.
Danny Peters, Senior Writer: No. 11 for me, please.
Huston Ladner, Senior Editor:
Matt Kenseth.
Phil Allaway, Newsletter Editor:
I’m going to go with Kyle Busch this week.  Hopefully, his performance will be enough to gain some positive points in the championship.  I haven’t earned any yet this year.
Dustin Albino, Contributor: Jamie McMurray. 
Clayton Caldwell, Contributor:
Ryan Newman.
Sean Fesko, Contributor: Harvick’s still available too. I’ll take him.
Michael Finley, Contributor: Water cooler Dale is my pick for this week. Now that he has some experience in the office, he should know a thing or two about paperclips.
Vito Pugliese, Senior Writer: Kevin Harvick.

Auto Club 400

Writer Pick Finishing Position Points
Amy Henderson Jimmie Johnson 1st 5
Jeff Wolfe Jimmie Johnson 1st 5
Greg Davis Kevin Harvick 2nd 3
Dan Greene Kevin Harvick 2nd 3
Jason Schultz Denny Hamlin 3rd 3
Dustin Albino Carl Edwards 7th 1
Bryan Gable Carl Edwards 7th 1
Huston Ladner Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 11th 0
Clayton Caldwell Brian Vickers 13th 0
Michael Finley Ryan Newman 14th 0
Tony Lumbis Matt Kenseth 19th 0
Vito Pugliese Matt Kenseth 19th 0
Joseph Wolkin Aric Almirola 21st -1
Phil Allaway Austin Dillon 24th -1
Danny Peters Kyle Busch 25th -1
Sean Fesko Kyle Busch 25th -1
Aaron Bearden Matt DiBenedetto 27th -1
Jeff Meyer Kurt Busch 30th -1
Matt Stallknecht Kurt Busch 30th -1
Zach Catanzareti Kyle Larson 39th -3
Mark Howell Kyle Larson 39th -3

 

Standings

 Writer Points Behind Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10
Sean Fesko 13 5 1 4 4
Dustin Albino 11 -2 4 2 2 3
Amy Henderson 10 -3 5 3 3 3
Jeff Wolfe 9 -4 5 1 2 3
Danny Peters 8 -5 5 1 2 3
Bryan Gable 8 -7 5 0 2 4
Jeff Meyer 8 -5 5 0 3 3
Jason Schultz 6 -7 4 0 3 3
Jerry Jordan 4 -9 2 0 1 2
Huston Ladner 4 -9 5 0 1 2
Mike Neff 4 -9 3 0 2 2
Dan Greene 4 -9 5 0 1 4
Tom Bowles 3 -10 2 0 1 1
Aaron Bearden 2 -10 5 0 1 1
Matt Stallknecht 2 -10 4 0 0 3
Vito Pugliese 1 -12 5 0 0 3
Tony Lumbis 1 -12 5 0 0 1
Summer Bedgood 1 -12 1 0 0 1
Clayton Caldwell 0 –13 5 0 0 1
Mark Howell -2 -15 5 0 1 2
Zach Catanzareti -2 -15 5 0 0 1
Kevin Rutherford -2 -15 3 0 0 0
Phil Allaway -3 -16 4 0 0 0
Joseph Wolkin -5 -18 5 0 0 1

 

About the author

Frontstretch.com

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

#14 Brian Vickers