NASCAR.com’s 36 for 36 picks for Martinsville playoff race

NASCAR.com‘s 36 for 36 continues at Martinsville Speedway. 

With 36 races and 36 full-time Charter cars, our players select one car per race, but there‘s a simple twist: Once they‘ve made the pick, they can‘t choose that car again for the rest of the 36-race season. Yes, that means every car will be selected exactly once … a survivor pool, by another name. 

Follow along weekly as our panel of pickers — Dustin Albino from Jayski, along with Steve Luvender and Cameron Richardson from NASCAR.com — embarks on a season-long journey to think like strategists and prove their picking prowess. 

We‘ll also feature a fourth “community” 36 for 36 pick each week, as decided by fan vote on the r/NASCAR subreddit. Can the collective vote topple our trio of full-timers?

Current Standings:

1. Steve Luvender: 910

2. r/NASCAR Community: -109

3. Dustin Albino: -150

4. Cameron Richardson: -169

Race 35 of 36: Martinsville

Last week‘s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway was a thriller, and Tyler Reddick‘s win was a great day for two of our pickers — Steve Luvender and the r/NASCAR community — who selected the No. 45. The weekend was less fortunate for Cameron Richardson, who picked 36th-place finisher Ty Gibbs, and Dustin Albino, whose Kyle Larson selection netted just 24 points after a struggle from the No. 5. 

Our panel has just two races left for the season, meaning they‘ve got only two drivers remaining on their boards. How will our pickers take their 50-50 chance? 

Jayski‘s Dustin Albino: No. 23, Bubba Wallace

Dustin‘s pick last week: No. 5, Kyle Larson (24 points)

Total season points: 760 (third place, +1 since last week)

Dustin: What an epic collapse in the postseason. Not long ago, I was battling Luvender for the championship, and now, with two races remaining, I‘m desperately trying to crawl out of the cellar. Every pick seems cursed, so next on the list — I‘m sorry! — is Wallace. The southern Virginia paperclip-shaped track will always have a soft spot in Wallace‘s heart, scoring his first national touring series victory here in 2013. Wallace has three top-10 finishes in the last four Martinsville events, including a career-best fourth in the spring race. He‘s also wearing the Xfinity colors this weekend, which is also the entitlement sponsor of the race.

NASCAR.com‘s Steve Luvender: No. 11, Denny Hamlin

Steve‘s pick last week: No. 45, Tyler Reddick (57 points)

Total season points: 910 (first place)

Steve: My patience in saving Tyler Reddick for Homestead last week paid off with a win, so I‘m feeling pretty good about my triple-digit points lead with two races left. Entering Martinsville this weekend, my pick Denny Hamlin needs to erase an 18-point deficit in order to advance to the championship race. With five wins at Martinsville — though his most recent came in 2015 — I think Driver No. 11 will put up some points Sunday. 

NASCAR.com‘s Cameron Richardson: No. 5, Kyle Larson

Cameron‘s pick last week: No. 54, Ty Gibbs (1 point)

Total season points: 741 (fourth place, -1 from last week)

Cameron: Sigh. Homestead went any way but in my favor and now it‘s just hope and pray for the last two events. Going with Larson for this one because, similarly to why I picked Chase Elliott at the Roval, Larson has a single-digit deficit to the elimination line and will try to maximize points as well as go for the checkered flag at Martinsville on Sunday. Hendrick Motorsports was virtually unstoppable in the spring event, leading 238 of the 400 laps as William Byron followed by Larson and Elliott to complete the podium.

r/NASCAR Community: No. 41, Ryan Preece

r/NASCAR‘s pick last week: No. 45, Tyler Reddick (57 points)

Total season points: 801 (second place)

With only Ryan Blaney and Ryan Preece left on the board, the r/NASCAR subreddit selected Preece for Sunday‘s race. Here‘s what Redditors had to say about their choice of the No. 41 this week in the voting thread: 

u/iiRyanPreece: “My account‘s namesake, Ryan Preece. Preece runs really well at the short tracks as we know. Blaney is obviously strong at Martinsville too but he is also very good at Phoenix. Preece regardless of availability is a very nice and strong pick for a short track, but especially one like Martinsville that is similar to places he grew up racing on.”

u/Extreme-Bite-9123: “This last choice is tough, but I have to go with Preece. I could see an argument for Blaney, I‘ve made one myself, but Phoenix is his best track, and I doubt he wins this one. Preece probably won‘t win, but a top five is likely considering how good he‘s been lately. Hell, who knows. Stranger things have happened. I‘m changing my answer, Blaney, if he makes the final four he won‘t get stage points”

u/Joey_Logano (no relation): “Ryan Jeffrey Preece. The youngest NASCAR Whelen Modified champion gets the glorious honor of being our second to last pick of the season. I don‘t even really know what else to say. Short tracks are Preece‘s (Wonder) bread and butter. Preece won the pole for the spring race in 2023 along with a ninth-place finish in the fall. He also [won] the Modified race last season.”

u/notalifetextbook: “Blaney has more upside at Phoenix than Preece, even if he doesn’t win this week. If you play Preece next week then you’re gonna be burned. Play him here. He’s good at short tracks.”

Check back next week to see how our pickers fared as the season-long 36 for 36 journey continues. And, if you‘ve got a competitive itch beyond meticulously managing your Fantasy Live lineup each week, feel free to save or print your own 36 for 36 sheet and see if you can beat our pickers and the Reddit community!