OPR Staff and Fan Fantasy Pick Results for NNS and NSCS at Richmond

This week’s racing action certainly was filled with action as some drivers got the finishes they wanted while others were left mad, or at the receiving end of a bad punch.

For Friday’s Nationwide Series event, rain tried to force the race to be postponed, yet air titan won once again as they got the race in – needless to say, late at night. In the end, it was Kevin Harvick laying a whooping on the young stars of the series as he led 202 of the 250 laps. Guess Tide really helps him clean up the competition, huh?

Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race was more exciting as it featured a barn-burner of a finish with Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano battling hard for the win. In the end, Logano was able to sneak by the gang as they bounced off each other to grab his second victory of the year and lock himself into the Chase with Kevin Harvick.

Now how did all the picks fare this week? Here we go!!

Nationwide Series Pick Results

Assistant Editor Ashley McCubbin picked Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott. As noted, Harvick dominated the race but he wasn’t able to escape his JRM Motorsports teammate as Chase Elliott ran second throughout the entire night, finishing second for JRM’s first ever 1-2 finish. Meanwhile, Kyle Busch struggled in the first bit of the race but found his groove and was able to finish third. Points: 48+41+42=131

Photographer Ronald Costigan picked Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott. Points: 48+41+42=131

Journalist Marshall Gabell picked James Buescher, Ryan Blaney and Brian Scott. Buescher was fast in practice and looked to be a good choice, and Buescher put in a solid run on his way to finishing 10th. Blaney was strong throughout the entire night, though fell back a bit in the late goings on his way to finishing 9th. Lastly, Scott looked quick through practice and had the pole as he sought redemption for losing last year’s race at Richmond. However, handling and pit stop issues resulted in a fifth place finish. Points: 34+35+40=109

Journalist Tayler Stiles picked Kevin Harvick, Regan Smith and Chase Elliott. Smith suffered a late race spin after contact with Elliott Sadler while running in the top 10, however he was able to rebound as he finished eighth. Points: 48+36+42=126

Fronstretch.com Journalist: Justin Tucker picked Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott and Regan Smith. Points: 41+42+36=119

Fan #1: Terry Wagner picked Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott. Points: 48+41+42=131

Fan #2: Christina Cordner picked Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott and Brian Scott. Points: 41+42+40=123

Fan #3: Billy Stiles Jr. picked Kevin Harvick, Regan Smith and Chase Elliott. Points: 48+36+42=126

Fan #4: Billy Zardo did not file his picks, so his Darlington picks were used for sake of keeping everybody in the game. For that reason, Zardo’s picks were Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott and Ty Dillon. Dillon ran just outside the top 10 throughout the night before finishing 14th. Points: 41+42+30=113

Richmond NNS Results

1. Ashley McCubbin – 131
2. Ronald Costigan – 131
3. Terry Wagner – 131
4. Tayler Stiles – 126
5. Billy Stiles Jr. – 126
6. Christina Cordner – 123
7. Justin Tucker – 119
8. Billy Zardo – 113
9. Marshall Gabell – 109

Nationwide Series Points:

Those who missed Texas and Darlington, they received an automatic value that is 10 points minus the lowest scored participant.

1. Ashley McCubbin – 259+131=390
2. Tayler Stiles – 245+126=371
3. Ronald Costigan – 237+131=368
4. Terry Wagner – 226+131=357
5. Christina Cordner – 226+123=349
6. Billy Zardo – 233+113=346
7. Billy Stiles Jr. – 219+126=345
8. Marshall Gabell – 210+109=319
9. Justin Tucker – 200+119=319 

Sprint Cup Series Pick Results

Assistant Editor Ashley McCubbin picked Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick. Johnson ran inside of the top six till he had a tire issue, forcing him to make an unscheduled trip down pit road at lap 289. Busch ran outside of the top 10 throughout the night, however a late race gamble to grab four tires while the leaders stayed out resulted in a third place finish. Harvick looked to have a strong car early in the race, however the handling fell off and Harvick ended up 11th. Points: 12+41+34=87

Photographer: Ronald Costigan picked Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch. Earnhardt Jr. ran inside the top five throughout the night, though ended up finishing seventh as a result of brake issues on the final restart. Busch, meanwhile, struggled with an ill-handling car throughout the night on his way to finishing 23rd. Points: 38+34+21=93

Journalist: Marshall Gabell picked Marcos Ambrose, Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin. Ambrose fought hard all race long and even fought after the race with Casey Mears on his way to finishing 18th. Edwards ran just inside the top 10 all night to finish eighth. Hamlin struggled with his Toyota all night on his way to finishing 22nd. Points: 26+35+22=83

Journalist: Tayler Stiles picked Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth. Kenseth had a strong car during the second half of the event and led the field to the final restart of the night, though fell back in the bumping and banging to a fifth place finish. Points: 12+34+40=86

Frontstretch.com Journalist: Justin Tucker picked Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson. Points: 34+41+12=87

Fan #1: Terry Wagner picked Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards. Stewart struggled throughout the night on his way to finishing 25th. Points: 34+19+35=88

Fan #2: Christina Cordner picked Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson. Points: 35+40+12=87 

Fan #3: Billy Stiles Jr. picked Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon. Gordon looked to have the strongest car in the second half of the race, however it wasn’t good on the short runs and as a result, he ended up finishing second rather than winning. Points: 38+21+44=103

Fan #4: Billy Zardo did not file his picks, so his Darlington picks were used for sake of keeping everybody in the game. For that reason, Zardo’s picks were Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch. Penske teammates Keselowski and Logano both contended for the win and had strong cars throughout the race as they were in the top five from beginning to end. Logano won the race with Keseowski fourth. Points: 41+47+41=129

Richmond Results:

1. Billy Zardo – 129
2. Billy Stiles Jr. – 103
3. Ronald Costigan – 93
4. Terry Wagner – 88
5. Ashley McCubbin – 87
6. Justin Tucker – 87
7. Christina Cordner – 87
8. Tayler Stiles – 86
9. Marshall Gabell – 83

Sprint Cup Points
Note: Those who missed Texas and Darlington, they received an automatic value that is 10 points minus the lowest scored participant.

1. Ashley McCubbin – 180+87=267
2. Ronald Costigan – 174+93=267
3. Terry Wagner – 168+88=256
4. Tayler Stiles – 167+86=253
5. Billy Stiles Jr. – 150+103=253
6. Billy Zardo – 124+129=253
7. Marshall Gabell – 169+83=252
8. Christina Cordner – 140+87=227
9. Justin Tucker – 114+87=201 

Combined

Note: Those who missed Texas and Darlington, they received an automatic value that is 10 points minus the lowest scored participant.

1. Ashley McCubbin – 439+131+87=657
2. Ronald Costigan – 433+131+93=657
3. Terry Wagner –416+131+88=635
4. Tayler Stiles – 412+126+86=624
5. Billy Zardo – 379+113+129=621
6. Billy Stiles Jr. – 391+126+103=620
7. Christina Cordner – 388+123+87=598
8. Justin Tucker – 369+119+87=575
9. Marshall Gabell – 379+109+83=571 

Next up: Talladega Superspeedway

From some of the tightest quarters in motorsports to the biggest superspeedway of them all. Both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series will be hitting up Talladega Superspeedway. It’s time to throw the names in a basket and shake it up in hopes that you pick the driver that will get lucky in the draft this weekend.

Each picker will be requested to send in three picks for the Nationwide Series with one of those picks being a Nationwide Series regular. Each picker is also requested to send in three picks for the Sprint Cup Series. They have to be sent in by May 1st at 11 p.m. EST to be counted.

If you haven’t played yet, you may still play and we will add you to the bottom of each standings – 10 points behind the person with the lowest amount of points.

All picks can be sent to ashleymccubbin@speedwaymedia.com.