Eric’s streak comes to an end as he falls below the positive money mark. Greg falls back down to -$620 while CJ benefits $20 from a Martin Truex Jr. victory last Sunday in Darlington. Truex, dominated the race and earned his first victory on the 1.366-mile South Carolina race track since 2016 which was something 2 of our 3 experts didn’t need to happen.

Greg had good days from William Byron and Kevin Harvick while Eric had 2-4-5-6 finishers but neither had the winner. Now though, it’s onto Dover to where the odds are looking more and more like a few years ago with some heavy favorites. That’s the first time all season we’ve seen numbers like this, but it’s warranted for Sunday’s Drydene 400 since Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin not only have the best starting spots, but they’ve been among the best as of late not just on the season, but on the Monster Mile too.

That prompted Eric to go away from his normal style in choosing some favorites but sprinkling in some sleepers too. He went with the heavy favorites this weekend for good measure.

Truex Jr. (3-1) is 3-for-3 on 750 tracks and has three straight runner-ups on the concrete mile oval. He won the race prior to those three too. Larson (4-1), won his last Dover start and was third in the other. He has four top fives in his last six Dover starts.

Denny Hamlin (6-1) scored a win last year at Dover to go along with two top fives in his last three tries.

That’s why these three were chosen. Same for Kevin Harvick (8-1) and William Byron (16-1). Harvick, won a Dover race last year and had three straight fourth place finishes prior. Byron was fourth last year and eighth in the 2019 spring race. He’s also not had a finish outside of the top 10 since we left Daytona.

Greg went with the exact same lineup as Eric but chose Byron and Kyle Busch (8-1) and elected to not go with Truex and Hamlin instead. CJ did the same but also chose Chase Elliott (8-1) and Alex Bowman (20-1). Elliott has three top fives in his last five Dover starts.

So long as a Penske driver in Brad Keselowski (13-1), Joey Logano (16-1) and Ryan Blaney (22-1) don’t win, we should have another winner this week.

RACE FUTURES: DRYDENE 400

 

Race Odds

3-1…M Truex Jr. (Eric)

4-1…K Larson (Eric, CJ, Greg)

6-1…D Hamlin (Eric, CJ)

8-1…Kyle B (Greg), C Elliott (CJ) and K Harvick (Eric, CJ, Greg)

13-1…B Keselowski

16-1…W Byron (CJ, Greg) and J Logano

20-1…A Bowman (CJ)

22-1…R Blaney

25-1…C Bell

50-1…Kurt B and A Dillon

60-1…M DiBenedetto and T Reddick

80-1…A Almirola

100-1…C Buescher

125-1…C Custer, R Stenhouse Jr. and D Suarez

150-1…C Briscoe, E Jones, M McDowell and Newman

200-1…R Chastain and D Wallace Jr.

 

DRYDENE 400: RACE 13 PICKS

 

Eric Smith

M Truex Jr…3-1…$35 ($105) 

K Larson…4-1…$30 ($120) 

D Hamlin…6-1…$22 ($132) 

K Harvick…8-1…$13 ($104) 

 

RECORD: 7 for 12

TOTAL: -62 

 

DRYDENE 400: RACE 13 PICKS

 

CJ Radune

K Larson…4-1…$33 ($132) 

D Hamlin…6-1…$25 ($150) 

C Elliott…8-1…$14 ($112) 

K Harvick…8-1…$15 ($120) 

W Byron…16-1…$7 ($112) 

A Bowman…20-1…$6 ($120) 

 

RECORD: 6 for 12

TOTAL: -454

 

DRYDENE 400: RACE 13 PICKS

 

Greg DePalma

K Larson…4-1…$20 ($80) 

Kyle B…8-1…$50 ($400) 

K Harvick…8-1…$20 ($160) 

W Byron…16-1…$10 ($160) 

 

RECORD: 2 for 12

TOTAL: -620

 

Weekly Race Points Standings

 

Week 12 Darlington

1 Eric -100/-62

2 CJ +35/-454

3 Greg -100/-620

 

Week 11 Kansas

1 Eric +20/+38

2 CJ +20/-489

3 Greg +140/-520

 

Week 10 Talladega

1 Eric +20/+18

2 CJ +20/-509

3 Greg -100/-660

 

Week 9 Richmond

1 Eric +36/-2

2 CJ -100/-529

3 Greg -100/-560

 

Week 8 Martinsville

1 Eric +20/-38

2 CJ +32/-429

3 Greg -100/-460

 

Week 7 Bristol Dirt

1 Eric +290/-58

2 Greg -100/-360

3 CJ -100/-461

 

Week 6 Atlanta

1 Greg +240/-260

2 Eric -100/-348

3 CJ +19/-361

 

Week 5 Phoenix

1 Eric +20/-248

2 CJ +20/-380

3 Greg -100/-500

 

Week 4 Las Vegas

1 Eric +32/-268 

2 Greg -100/-400

3 CJ -100/-400

 

Week 3 Homestead

1 Greg -100/-200

2 CJ -100/-200

3 Eric -100/-200

 

Week 2 Daytona Road

1 Greg -100/-200

2 CJ -100/-200

3 Eric -100/-200

 

Week 1 Daytona 500

1 Greg -100

2 CJ -100

3 Eric -100 

WEEKLY PICKS ARCHIVES

 

GOODYEAR 400: RACE 12 PICKS

GOODYEAR 400 WINNER: MARTIN TRUEX JR.

 

Eric Smith

K Larson…5-1…$26 ($130) …2^nd

D Hamlin…6-1…$24 ($144) …5^th

K Harvick…7-1…$19 ($133) …6^th

C Elliott…11-1…$11 ($121) …7^th

W Byron…15-1…$8 ($120) …4^th

A Bowman…19-1…$6 ($114) …17^th

T Reddick…50-1…$3 ($150) …12^th

C Buescher…100-1…$2 ($200) …9^th

R Chastain…200-1…$1 ($200) …15^th

 

RECORD: 0 for 1

TOTAL: -100

 

GOODYEAR 400: RACE 12 PICKS

 

CJ Radune

K Larson…5-1…$22 ($110) …2^nd

D Hamlin…6-1…$20 ($120) …5^th

K Harvick…7-1…$18 ($126) …6^th

M Truex Jr…8-1…$15 ($120) …1^st

C Elliott…11-1…$10 ($110) …7^th

A Bowman…19-1…$6 ($114) …17^th

C Bell…28-1…$4 ($112) …14^th

T Reddick…50-1…$3 ($150) …12^th

E Jones…80-1…$2 ($160) …18^th

 

RECORD: 1 for 1

TOTAL: +35

 

GOODYEAR 400: RACE 12 PICKS

 

Greg DePalma

K Harvick…7-1…$40 ($280) …6^th

C Elliott…11-1…$18 ($198) …7^th

W Byron…15-1…$14 ($210) …4^th

M DiBenedetto…35-1…$10 ($350) …19^th

A Dillon…50-1…$5 ($250) …16^th

T Reddick…50-1…$5 ($250) …12^th

E Jones…80-1…$2 ($160) …18^th

C Buescher…100-1…$3 ($300) …9^th

D Suarez…100-1…$3 ($300) …23^rd

 

RECORD: 0 for 1

TOTAL: -100