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 bonus: Win: +3; 2nd-5th: +2; 6th-10th: +1
High-Risk Drivers—Texas II
Ryan Blaney
Alex Bowman
Landon Cassill
Regan Smith
Chris Buescher
David Ragan
Trevor Bayne
This week’s predictions: AAA Texas 500
Amy Henderson, Senior Editor: I’m going with Jimmie Johnson because, A) It’s fall, and it’s Texas, and B) He’s the only driver locked in at Homestead-Miami Speedway, so if I jinx him, it’s not that big of a deal.
Dan Greene, Webmaster: Martin Truex, Jr., because it sounds like a good name for an Old West sheriff.
Tony Lumbis, Financial Manager: I know it’s not Phoenix International Raceway, but his back is against the wall and I say Kevin Harvick answers the pressure with a win again.
Jeff Wolfe, Senior Writer: Brad Keselowski crashes the chase party.
Clayton Caldwell, Contributor: Ryan Blaney, please!
Sean Fesko, Staff Writer: Carl Edwards.
Danny Peters, Senior Writer: Jimmie Johnson, please!
Huston Ladner, Senior Editor: Joey Logano.
Jeff Meyer, Retiree: Tony Stewart, please.
Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer: Alex Bowman.
Mark Howell, Senior Writer: Kyle Busch to hoot ‘n’ holler in Victory Lane.
Bryan Gable, Staff Writer: Kevin Harvick is below the Chase cutoff and heading to an intermediate track. I smell another win in the works.
Dustin Albino, Contributor: Kyle Busch, marching on to defend his throne at Homestead.
Joseph Wolkin, Assistant Editor: Kyle Larson.
Vito Pugliese, Senior Writer: Give me a Toyota… saaaaay, Martin Truex, Jr.
Corey Brewer, Contributor: Matt Kenseth, please.
Goody’s Fast Relief 500
Writer | Pick | Finishing Position | Points |
Jeff Wolfe | Jimmie Johnson | 1st | 5 |
Vito Pugliese | Jimmie Johnson | 1st | 5 |
Amy Henderson | Denny Hamlin | 3rd | 3 |
Bryan Gable | Matt Kenseth | 4th | 3 |
Tony Lumbis | Kyle Busch | 5th | 3 |
Huston Ladner | Kyle Busch | 5th | 3 |
Sean Fesko | Jeff Gordon | 6th | 1 |
Aaron Bearden | Jeff Gordon | 6th | 1 |
Phil Allaway | Jamie McMurray | 8th | 1 |
Dustin Albino | Joey Logano | 9th | 1 |
Clayton Caldwell | Joey Logano | 9th | 1 |
Danny Peters | AJ Allmendinger | 10th | 1 |
Michael Finley | Kyle Larson* | 14th | 0 |
Corey Brewer | Kyle Larson* | 14th | 0 |
Dan Greene | Kevin Harvick | 20th | 0 |
Jeff Meyer | Carl Edwards | 36th | -2 |
Zach Catanzareti | David Ragan | 37th | -3 |
Standings
Writer | Points | Behind | Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 |
Bryan Gable | 51 | — | 28 | 4 | 15 | 21 |
Jeff Wolfe | 47 | -4 | 33 | 6 | 15 | 20 |
Tony Lumbis | 43 | -8 | 32 | 3 | 13 | 17 |
Clayton Caldwell | 42 | -9 | 32 | 5 | 10 | 19 |
Jeff Meyer | 40 | -11 | 30 | 1 | 13 | 18 |
Vito Pugliese | 38 | -13 | 32 | 4 | 9 | 20 |
Dustin Albino | 34 | -17 | 28 | 4 | 9 | 17 |
Huston Ladner | 33 | -18 | 29 | 1 | 9 | 16 |
Danny Peters | 32 | -19 | 29 | 3 | 11 | 18 |
Dan Greene | 24 | -27 | 33 | 1 | 8 | 17 |
Sean Fesko | 22 | -29 | 32 | 2 | 8 | 14 |
Corey Brewer | 21 | -30 | 19 | 1 | 8 | 12 |
Mark Howell | 21 | -30 | 27 | 2 | 10 | 12 |
Amy Henderson | 19 | -32 | 33 | 3 | 9 | 17 |
Jason Schultz | 16 | -35 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 9 |
John Douglas | 14 | -37 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Aaron Bearden | 13 | -38 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 13 |
Zach Catanzareti | 9 | -42 | 30 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
Mike Neff | 8 | -43 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
Phil Allaway | 5 | -46 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
Jerry Jordan | 4 | -47 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Tom Bowles | 3 | -48 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Summer Bedgood | 1 | -50 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Matt Stallknecht | -1 | -52 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Kevin Rutherford | -2 | -53 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Joseph Wolkin | -3 | -54 | 32 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
Greg Davis | -5 | -56 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Michael Finley | -8 | -59 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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.
Give me Cousin Carl, please. I think he’s worth to have a shot at the title.