Sitting in your car, you get onto one of the main freeways in the country.  You're in one lane while the other lane is going past with cars while you patiently wait for a spot to open.

Speeds increase but traffic is just so tight, your attention to what's ahead is absolutely necessary.

Up ahead, you see traffic slow down as a car exits, but someone stops short.  The cars ahead hit their brakes, and try to let up, but it becomes a bumper-to-bumper accordion wreck.  Everyone is angry as multiple cars become involved.  A typical accident on freeways across this great country.

Now, picture yourself doing that for 500 laps, with tight corners at either end.  However instead of stopping to check the damage, you cut left and simply go past the cars ahead.

That is the exact way to describe Martinsville Speedway.  The "Paper Clip" has been known to bend sheet metal, dent doors, but the cars just keep going as if they were bumper cars.

It's that kind of racing that awaits NASCAR this coming Sunday.  But, who do our writers feel will be the one beating his way to victory at the 0.526-mile oval?

No victories were claimed last week, as some participants have lost ground.  With that in mind, here's the run down of choices our writers have made for the Goody's Fast Relief 500:

 

Misan Ayuka (SB Nation):  Denny Hamlin

Martinsville could be what the doctor ordered for Denny Hamlin.  Afterfives races his best finish is seventh and after a blown engine at Auto Club and finishing 39th he is 21st in points.

Hamlin should be really confident heading to the paper clip however.  In 11 starts he has four wins, eight top fives, ten top tens, 949 laps lead, twopoles, and an average finish of 6.09.

It is clearly his best track.  Picking Hamlin or Johnson may be too easy but how can anyone resit?

 

James Broomhead (The Checkered Flag):  Denny Hamlin

No commentary available.

 

Kelly Crandall (Speedway Media):  Jimmie Johnson

Even though he hasn't won at Martinsville in a while, it's still his racetrack and considering that Joe Gibbs Racing is having too many problems with their engines, it's not looking good that Denny Hamlin is going to be strong this weekend.

Have to go with five-time.

 

Summer Dreyer (Skirts and Scuffs):  Jimmie Johnson

Anybody who picks someone other than Johnson or Hamlin is going out on a limb, as both drivers have combined to win the past seven races at Martinsville Speedway.

Hamlin, though, is a risky pick right now, since Joe Gibbs Racing has continually had engine problems to start the year. Johnson is a safe pick this weekend, especially after his runner-up finish last weekend in Fontana.

 

Billy Fellin (Richmond Times-Dispatch):  Denny Hamlin

Yes, the 11 team has struggled in 2011. Yes, his engines have been doing their best 4th of July impression.

But it's Martinsville! Team FedEx delivers at the paperclip, with four wins in the last five races.  Get it, delivers...haha.

 

Michael Hirshbein (Fan Vs. Fan):  Denny Hamlin

No commentary available.

 

Christopher Leone (On Pit Row):  Jeff Gordon

I saw Bob Pockrass make this pick on Twitter, saying he liked the combination of Gordon and Alan Gustafson at Martinsville. I can’t say I disagree. You only need look at the statistics to realize that Gordon was ripping off wins at Martinsville before Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin started taking over at the track.

Martinsville is a track where both driver and crew chief need to effectively manage the car, and I think Gustafson is as trustworthy as any crew chief in that department.

 

Kara Martin (Speedway Media):  Jimmie Johnson

No commetary available.

 

Ryan O'Hara (Speedway Media):  Jeff Gordon

He's incredible here and has seven victories to go with it. He had this one in the case last year, but a late caution bit him in the arse.

 

Dustin Parks (All About Horsepower):  Jimmie Johnson

I've waited, and waited...and waited even more to play this card.  I even gave up a second-place run last week to not go with the Lowe's Chevrolet.

But, this is Martinsville.  I simply have no choice.  Sure his teammate, Gordon, is incredible here; however he's struggled here with bad luck, as in getting wrecked last fall.  Hamlin has his share of grandfather clocks in his trophy case, but with the engine woes recently I can't go with the FedEx team.

So, whether it's playing it safe or going with statistics, I have to play my Five-Time card.  Here's hoping it doesn't mean I'm high and dry.

 

Sal Sigala Jr. (3 Wide and 1 To Go):  Jimmie Johnson

Johnson has made 18 Sprint Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, where he has earned six wins, 13 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes.  His only finish outside the top ten came in his first start at the .526-mile track in 2002.

 I am going outside my comfort zone and picking a driver back to back weeks. After watching Chad make the necessary adjustments to put Jimmie in the hunt last weekend, when during the first half of the race he was not a top-10 car.

 

Rob Tiongson (The Podium Finish):  Denny Hamlin

Last weekend, he was sidelined prematurely by an engine problem at Fontana.

This time around at "Marty McFly-ville," we'll see the No. 11 team go back in time...to 2010 and bring home a win for Joe Gibbs Racing, their second in the past three races run this year.

 

Standings as of California:

Sal Sigala Jr. (183) Jimmie Johnson finished second (1)

Kelly Crandall (169) Carl Edwards finished sixth (0)

Rob Tiongson (156) Jimmie Johnson finished second (1)

Ryan O'Hara (154) Jimmie Johnson finished second (1)

Billy Fellin (153) Jimmie Johnson finished second (1)

Kara Martin (141) Carl Edwards finished sixth (0)

Christopher Leone (137) Carl Edwards finished sixth (1)

Misan Ayuka (136) Tony Stewart finished 13th (0)

Michael Hirshbein (134) Juan Pablo Montoya finished 10th (1)

James Broomhead (127) Jimmie Johnson finished second (0)

Dustin Parks (125) Carl Edwards finished sixth (0)

Summer Dreyer (118) Jimmie Johnson finished second (0)

 

Final Thoughts:  There are only two or three drivers that jump out right away at this track.  According to the picks made, all three are represented.

So, there's a chance that many writers get their first win of the season.  There is also a chance some will earn their second win of 2011.  However, there is a chance none will go to victory lane as someone else will be celebrating with one heavy trophy.

Only way to find out is to watch FOX this Sunday starting at 1 p.m. ET.

 

Summary of Picks:

Denny Hamlin-5

Jimmie Johnson-5

Jeff Gordon-2