PREDICTIONS: A little love for Jimmie Johnson but more for Mark Martin
Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin chat during practice earlier this year. Will one of them win the Kobalt Tools 500 on Sunday?
// Walter Scriptunas, NASCAR Illustrated
Rolling into Atlanta Motor Speedway for the fourth Sprint Cup race in 2010, our four panelists are still seeking their first win of the young season.
With Jimmie Johnson winning the past two events at Auto Club Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, respectively, you would expect someone to climb aboard the No. 48 express at Atlanta Motor Speedway. And you’d be correct.
SceneDaily.com editor Jeff Owens is tabbing Johnson to win Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500. Meanwhile, Kris Johnson maintains his spot atop the standings in SceneDaily.com’s season-long competition.
Here are this week’s picks and a look at how we’ve done so far:
Kris Johnson
Wins: 0
Top-5s: 4
Last week’s pick: Kyle Busch
Last week’s points: 123
Total points: 406
THIS WEEK’S WINNER
Mark Martin
As hints of spring finally to start to appear, “old man winner” returns to victory lane. Martin was fifth at Atlanta Motor Speedway last time out. The 51-year-old driver has been overshadowed by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson so far this season. That changes now – for one week anyway.
Top Five:
1. Mark Martin
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Juan Pablo Montoya
5. Jimmie Johnson
Jeff Owens
Wins: 0
Top-5s: 4
Last week’s pick: Jeff Gordon
Last week’s points: 175
Total points: 358
THIS WEEK’S WINNER
Jimmie Johnson
I just came back from Vegas, and I learned my lesson. I’m not betting against Johnson again, not now. I’ve seen this story before. When he gets on a roll, he’s hard to stop, and he’s on a serious roll right now. Not only is he fast, but his team is doing everything right.
And Atlanta is another one of Johnson’s best tracks (does he have any “worst” tracks?). He makes it three in a row.
Top Five:
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Kyle Busch
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Juan Pablo Montoya
Kenny Bruce
Wins: 0
Top-5s: 4
Last week’s pick: Jeff Burton
Last week’s points: 130
Total points: 342
THIS WEEK’S WINNER
Mark Martin
Martin and his No. 5 team have been rock solid through three races, and yet have gone almost unnoticed by everyone outside the Cup garage. They don’t make a fuss, don’t have a lot of flash, they just go out and get the job done.
Martin’s put more miles in on this track than any other full-time active driver, and knows every bump. Fifth here last fall, and with a pair of fourth-place finishes in his last two non-restricted starts, he’s edging closer and closer to victory lane. That’s enough for me to give Martin, crew chief Alan Gustafson and the No. 5 team the nod.
Top Five:
1. Mark Martin
2. Kyle Busch
3. Ryan Newman
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Bob Pockrass
Wins: 0
Top-5s: 5
Last week’s pick: Kurt Busch
Last week’s points: 58
Total points: 320
THIS WEEK’S WINNER
Juan Pablo Montoya
No matter what Montoya says, he’s probably still a little bit angry over what’s happened the last couple of weeks with a blown engine and then getting wrecked by Jamie McMurray. An angry Montoya is starting third at a track where he has two top-five finishes in six starts.
Former open-wheel drivers tend to thrive at Atlanta because of the multiple grooves and fast speeds. Look for Montoya to earn his first career oval-track Cup win this weekend.
Top Five:
1. Juan Pablo Montoya
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Mark Martin
4. Carl Edwards
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
