2016 Martinsville Speedway, STP 500

Jimmie Johnson picked up his second win of the season and is now a lock for the Chase unless for some unseen reason he doesn’t run all of the races before the Chase starts. This team looks like they are hitting on all cylinders once again and if they keep it up, they will be looking at a great shot at another championship. Chad Knaus is making all of the right calls and Jimmie is getting the job done on the track.

STP 500

After a week off for the Easter holiday, the teams will be back on the East Coast this week at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, VA for the running of the STP 500. Martinsville is the shortest track on the Sprint Cup circuit at just .526-miles and at the same time is very flat compared to Bristol. The paper clip shaped-track only has twelve degrees of banking in the corners and qualifying is very important because those who start in the back will find themselves half a lap down by the time they get to the starting line at the beginning of the race.

Jimmie Johnson: Jimmie has won eight times at Martinsville and is on a roll right now. He is one of the most consistent drivers at this track where he has finished in the top five eighteen times in only twenty-eight starts. He also has twenty-two top ten finishes in those starts and has led 2,747 laps here which is at least twice as many as any other active driver.

Denny Hamlin: Denny has five wins, eleven top five and sixteen top ten finishes in his twenty starts at this track. He has led the second most laps here of all active drivers and will give Jimmie everything he has throughout this race. These are the two most consistent drivers at this track and you should have both of them on your roster if at all possible this weekend.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Dale has one win at Martinsville and has finished in the top five thirteen times and the top ten eighteen times in his thirty-two career starts here. He has led just under 1,000 laps and has been very consistent here over the past five plus years with eight top ten finishes in his last eleven starts. He has also run better on a consistent basis on the short tracks the past couple of seasons.
Kevin Harvick: Kevin has also won a race at this track and he has finished in the top ten in fourteen of his twenty-nine starts here. Finishing in the top ten in half of the races you run at any track is great, but he isn’t nearly as consistent here as the first three drivers that I mentioned. He doesn’t have the handle on this track like he has at Phoenix.

Brad Keselowski: Brad is still looking for his first win at this track and came close last spring, finishing second to Denny Hamlin. Brad has also finished in the top ten in six of his twelve starts here and likes to mix it up at this type of track. I think this team will be in the hunt once again this weekend.

Tony Stewart: I don’t think Tony is ready to come back yet and get in the drivers seat as he recovers from a back injury, but if he somehow does he is another driver who runs well here consistently. Tony has won three times at this track and has led over 1,200 laps. Keep an eye on the entry list when it comes out on Tuesday and see who is driving the #14 this week and use them in your Yahoo lineup.

Kyle Busch: Kyle is another driver looking for his first win at this track and has run well here more often than not. He has finished in the top five in nine of his twenty starts and has run well every week so far this season. A cut tire late in the race in California cost him another top five finish on the year. Kyle will get a win before the Chase starts, but this might not be the week.

Ryan Newman: Ryan has one win at this track and has run pretty well most every week this year. I think this is the type of track this team has a better chance to win at compared to the longer tracks. Ryan doesn’t mind mixing it up on the track and with his engineering background, I think he really helps his crew-chief out with adjustments at this track.

Jamie McMurray: Jamie hasn’t gotten a win at Martinsville yet, but he always seems to be in contention at this race. Case in point, he finished second here last fall, sat on the pole here three race ago, and has finished in the top ten here in fourteen of his twenty-six starts. I think Jamie is a dark horse this weekend and should come away with another top ten finish or better.

Kurt Busch: Kurt is a driver who normally runs well at the short tracks. However, Martinsville is an exception for him. He has won two races here during his career, but he has only one top ten finish here in his last twenty starts. That top ten was one of his wins. I think there are better drivers to put on your roster this weekend. Save Kurt for some other week.

YAHOO! FANTASY NASCAR PICKS FOR MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

Yahoo Driver Group A

• Jimmie Johnson
• Denny Hamlin

Yahoo Driver Group B

• Ryan Newman
• Jamie McMurray
• Clint Bowyer
• AJ Allmendinger

Yahoo Driver Group C

• Brian Vickers
• Chase Elliott

MY TOP-5 OVERALL AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Jamie McMurray
5. Ryan Newman

Dark Horse: Jamie McMurray

Stay Away From: Kurt Busch

Big 18: Denny Hamlin