Comments: NASCAR Picks for Martinsville

Thanks in large part to a repaved surface and slightly reconfigured layout, Kansas Speedway lived up to its reputation as an unpredictable track last weekend. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, unpredictability meant a season-high 14 cautions, many of which involved some of the top drivers in the series -- including Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle and Kyle Busch. The wreck-filled afternoon was the last thing fantasy owners needed this late in the season, especially with the final short track race of the year on tap this weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

The paperclip-shaped track is the smallest on the schedule, and after drivers routinely cracked 200 mph hours at Kansas, they won't even average 100 mph per lap this weekend. Martinsville's flat corners make passing difficult, and if the constant side-by-side racing doesn't get drivers in trouble, the narrow pit road usually does. It takes a cool head and even cooler brakes for a driver to handle 500 laps at the half-mile oval, and it is going to take a slightly retooled roster for owners to tackle one final short track in 2012.

1. Jimmie Johnson, Lowe's/Kobalt Tools
2. Denny Hamlin, FedEx
3. Jeff Gordon, Drive to End Hunger/Axalta
4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew
5. Tony Stewart, Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1
6. Clint Bowyer, 5-Hour Energy
7. Matt Kenseth, Husky/Dollar General
8. Brad Keselowski, Miller Lite
9. Kevin Harvick, Budweiser/Rheem
10. Ryan Newman, Quicken Loans/Haas Automation
11. Martin Truex, Jr., NAPA Auto Parts
12. Kyle Busch, Mars Brands/Interstate Batteries
13. Carl Edwards, Fastenal/Aflac/UPS/Subway
14. Brian Vickers, FedEx
15. Kasey Kahne, Farmers Insurance/Quaker State
16. Joey Logano, Shell-Pennzoil
17. Greg Biffle, 3M/Bondo
18. Paul Menard, Menards
19. Regan Smith, Guy Roofing
20. Aric Almirola, Smithfield Foods
21. Jeff Burton, Caterpillar/Cheerios
22. Marcos Ambrose, Stanley/Dewalt Power Tools
23. Jamie McMurray, McDonald's/Cessna
24. Sam Hornish, Jr., SKF/AAA
25. Juan Montoya, Target
26. Kurt Busch, Furniture Row
27. Bobby Labonte, Kingsford/Clorox/Bush's Beans
28. Travis Kvapil, Burger King/Doctor Pepper
29. David Ragan, CSX Transportation/Peanut Patch
30. Casey Mears, GEICO