After running a bunch of wide tracks to start the year, it’s time for the drivers to tackle the tight confines of the Martinsville Speedway this weekend.
PICKS FOR THE NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
Ronald Costigan picked Cole Custer and Joey Logano. Custer is making his first of 10 starts this season and led Friday’s practice. Logano has ran multiple truck races, but never ran Martinsville before.
Ashley McCubbin picked Timothy Peters and Matt Crafton. Both Peters and Crafton have run upfront at Martinsville Speedway in each event on the tight paperclip oval, and they’re both past winners.
Justin Tucker picked Joey Logano and Johnny Sauter. Sauter is another driver that falls under the same category of Peters and Crafton, as described above.
Robert Hill picked Cole Custer and Cameron Hayley. Hayley is competiting for Rookie of the Year honors this year with ThorSport Racing, and was second quickest in practice.
Stephen Placido, Brooke Clarke and Kreistina Blinova picked Joey Logano and Matt Crafton.
Marshall Gabell picked Joey Logano and David Gilliland.
Kyle Magda picked Erik Jones and Brandon Jones. Erik is running the full schedule for Kyle Busch Motorsports for the first time in his career and was in contention for a top-five last year till he got wrecked late in the event.
Steve Love picked Erik Jones and Johnny Sauter.
Tim Johnston picked Cole Custer and Timothy Peters.
Jeni Harris picked Ben Kennedy and Johnny Sauter.
Doug Townsend picked Timothy Peters and James Buescher. A previous champion of the series, Buescher was not scheduled to run this weekend for NTS Motorsports, however was able to as a result of a new sponsor.
Brandon Feeney picked Tyler Reddick and Matt Crafton. Reddick said going into the year that it’s “championship or bust” for his first full season with Brad Keselowski Racing; the young man is determined to do well this year.
Parker Ledger picked Erik Jones and Daniel Saurez. This marks Saurez’s first trip to Martinsville in his only third career truck start. He had a solid top-five finish earlier this month at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Rory Townsend picked Timothy Peters and Johnny Sauter.
Alex George picked Joey Logano and Brandon Jones.
Mike Cousins picked Tyler Reddick and Joey Logano.
Jeffrey Breazeale picked Erik Jones and Timothy Peters.
Current Camping World Truck Series Points Standings
- Parker Ledger and Stephen Placido – 78+78=156
- Ronald Costigan – 79+72=151 (-5)
- Kreistina Blinova – 72+78=150 (-6)
- Brandon Feeney – 69+78=147 (-9)
- (Points Leader Post Daytona) Marshall Gabell – 87+59=146 (-10)
- Alex George – 74+72=146 (-10)
- Ashley McCubbin – 57+86=143 (-13)
- Jeffrey Breazeale – 64+77=141 (-15)
- Mike Cousins – 71+69=140 (-16)
- Rory Townsend – 59+80=139 (-17)
- Doug Townsend – 69+68=137 (-19)
- Tim Johnston and Brooke Clarke – 57+78=135 (-21)
- Jeni Harris – 62+73=135 (-21)
- Kyle Magda – 54+80=134 (-22)
- Steve Love – 58+73=131 (-25)
- Justin Tucker – 57+68=125 (-31)
- Robert Hill – 20+63=83
PICKS FOR THE SPRINT CUP SERIES
Ronald Costigan picked Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Gordon loves Martinsville, hence his eight wins on the paperclip. Johnson has also always ran well at Martinsville, also having eight wins to his credit. Dale Earnhardt Jr. got his first Grandfather clock last year after a string of good finishes over the years.
Ashley McCubbin picked Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson. Busch is coming off a string of strong finishes, and won last year’s spring event at Martinsville Speedway.
Justin Tucker picked Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. Truex has two top-fives and four top-10s in 18 starts, but has been on a roll this year with strong finishes in each race.
Robert Hill picked Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. Harvick has been “freaky fast” all year long and has a win and 12 top-10s in 27 starts at Martinsville.
Brooke Clarke picked Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Jeff Gordon. Hamlin has four wins and 14 top-10s in 18 Martinsville starts.
Kyle Magda and Kreistina Blinova picked Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.
Marshall Gabell picked Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson. Kenseth has four top-fives and 11 top-10s in 30 starts, while Logano has three top-fives and four top-10s in 12 starts. Oh, and Logano won the pole.
Steve Love picked Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch. Keselowski has a top-five and five top-10s in 10 starts.
Tim Johnston picked Jeff Gordon, Chase Elliott and Jimmie Johnson. Elliott qualified 27th for his Sprint Cup Series debut.
Jeni Harris picked Matt Kenseth, Chase Elliott and Kurt Busch.
Doug Towsnend picked Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Newman has a win and 12 top-10s in 26 starts.
Parker Ledger and Brandon Feeney picked Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.
Rory Townsend picked Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman.
Alex George picked Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Mike Cousins picked Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.
Jeffrey Breazeale picked Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch.
Stephen Placido picked Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Current Sprint Cup Series Standings
- (Points Leader Post Daytona) Doug Townsend – 436+96=532
- Kyle Magda – 402+113=515 (-17)
- Alex George – 393+116=509 (-23)
- Tim Johnston – 382+125=507 (-25)
- Steve Love – 406+98=504 (-28)
- Parker Ledger – 385+116=501 (-31)
- Ashley McCubbin – 383+113=496 (-36)
- Justin Tucker – 373+121=494 (-38)
- Kreistina Blinova – 380+113=493 (-39)
- Ronald Costigan – 362+124=486 (-46)
- Brandon Feeney – 374+107=481 (-51)
- Robert Hill – 349+98=447 (-85)
- Stephen Placido – 332+110=442 (-90)
- Mike Cousins – 317+117=434 (-98)
- Jeffrey Breazeale – 308+121=429
- Brooke Clarke – 328+95=423
- Rory Townsend – 313+96=409
- Jeni Harris – 301+94=395
- Marshall Gabell – 266+86=352
Current Overall Points Standings
- (Points Leader Post Cup Las Vegas) Kyle Magda – 1009+109+113=1231
- Ronald Costigan – 950+125+124=1199 (-32)
- Tim Johnston – 948+125+125=1198 (-33)
- Parker Ledger – 953+124+116=1193 (-38)
- Justin Tucker – 955+115+121=1191 (-40)
- Brandon Feeeny – 966+105+107=1178 (-53)
- Stephen Placido – 949+118+110=1177 (-54)
- Alex George – 928+125+116=1169 (-62)
- Doug Townsend – 957+115+96=1168 (-63)
- Ashley McCubbin – 960+94+113=1167 (-64)
- Kreistina Blinova – 959+84+113=1156 (-75)
- Steve Love – 913+125+98=1136 (-95)
- Jeffrey Breazeale – 895+118+121=1134 (-97)
- Brooke Clarke – 903+125+95=1123
- Mike Cousins – 882+117+117=1116
- Rory Townsend – 884+109+96=1089
- Jeni Harris – 836+110+94=1040
- Robert Hill – 822+112+98=1032
- Marshall Gabell – 821+125+86=1032
