Here are my Brilliant, Bold, and Bonkers picks for this week’s Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville.
Brilliant – These NASCAR drivers have the best shot to win in Martinsville
Martin Truex Jr.
Truex had a surprisingly good run on the dirt at Bristol but ended up with a lousy finish in the end. Don’t expect that to happen here. His last trip to the paperclip was a bust, but his two victories came one right after another in the prior races, making the No. 19 a favorite at Martinsville.
Wins at Martinsville: 2
Top-5 finishes: 7
Top-10 finishes: 13
Brad Keselowski
Brad Keselowski has finished in the top 10 at every Martinsville race since 2016, with two number-ones and plenty of stage points. While it hasn’t been the season the No. 2 expected, he has a couple of top-fives under his belt, keeping him as competitive as the rest. If anyone can keep the No. 19 out of victory lane this weekend, it’s gonna be him.
Wins at Martinsville: 2
Top-5 finishes: 11
Top-10 finishes: 16
Ryan Blaney
Ryan Blaney is as solid at Martinsville as many of the veterans, with consistency through the last seven races in both finishes and stage points. Ever since NASCAR left Florida, the 12 has been a different team, with a win in Atlanta and a bunch of close endings. Don’t sit out on this guy or else you might just miss something grand on Saturday night.
Wins at Martinsville: 0
Top-5 finishes: 5
Top-10 finishes: 6
Bold – These are my NASCAR sleeper picks for Martinsville:
Kyle Busch
There have been a few bright spots for the No. 18 this season—at Vegas and Atlanta—though we’ve yet to see Rowdy as we’re used to seeing him. Sometimes I get stuck on the fact that he’s damn good at a track, and this is one of those weeks. You simply can’t overlook his run of top-five finishes here from 2015 to 2019. And even in the depths of the worst season of his career, he pulled out a top-10 spot here in November. I expect to see Kyle Bush in the front of the pack and maybe, just maybe, make something happen.
Wins at Martinsville: 2
Top-5 finishes: 16
Top-10 finishes: 19
William Byron
An accident ruined William Byron’s last outing at Martinsville, sealing his fate and keeping him out of the championship race. His last two runs prior to that were great, showing me that there’s something between this No. 24 and the paperclip-shaped track. He’s been impressive this season, with a win at Homestead and top-tens ever since. I’m thinking this could be another big week for Willie B.
Wins at Martinsville: 0
Top-5 finishes: 1
Top-10 finishes: 2
Chase Elliott
Chase routinely runs well in Martinsville, with a first-place finish the last time around and plenty of stage points over the years. With the exception of a second-place finish at the Daytona 500 and a decent showing at Phoenix, it’s been a less-than-stellar 2021 season. This could be the place, however, for the No. 9 to get back on track—no pun intended.
Wins at Martinsville: 1
Top-5 finishes: 4
Top-10 finishes: 6
Bonkers – Stay away from these NASCAR drivers in your fantasy lineup for Martinsville this week
Austin Dillon
The last time Austin Dillon finished well here was 2017, proving that this is not the best track for the No. 3. His season has been up and down—not terrible but nothing to write home about. It may take him a while to heat up, but it’s not gonna happen this week.
Wins at Martinsville: 0
Top-5 finishes: 2
Top-10 finishes: 2
Matt DiBenedetto
Martinsville is a bust for Matt, though he’s been known to show up in places where a run is least expected. His last few races have been better than early in the season, but I don’t see this nighttime show yielding him much in the way of a win. Sit him out until he really gets going.
Wins at Martinsville: 0
Top-5 finishes: 0
Top-10 finishes: 2
Erik Jones
Don’t even bother. It’s been an adjustment period for Erik Jones as he’s moved into the 43 car for the 2021 season. He actually looks pretty comfortable there, though, and I think he’s gonna have a few hot races as the year ramps up. But this has always been an ugly track for him and it’s not likely to turn around Saturday.
Wins at Martinsville: 0
Top-5 finishes: 0
Top-10 finishes: 0
