Race Weekend Central

Frontstretch Cup 2015: Staff Predictions for the CampingWorld.com 500 at Phoenix

Welcome to our eighth 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!

 Prediction Scoring
+5 – Win
+3 – Top 5
+1 – Top 10
0 – 11th-20th
-1 – 21st-30th
-2 – 31st-40th
-3 – 41st-43rd

This week’s predictions: Campingworld.com 500(k)

Tom Bowles, Editor-In-Chief: Harvick. Harvick. Harvick. Is there really any doubt?
Amy Henderson, Managing Editor:
I’m going with Harvick. If the last couple of weeks mean anything, you might now want to avoid him like the plague.  Fair warning.
Jeff Wolfe, Senior Writer:
Harvick – Is there really any other choice?
Matt Stallknecht, Senior Editor: Harvick.
Mark Howell, Senior Writer: My pick is Carl Edwards.
Joseph Wolkin, Senior Writer: I’m going with Matt Kenseth, who is off to a decent start and has run well in the last two races at Phoenix.
Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer: I’ll take Jeff Gordon. He’s due for a good finish.
Greg Davis, Senior Writer: Give me Edwards again this week. He’s been in the hunt, and Phoenix is special for him; it was actually his first race ever on asphalt.
Vito Pugliese, Senior Writer:
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Danny Peters, Senior Writer: I’m going with Harvick.
Sean Fesko, Contributing Writer: Can’t bet against the Harv!
Brett Winningham, Contributing Writer:
Jimmie Johnson.
Jeff Meyer, Senior Writer: Darkhorse… Martin Truex Jr.!
Tony Lumbis, Financial Manager:
Phoenix has been a popular place for breaking winless streaks and I say it happens with Kenseth.
Zach Catanzareti, Contributing Writer: I’ll pick Earnhardt. Feels like he’s been the second-best fella here the last couple years.
Toni Montgomery, Senior Editor: I’m going back to Earnhardt Jr. I did better with him.
Huston Ladner, Senior Editor: Denny Hamlin? Yeah, why not.
Mike Neff, Short Track Coordinator: I realize you are the kiss of death, Amy, but I can’t pick against Harvick at Phoenix right now. He’s going to destroy them or blow up.
Matt McLaughlin, Senior Writer: Despite the curse of Amy, I’m jumping on the Harvick bandwagon too. His record at PIR speaks for itself.
S.D. Grady, Senior Writer:
Gordon, damnit!
Kevin Rutherford, Managing Editor: Kurt Thomas Busch.

Kobalt 400

Writer Pick Finishing Position Points
Matt Stallknecht Kevin Harvick 1st 5
Jeff Wolfe Kevin Harvick 1st 5
Brett Winningham Kevin Harvick 1st 5
Jeff Meyer Kevin Harvick 1st 5
Mike Neff Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4th 3
Tom Bowles Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4th 3
Vito Pugliese Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4th 3
Danny Peters Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4th 3
Joseph Wolkin Denny Hamlin 5th 3
Greg Davis Brad Keselowski 7th 1
Clayton Caldwell Brad Keselowski 7th 1
Mark Howell Kyle Larson 8th 1
Zach Catanzareti Matt Kenseth 9th 1
Huston Ladner Matt Kenseth 9th 1
Tony Lumbis Joey Logano 10th 1
Phil Allaway Kasey Kahne 17th 0
Matt McLaughlin Jeff Gordon 18th 0
Sean Fesko Jimmie Johnson 41st -3
Amy Henderson Jimmie Johnson 41st -3
Toni Montgomery Carl Edwards 42nd -3
Aaron Bearden Carl Edwards 42nd -3

Standings

 Writer Points Behind Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10
Mike Neff 9 3 0 3 3
Matt Stallknecht 9 3 1 2 3
Brett Winningham 7 -2 3 1 1 3
Danny Peters 6 -3 3 1 2 2
Jeff Wolfe 5 -4 3 1 2 2
Zach Catanzaretti 5 -4 3 0 1 3
Vito Pugliese 5 -4 3 0 2 2
Huston Ladner 4 -5 2 0 1 2
Jeff Meyer 4 -5 3 1 1 1
Toni Montgomery 3 -6 3 0 2 2
Phil Allaway 3 -6 2 0 1 1
Tony Lumbis 3 -6 3 0 1 2
David Ifeguni 3 -6 1 0 1 1
Tom Bowles 1 -8 2 0 1 1
Mark Howell 0 -9 3 0 0 2
Joseph Wolkin 0 -9 3 0 1 1
Clayton Caldwell -1 -10 3 0 0 1
Greg Davis -2 -11 3 0 0 1
Sean Fesko -2 -11 3 0 0 1
S.D. Grady -3 -12 1 0 0 0
Matt McLaughlin -3 -12 2 0 0 0
Amy Henderson -5 -14 3 0 0 1
Aaron Bearden -7 -16 3 0 0 0

 

About the author

Amy is an 20-year veteran NASCAR writer and a six-time National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) writing award winner, including first place awards for both columns and race coverage. As well as serving as Photo Editor, Amy writes The Big 6 (Mondays) after every NASCAR Cup Series race. She can also be found working on her bi-weekly columns Holding A Pretty Wheel (Tuesdays) and Only Yesterday (Wednesdays). A New Hampshire native whose heart is in North Carolina, Amy’s work credits have extended everywhere from driver Kenny Wallace’s website to Athlon Sports. She can also be heard weekly as a panelist on the Hard Left Turn podcast that can be found on AccessWDUN.com's Around the Track page.

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