The sixth race of the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series will kick off this Sunday in Martinsville, where 500 laps of nonstop rubber-burning action will decide the newest king of the STP 500. With that said, it’s high time to check on the favorites, a choice sleeper, and a long shot for this event.
STP 500 Predictions, Picks, Odds and Betting Preview
Martinsville seems to feel like home for Hamlin. Hamlin, priced +750 to win this Sunday, hails from Chesterfield, Virginia and has some cool memories racing in Ridgeway. He has five wins at Martinsville Speedway, not to mention the 17 times he has placed inside the top 10 in 22 starts there. Regardless of how well Hamlin has fared in previous races, he’s someone to keep an eye on whenever he’s here in Ridgeway.
Logano (+750), on the other hand, doesn’t have the same amount of success as Hamlin has on this track. In fact, he hasn’t won there yet. Still, we’re vouching for Logano. He is coming off an impressive fifth-place finish at the Auto Club 400 despite starting in the 35th position, giving him four top-six finishes on the season. Logano has shown fantastic results in the qualifying stage of this race in the past, having started the race of this event either from the first or second position over the last five editions.
Sleeper: Clint Bowyer
Bowyer (+2,500) didn’t win in the Auto Club 400 last Sunday, but his third-place finish in that race was enough for him to feel like a champion. See, Bowyer hadn’t had a top-five finish in any of the 52 NASCAR Cup races he was in prior to that. Does his performance from Fontana signify a better future ahead of Bowyer? We can find a little more about that when he races this Sunday in Martinsville, where he has an average finish of 27.25 in four career starts there.
Long shot: Erik Jones
With +6,000 odds to win this Sunday, Erik Jones has long ways to go before he becomes a household name. But there is palpable air of future stardom for the 20-year-old, who was 12th in last week’s Auto Club 400. He could’ve even finished better if it weren’t for a tire snafu during a pit stop in Phoenix a few weeks ago. The ceiling is high for this kid and some of that promise might manifest in Ridgeway this weekend.
Writer’s Predicion
Logano (+750) wins his first race of the season with a victory in Martinsville.
