By Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
 
(July 9, 2010)
 
For a third straight season, Sporting News’ Reid Spencer, Roger Kuznia and Bill Marx are matching wits in the Pit Box. The format is simple: They can pick a driver only once during the season. But for good measure, each also will pick his favorite to win the race.

Reid’s pick: David Reutimann. Since the No. 00 Toyota team has overcome its early-season engine problems, Reutimann has been a force in the Cup series, climbing to 17th in the standings at the season’s midpoint. He’s consistently good on intermediate speedways.

Who Reid really thinks will win: David Reutimann. I was a huge gainer with my double-up strategy last week, so I’m putting all my eggs in Reutimann’s basket.
 
Roger’s pick: Paul Menard. I’m still looking to save my big money by shopping with Menard this week. He has done his best at 1.5-mile tracks this year, and this qualifies as the closest thing the Wisconsin native gets to a home race.
 
Who Roger really thinks will win: Jimmie Johnson. He marks another track off his winless list.

Bill’s pick: AJ Allmendinger. Ford has never won at Chicagoland, but I’m not looking for Allmendinger to win. Before last week’s 36th at Daytona, Allmendinger had a string of six races with finishes from 10th to 14th. Another one of those 10th to 14th efforts would do just fine.
 
Who Bill really thinks will win: Jeff Gordon. Reid has his double-up strategy, I have my Jeff Gordon-until-he-wins deal, which is entering its ninth week.
 
Last week: We have a new Pit Box leader. Reid raced into the top spot when Kevin Harvick won at Daytona, making that the fifth time this year Reid has correctly picked the winner. Bill had some surprising misfortune with Brad Keselowski, who was caught in the big one and finished 30th. That’s only the fourth time all year Bill has scored fewer than 110 points with one of his selections. Roger was pleased with his pick of Reed Sorenson, who finished eighth. In the real picks, Reid’s patented double-up with Harvick was outstanding, and it allowed Reid to eat 102 points from Roger’s lead. Roger had Tony Stewart, who finished 25th, while Bill had Jeff Gordon, who finished third.
 
Points standings

One-and-done: Reid, 2,356; Bill, 2,302; Roger, 1,977.
Real picks: Roger, 2,648; Reid, 2,592; Bill, 2,428