Race Weekend Central

2015 Frontstretch Cup: Staff Predictions for the STP 500 at Martinsville

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: STP 500

Amy Henderson, Senior Editor: I think I like Kurt Busch this week.
Jeff Wolfe, Senior Writer:
Kevin Harvick.
Matt Stallknecht, Senior Editor: Denny Hamlin.
Mark Howell, Senior Writer: Joey Logano (and Ford) for the win, please.
Joseph Wolkin, Senior Writer: I’m going with Jimmie Johnson.
Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer: I’ll be really brave and take Johnson. Crazy, I know.
Greg Davis, Senior Writer: Give me Jeff Gordon.
Vito Pugliese, Senior Writer:
Gordon.
Danny Peters, Senior Writer: I’ll go with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Sean Fesko, Contributing Writer: Ryan Newman is looking pretty good this season. Let’s see if he keeps his top-10 streak going.
Jeff Meyer, Senior Writer:
Carl Edwards!
Tony Lumbis, Financial Manager:
After taking years to get his first Martinsville victory, Dale Jr. scores two in a row.
Toni Montgomery, Senior Editor: I swear to God I am not trying to jinx him because I know I have been the kiss of death lately, but I am going to pick Johnson because I want to score some positive points and I think he will.
Huston Ladner, Senior Editor: Johnson.
Mike Neff, Short Track Coordinator: Are you drunk, Jeff Meyer? I’ll take Jr. to go back-to-back at Martinsville.
Matt McLaughlin, Senior Writer: Busch and Lord help anyone who gets in his way.
S.D. Grady, Senior Writer:
Gordon.
Clayton Caldwell, Contributing Writer:
Gordon.
Brett Winningham, Contributing Writer: Johnson.

Auto Club 400

Writer Pick Finishing Position Points
Matt Stallknecht Brad Keselowski 1st 5
Huston Ladner Brad Keselowski 1st 5
Joseph Wolkin Brad Keselowski 1st 5
Jeff Wolfe Kevin Harvick 2nd 3
Matt McLaughlin Kevin Harvick 2nd 3
Aaron Bearden Kurt Busch 3rd 3
Sean Fesko Kurt Busch 3rd 3
Zach Catanzareti Dale Earnhardt Jr. 6th 1
Mike Neff Joey Logano 7th 1
Danny Peters Joey Logano 7th 1
Jeff Meyer Martin Truex Jr. 8th 1
Amy Henderson Jimmie Johnson 9th 1
Vito Pugliese Jimmie Johnson 9th 1
Tony Lumbis Jimmie Johnson 9th 1
Toni Montgomery Kasey Kahne 17th 0
S.D. Grady Jamie McMurray 21st -1
Tom Bowles Kyle Larson 26th -1
Greg Davis Kyle Larson 26th -1
Mark Howell Matt Kenseth 31st -2

Standings

 Writer Points Behind Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10
Matt Stallknecht 19 5 3 4 5
Mike Neff 15 -4 5 1 4 5
Jeff Wolfe 13 -6 5 2 4 4
Danny Peters 12 -7 5 2 3 4
Huston Ladner 8 -11 4 1 2 3
Brett Winningham 7 -12 4 1 1 3
Sean Fesko 6 -13 5 1 2 3
Jeff Meyer 6 -13 5 1 1 3
Matt McLaughlin 5 -14 4 1 2 2
Tom Bowles 5 -14 4 1 2 2
Joseph Wolkin 5 -14 5 1 2 2
Tony Lumbis 4 -15 5 0 1 3
Phil Allaway 3 -16 2 0 1 1
David Ifeguni 3 -16 1 0 1 1
Vito Pugliese 3 -16 5 0 2 3
Zach Catanzaretti 3 -16 5 0 1 4
Amy Henderson 1 -18 5 1 1 3
Toni Montgomery 0 -19 5 0 2 2
Clayton Caldwell -1 -20 3 0 0 1
Mark Howell -2 -21 5 0 0 2
Greg Davis -3 -22 5 0 0 1
S.D. Grady -3 -22 3 0 0 1
Aaron Bearden -3 -22 5 0 1 2

 

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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