For the second consecutive week, Eric and CJ pick up the win while Greg drops another $100 behind. Eric and CJ went with Denny Hamlin as one of their drivers for Las Vegas and it paid off.

It was Eric’s 18th win in 30 races this season as he improves to -$210 while CJ picked up his 15th win of the year and goes to -$609.

CJ had a phenomenal week of picks in having Hamlin (1st), Chase Elliott (2nd), Kyle Busch (3rd), Ryan Blaney (5th) and Kyle Larson (10th) in his lineup last weekend.

Eric went with Hamlin (1st), Kyle Busch (3rd), Blaney (5th), Larson (10th) as well as longer shots of Alex Bowman (22nd) and Ross Chastain (23rd).

Greg had Blaney (5th) as his best driver with Kevin Harvick (8th), Larson (10th), Matt DiBenedetto (12th), William Byron (18th) and Bowman (22nd)

Now, we turn our focus to Talladega for what is always an unpredictable race. The thing is, since this playoff format was adopted in 2014, all seven Fall races have been won by playoff drivers. Furthermore, Ford has won 10 of the last 12 superspeedway races in general including all three this season.

That bodes well for Ford playoff drivers of Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick.

Blaney, has won twice in his last four Talladega starts including a win to close out the regular season at Daytona too. He’s also had eight top sixes in his last 10 starts on the season in general. That’s the favorite of the race.

His teammates of Logano (4 top 5’s including 2 wins in his last 6 Fall race starts) and Keselowski Keselowski (6 time Talladega winner, including this past Spring) should be right there.

Harvick though, leads a list of several talented drivers who you may want to avoid. Harvick, has 2 top 5’s last 9 there. He could be joined by Kyle Larson (40th place last 2 and 4 of last 6 39th or worse), Martin Truex Jr. (1 top 5 since 2007, 8 straight of 20th or worse), Kyle Busch (0 top 10’s last 7), Kurt Busch (28th or worst in 3 of his last 4 starts there), Christopher Bell (29th, 39th and 17th), Alex Bowman (33rd, 37th and 14 in the Fall, 38th this pasts spring) and Chase Elliott (12th, 16th, 31st, 8th, 22nd in the Fall).

So, who else does that leave?

Chris Buescher is always a superspeedway sleeper in his No. 17 Ford. He was sixth this past spring. Ross Chastain had a top 10 in the Daytona 500 and looked good at Daytona back in August too. Matt DiBenedetto is always strong on superspeedway tracks and should have won this race last year as well as this past spring as well. Austin Dillon (Daytona 500 champion, winner of a Duel back in February), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2nd last spring, 9th last Fall and 3 top 5’s in his last 7 at Talladega), William Byron (4th last year, 2nd in the spring), Aric Almirola (past Talladega winner. Won this race in 2018), Tyler Reddick (7th in each of his last 2 Talladega races) and Bubba Wallace (arguably one of his best tracks) as sleepers.

The only other driver who can get the W I feel is Denny Hamlin (defending race winner, 6 straight top 6’s in the Fall race) or Michael McDowell (won the Daytona 500, runner-up in spring Talladega race).

Race Odds

7-1…D Hamlin

10-1…J Logano

11-1…R Blaney and C Elliott

14-1…B Keselowski

16-1…Kyle B, W Byron and K Harvick

18-1…A Almirola and K Larson

20-1…A Bowman, Kurt B and R Stenhouse Jr.

25-1…C Bell, A Dillon, T Reddick and M Truex Jr.

30-1…DiBenedetto and B Wallace Jr.

40-1…C Buescher, R Newman and R Preece

50-1…C Briscoe, R Chastain, E Jones, M McDowell and D Suarez

66-1…C Custer, J Haley and C LaJoie

150-1…J Allgaier

 

YELLAWOOD 500: RACE 31 PICKS

 

Eric Smith

D Hamlin…7-1…$72 ($504)  

J Logano…10-1…$65 ($650)  

R Blaney…11-1…$60 ($660)  

B Keselowski…14-1…$22 ($308)  

W Byron…16-1…$20 ($320) 

K Harvick…16-1…$22 ($352)  

A Dillon…25-1…$13 ($325)  

M DiBenedetto…30-1…$11 ($330)  

C Buescher…40-1…$8 ($320)  

M McDowell…50-1…$7 ($350)  

 

RECORD: 18 for 30

TOTAL: -210 

 

YELLAWOOD 500: RACE 31 PICKS

 

CJ Radune

D Hamlin…7-1…$60 ($420)  

J Logano…10-1…$50 ($500)  

R Blaney…11-1…$50 ($550)  

C Elliott…11-1…$50 ($550)  

B Keselowski…14-1…$30 ($420)  

W Byron…16-1…$30 ($480) 

M DiBenedetto…30-1…$15 ($450)  

C Buescher…40-1…$15 ($600)  

 

RECORD: 15 for 30

TOTAL: -609

 

YELLAWOOD 500: RACE 31 PICKS

 

Greg DePalma

D Hamlin…7-1…$50 ($350)  

R Blaney…11-1…$75 ($825)

C Elliott…11-1…$25 ($275)   

Kyle B…16-1…$25 ($400)  

W Byron…16-1…$25 ($400) 

K Harvick…16-1…$20 ($320)  

Kurt B…20-1…$15 ($300)  

T Reddick…25-1…$14 ($350)  

M DiBenedetto…30-1…$35 ($1050)  

B Wallace Jr…30-1…$10 ($300)  

R Chastain…50-1…$6 ($300)  

 

RECORD: 8 for 30

TOTAL: -779

 

Weekly Race Points Standings

 

Week 29 Las Vegas

1 Eric +100/-210

2 CJ +140/-609

3 Greg -300/-779

WEEKLY PICKS ARCHIVES

 

RACE FUTURES: SOUTH POINT 400: RACE 30 PICKS

SOUTH POINT 400 WINNER: DENNY HAMLIN

 

SOUTH POINT 400: RACE 30 PICKS

 

Eric Smith

K Larson…3-1…$150 ($450) …10^th

Kyle B…6-1…$50 ($300) …3^rd

D Hamlin…7-1…$50 ($350) …1^st   

R Blaney…15-1…$26 ($390) …5^th

A Bowman…20-1…$20 ($400) …22^nd  

R Chastain…100-1…$4 ($400) …23^rd  

 

RECORD: 1 for 1

TOTAL: +100

 

SOUTH POINT 400: RACE 30 PICKS

 

Greg DePalma

K Larson…3-1…$100 ($300) …10^th  

K Harvick…9-1…$50 ($450) …9^th

R Blaney…15-1…$50 ($750) …5^th  

W Byron…16-1…$40 ($640) …18^th  

A Bowman…20-1…$40 ($800) …22^nd   

M DiBenedetto…50-1…$20 ($1000) …12^th

 

RECORD: 0 for 1

TOTAL: -300

 

SOUTH POINT 400: RACE 30 PICKS

 

CJ Radune

K Larson…3-1…$120 ($360) …10^th   

Kyle B…6-1…$60 ($360) …3^rd

D Hamlin…7-1…$55 ($385) …1^st   

C Elliott…9-1…$40 ($360) …2^nd

R Blaney…15-1…$25 ($375) …5^th   

 

RECORD: 1 for 1

TOTAL: +140