This week’s NASCAR fantasy picks for the STP 500 at Martinsville, a track like no other. 

If you watched the Auto Club 400 last week, you witnessed a magical event. No, it wasn’t when Kyle Busch recovered from a speeding penalty to get his second win in a row. It was the fact that he got a win in the first place that created something special.

Thanks to his expert racing at Auto Club, Kyle Busch joins the ranks of racing legend Richard Petty for achieving 200 career wins, the most in modern racing history. Kyle’s wins are spread across NASCAR’s three national series; 53 wins in the Truck Series, 94 wins in the Xfinity series, and 53 wins in the Monster Energy Cup series.

Big brother Kurt took a moment is his post-race interview to congratulate Kyle on his accomplishment, expressing how proud he is of his milestone achievement. He points out that anyone who runs in all three series faces a difficult task, “it puts a toll on your body [but] he just keeps going and going. I’m proud of him.” Competitors on the track, brothers to the end, and a moment of pride for both. Congratulations, Kyle!

As for this week, it’s doubtful that the number 18 will pull off a three-peat when up against so many other short-track masters who are hungry for a win. Martinsville is a track like no other. It’s the shortest on the circuit, its close-quarters-tight racing, and it’s a fan favorite for its proximity to the action. With a rich history, Martinsville Speedway is the only track that has hosted a Monster Energy Series race since 1949.  What’s not to love?

Last Week’s NASCAR Fantasy Results: Recap From Auto Club

Brilliant NASCAR fantasy picks:

Kyle Larson – finished 12th

Kyle Busch – WINNER

Jimmie Johnson– finished 17th

Bold NASCAR fantasy picks:

Brad Keselowski – finished 3rd

Chase Elliot – finished 11th

Martin Truex Jr. – finished 8th

Bonkers NASCAR fantasy picks:

Aric Almirola – finished 9th

Kurt Busch – finished 6th

Daniel Suarez – finished 13th

And now, here are this week’s Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers NASCAR fantasy picks for the STP 500 at Martinsville.

Brilliant NASCAR fantasy picks

Denny Hamlin

Wins: 5

Top 5 finishes: 13

Top 10 finishes: 19

Martinsville is short track driving at its best, and this is arguably one of Hamlin’s best places to do just that. Richmond might be his homestead, but Martinsville is only three-and-a-half short hours down US-360.  Last year was a poor indicator of the number eleven’s talent, but this season has him off to a great start. Expect win number two this week for this Virginia boy.

Joey Logano

Wins: 1

Top 5 finishes: 6

Top 10 finishes: 9

Logano is great at so many tracks, and Martinsville is one of them. He’s had a pretty sweet season so far, and I’m betting that it’s going to get even sweeter after this race. A number-two finish last week gives him that extra push to get back to number one at the STP 500.

Ryan Blaney

Wins: 0

Top 5 finishes: 1

Top 10 finishes: 2

Everyone–from the crowd to the announcers in the booth–is waiting for Blaney to get a win. After all, he’s the only Penske boy who doesn’t have one already this season. We all know his time is coming; he’s had some great runs all season. The 12 has been super-hot in the last two races, and this might be the place where he catches fire and heads to victory lane.

Bold NASCAR fantasy picks

Aric Almirola

Wins: 0

Top 5 finishes: 1

Top 10 finishes: 3

This guy has had a close-but-no-cigar season so far. Even on tracks he has a lousy record on, Double-A has finished inside the top 10, making a mess of my bonkers picks. There’s no telling when that first win is going to come, but I have a suspicion it could be this week. Expect another great ending, either way.

Clint Bowyer

Wins: 1

Top 5 finishes: 6

Top 10 finishes: 15

Clint came alive last season at this race, snapping a losing streak of 190 winless races. After last week’s disappointing DNF at Auto Club, it’s safe to expect that Bowyer and crew chief Mike Bugarewicz will cook up a plan that could bring them a repeat win this weekend.

Austin Dillon

Wins: 0

Top 5 finishes: 2

Top 10 finishes: 2

This is one bold pick that could go either way, but I think that Dillon’s luck is trending upward toward a better week at Martinsville. He doesn’t have a win here, but he has led a few laps in the past, and he’s on the edge of something good. Sometimes with bold picks, I go big before I go home.

Bonkers NASCAR fantasy picks

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Wins: 0

Top 5 finishes: 0

Top 10 finishes: 2

Stenhouse has had a few solid laps this season, but poor results to show for it. He’s a hot-headed driver who pushes his passions to the limit, and that isn’t going to bode well for him in a tight Martinsville pack. He’s going to pick up the pace at some point, but he’ll be lucky if he can avoid a wreck this week.

Kyle Larson

Wins: 0

Top 5 finishes: 1

Top 10 finishes: 1

Larson has had a mediocre season, if not disappointing. Everyone is waiting for him to get that elusive first win, or even a top 5 finish, but they’ll have to wait a bit longer. Martinsville isn’t going to hand it over lightly, and Larson will need to watch his side drafting just to finish well.

Kevin Harvick

Wins: 1

Top 5 finishes: 5

Top 10 finishes: 17

Savor this moment; it’s not likely to happen more than twice this season. See those stats? Those are out of 35 races to date. There’s only one other track where Happy Harvick’s stats are that disappointing, and he’ll be here again when that time comes. But for now, he’s not the best pick at the paperclip this week.