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2017 Frontstretch Cup: STP 500 Predictions

Welcome to our 10th 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 writer picks the drivers they they think will win the first two stages and the overall race.  We can’t pick the same driver two weeks in a row or more than four times in a season. The first two stages pay one bonus point, with three bonus points if someone can get all three winners correct.  Overall race points remain the same:

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

This week’s predictions: STP 500
Amy Henderson:
Stage 1: Chase Elliott, Stage 2: Clint Bowyer, Race Winner: Denny Hamlin
Corey Brewer: Stage 1: Martin Truex Jr, Stage 2: Kyle Busch, Race Winner: Kyle Busch
Dan Greene:
Stage 1:  Denny Hamlin, Stage 2: Kyle Busch, Race Winner:  Clint Bowyer
Mark Howell: Stage 1:  Denny Hamlin , Stage 2: Chase Elliott, Race Winner:  Kyle Busch
Dustin Albino: Stage 1: Brad Keselowski, Stage 2: Kyle Busch, Race Winner: Jimmie Johnson
Clayton Caldwell: Stage 1: Brad Keselowski, Stage 2: Denny Hamlin, Winner: Clint Bowyer
Joseph Wolkin: Stage 1: Joey Logano, Stage 2: Chase Elliott, Race Winner: Joey Logano
Huston Ladner: Stage 1:  Joey Logano, Stage 2: Denny Hamlin, Race Winner:  Kyle Busch
Frank Velat: Stage 1: Joey Logano, Stage 2: Martin Truex, Jr., Race Winner: Kyle Busch 
Michael Massie:
Stage 1: Chase Elliott, Stage 2: Brad Keselowski, Race Winner: Denny Hamlin
Bryan Gable: Stage 1: Martin Truex Jr., Stage 2: Brad Keselowski, Race Winner: Denny Hamlin
Greg Davis: Stage 1: Chase Elliott, Stage 2: Kurt Busch, Race Winner: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Jeff Wolfe:
Stage 1: Denny Hamlin, Stage 2: Denny Hamlin, Race Winner: Denny Hamlin
Davey Segal:
Stage 1: Joey Logano, Stage 2: Jimmie Johnson, Race Winner: Joey Logano

Results: Auto Club 400

Writer Stage 1 Stage 2 Race Winner Winner Pick Finish Points
Vito Pugliese Kyle Larson Martin Truex, Jr. Kyle Larson 1st 8
Frank Velat Kyle Larson Joey Logano Kyle Larson 1st 6
Davey Segal Kyle Larson Kyle Larson Kyle Larson 1st 6
Jeff Wolfe Denny Hamlin Brad Keselowski Kyle Larson 1st 5
Dustin Albino Denny Hamlin Jamie McMurray Kyle Larson 1st 5
Huston Ladner Kyle Busch Kevin Harvick Kyle Larson 1st 5
Greg Davis Kyle Larson Brad Keselowski Clint Bowyer 3rd 4
Mark Howell Kevin Harvick Kyle Busch Clint Bowyer 3rd 3
Amy Henderson Kyle Larson Kyle Larson Martin Truex, Jr. 4th 4
Corey Brewer Kyle Larson Denny Hamlin Kyle Busch 8th 2
Bryan Gable Denny Hamlin Kyle Larson Kyle Busch 8th 1
Clayton Caldwell Kyle Larson Martin Truex, Jr. Kevin Harvick 13th 2
Michael Massie Kyle Larson Martin Truex, Jr. Jimmie Johnson 21st 1

 

Standings

 Writer Points Behind Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10
Clayton Caldwell 14 5 1 2 3
Amy Henderson 13 -1 5 0 4 4
Dustin Albino 13 -1 5 1 3 4
Jeff Wolfe 12 -2 5 2 3 3
Mark Howell 12 -2 5 0 4 4
Michael Massie 11 -3 5 0 2 4
John Douglas 8 -6 4 0 2 2
Corey Brewer 8 -6 5 0 1 4
Bryan Gable 7 -7 5 0 1 4
Frank Velat 6 -8 5 1 1 2
Davey Segal 6 -8 5 1 2 3
Vito Pugliese 6 -8 5 1 1 1
Huston Ladner 5 -9 5 1 1 2
Michael Finley 4 -10 2 0 1 1
Greg Davis 3 -11 3 0 1 2
Dan Greene 1 -13 3 0 1 1
Phil Allaway 0 -14 1 0 0 0
Tom Bowles 0 -14 1 0 0 0
Zach Catanzareti -1 -15 1 0 0 0
Joseph Wolkin -3 -17 3 0 0 0
Danny Peters -3 -17 1 0 0 0

 

 

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.