CJ capitalized on a Kyle Larson win and really moves way up on the standings via a $500 victory. Eric and Greg drop back -$400 setting up a wild end of the season showdown with two races remaining.

CJ had three drivers that he went with for Kansas. Larson (1st), Denny Hamlin (5th) and Kyle Busch (28th). Eric had Chase Elliott (2nd), Denny Hamlin (5th), William Byron (6th) as well as Brad Keselowski (17th), Tyler Reddick (22nd) and Busch (28th).

He’s now -$413.

Greg had Hamlin (5th), Byron (6th), Christopher Bell (8th), Chris Buescher (12th), Reddick (22nd), Matt DiBenedetto (23rd), Busch (28th) and Ryan Blaney (37th). He’s -$639.

Up next is Martinsville where likely one of the eight playoff drivers will win.

Larson hasn’t been his best there with one top five in his last eight tries. Chase Elliott though won this race last year, was second in the spring and has four top fives in his last five starts on the paperclip. Can HMS sweep the Round of 8?

William Byron has had a strong round and was fourth this spring, eighth last spring and second in this race in 2019. Alex Bowman was sixth in both races last year. Neither Byron or Bowman are championship eligible anymore though.

JGR has Martin Truex Jr. who’s won two of the last three there and led 129 laps in the race he didn’t win. Denny Hamlin led 276 laps this past spring in a third place effort. Christopher Bell was seventh in the spring. Kyle Busch though hasn’t had a top five in each of his last four Martinsville starts.

Team Penske could be the sleepers here. Ryan Blaney was fast in the spring race, had a pair of runner-up’s last year and fourth and fifth respectively in 2019. Joey Logano has six top eight’s in his last seven while Brad Keselowski has 10 top 10’s in his last 11 including nine of which being in the top five.

JGR and Penske have put four cars in the top five of the finishing order in three of the last five Martinsville races and have won six of the last seven there too. Coincidentally enough, we have three spots left to make it to the final round next week and three of the seven drivers battling for them are JGR-Penske drivers.

The only other team worth watching is Hendrick Motorsports. If you throw them into this equation, you get eight of the top 10 finishers from last year’s June race belonging from Penske, JGR and HMS. They went 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 this past April and took five of the top six in this race last year. Denny Hamlin (JGR), Martin Truex Jr. (JGR), Brad Keselowski (Penske), Chase Elliott (HMS) and Alex Bowman (HMS) are five of the six drivers left vying for the Championship 4.

Race Odds

4-1…K Larson and M Truex Jr.

6-1…C Elliott and D Hamlin

8-1…R Blaney

9-1…B Keselowski

10-1…Kyle B

11-1…W Byron and J Logano

18-1…K Harvick

25-1…C Bell

28-1…A Bowman

30-1…Kurt B

33-1…T Reddick

66-1…A Dillon

80-1…M DiBenedetto

100-1…A Almirola and D Wallace Jr.

125-1…C Buescher

150-1…R Chastain

200-1…R Stenhouse Jr.

250-1…C Briscoe, C Custer, E Jones, Newman and D Suarez

XFINITY 500: RACE 35 PICKS

 

CJ Radune

K Larson…4-1…$125 ($500)

M Truex Jr…4-1…$125 ($500)

C Elliott…6-1…$75 ($450)

D Hamlin…6-1…$75 ($450)

 

RECORD: 18 for 34

TOTAL: -159

 

XFINITY 500: RACE 35 PICKS

 

Eric Smith

M Truex Jr…4-1…$150 ($600)

C Elliott…6-1…$100 ($600)

D Hamlin…6-1…$100 ($600)

J Logano…11-1…$ 50 ($550)

RECORD: 20 for 34

TOTAL: -413

 

XFINITY 500: RACE 35 PICKS

 

Greg DePalma

C Elliott…6-1…$150 ($900)

D Hamlin…6-1…$150 ($900)

R Blaney…8-1…$60 ($480)

C Bell…25-1…$15 ($375)

T Reddick…33-1…$15 ($495)

M DiBenedetto…80-1…$10 ($800)

RECORD: 11 for 34

TOTAL: -639

 

Weekly Race Points Standings

 

Week 33 Kansas

1 CJ +350/-159

2 Eric -400/-413

3 Greg -400/-639

 

Week 32 Texas

1 Eric +357/-13

2 Greg 0/-239

3 CJ +200/-509

 

Week 31 Charlotte Roval

1 Greg +530/-239

2 Eric +140/-370

3 CJ +200/-709

 

Week 30 Talladega

1 Eric -100/-510

2 Greg +10/-769

3 CJ -100/-909

 

Week 29 Las Vegas

1 Eric +100/-210

2 CJ +140/-609

3 Greg -300/-779

 

Week 28 Bristol

1 Eric +100/-310

2 Greg -200/-479

3 CJ +100/-749

 

Week 27 Richmond

1 Greg +50/-279

2 Eric +100/-410

3 CJ +75/-849

 

Week 26 Darlington

1 Greg +700/-329

2 Eric +20/-510

3 CJ +160/-924

 

Week 25 Daytona

1 Eric +26/-530

2 Greg -100/-1029

3 CJ -100/-1084

 

Week 24 Michigan

1 Eric +5/-556

2 Greg +350/-929

3 CJ -100/-984

 

Week 23 Indianapolis Road

1 Eric -100/-561

2 CJ -100/-884

3 Greg -100/-1279

 

Week 22 Watkins Glen

1 Eric -100/-461

2 CJ -100/-784

3 Greg -100/-1179

 

Week 21 New Hampshire

1 Eric +22/-361

2 CJ -100/-684

3 Greg -100/-1079

 

Week 20 Atlanta

1 Eric +30/-383

2 CJ -100/-584

3 Greg +160/-979

 

Week 19 Road America

1 Eric +50/-413

2 CJ +65/-484

3 Greg -100/-1139

 

Week 18 Pocono R2

1 Eric -100/-463

2 CJ +60/-549

3 Greg +20/-1039

 

Week 18 Pocono R1

1 Eric -100/-363

2 CJ -100/-609

3 Greg -100/-1059

 

Week 17 Nashville

1 Eric -100/-263

2 CJ -100/-509

3 Greg -100/-959

 

Week 16 Sonoma

1 Eric -100/-163

2 CJ -100/-409

3 Greg -100/-859

 

Week 15 Charlotte

1 Eric +40/-63

2 CJ +33/-309

3 Greg +61/-759

 

Week 14 Texas Grand Prix

1 Eric +59/-103

2 CJ +86/-342

3 Greg -100/-820

 

Week 13 Dover

1 Eric -100/-162

2 CJ +26/-428

3 Greg -100/-720

 

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

 

HOLLYWOOD CASINO 400: RACE 34 PICKS

HOLLYWOOD CASINO 400 WINNER: KYLE LARSON

HOLLYWOOD CASINO 400: RACE 34 PICKS

 

Eric Smith

D Hamlin…6-1…$155 ($930) …5^th

Kyle B…8-1…$70 ($560) …28^th

C Elliott…8-1…$70 ($560) …2^nd

W Byron…10-1…$45 ($450) …6^th

B Keselowski…11-1…$45 ($495) …17^th

T Reddick…28-1…$15 ($420) …22^nd

 

RECORD: 0 for 1

TOTAL: -400

HOLLYWOOD CASINO 400: RACE 34 PICKS

 

Greg DePalma

D Hamlin…6-1…$162 ($972) …5^th

Kyle B…8-1…$70 ($560) …28^th

W Byron…10-1…$40 ($400) …6^th

R Blaney…12-1…$70 ($840) …37^th/Acc.

T Reddick…28-1…$25 ($700) …22^nd

C Bell…33-1…$15 ($495) …8^th

M DiBenedetto…60-1…$10 ($600) …23^rd

C Buescher…125-1…$8 ($1000) …12^th

RECORD: 0 for 1

TOTAL: -400

 

HOLLYWOOD CASINO 400: RACE 34 PICKS

 

CJ Radune

K Larson…2-1…$250 ($500) …1^st  

D Hamlin…6-1…$85 ($510) …5^th

Kyle B…8-1…$65 ($520) …28^th

 

RECORD: 1 for 1

TOTAL: +350