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.Â
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
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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#14 Brian Vickers