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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2011 Good Sam RV Insurance 500 at Pocono

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Joey Logano was so close to victory he could smell it, and it smelled a lot like rain on a humid summer day. Unfortunately for Logano, who had grabbed his third career pole on Saturday, the rains let up, the race ran its complete distance, and the third-year driver faded to a disappointing 26th. For Logano, who is breathing a sigh of relief now that Edwards is no longer a threat for his ride, Silly Season isn’t quite over until other potential replacements like Clint Bowyer, Brian Vickers and Mark Martin have contracts somewhere else. Good finishes still have extra importance for the No. 20 right now.

Bowles-Eye View: This Race at Pocono Brought to You by the Letters K, J & the Number 2

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I’m a stats guy living in a writer’s body, a failed mathematician with a healthy dose of superstition on the side. So it’s no surprise to me that as Brad Keselowski crossed the finish line, completing one of the great “iron man” performances in recent history all that I could think about was similar to a closing line from Sesame Street:

_This race has been brought to you by the letters K, J, and the number two._

Sounds silly, right? Especially considering what Keselowski did was a physical feat rarely equaled in NASCAR’s Chase era; only Denny Hamlin’s torn ACL, then seemingly instantaneous recovery post-surgery in Victory Lane at Texas last season can compare. It was a _two-pronged_ lift for the driver in his sophomore season – comments after the race, humbly praising soldiers killed in Afghanistan as the real heroes also moved mountains in establishing himself as a role model, not a rebel amongst the fan base. Off the track, Keselowski can no longer be viewed by his peers as a one-hit wonder; he’s the first driver in years to move up the ranks the right way, from Trucks to Nationwide to Cup and develop into a proven major-league talent.

Monday Morning Teardown: Chase Dreams Turn Evil for David Ragan, Others With Wildcard Aspirations

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A month ago, David Ragan was on top of the world.

He had won a race, was in the top 20 in points and seemed like momentum was clearly on his side to make the Chase, if not as a wild card then as a member of the top 10 in points.

That was a month ago.

On Sunday, Ragan crashed out of the race at Pocono, and in so doing, made his road to the Chase that much bumpier.

Bubble Breakdown: Rookie Andy Lally Fights Off His Rivals At Pocono

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_It was a tough weekend for the bubble crowd at Pocono, where even strategy calls didn’t seem to keep the underdogs in contention for long. Without a top-25 result from anyone, the race became more a matter of survival than success, a day at the office with little if anything to hang their hat on. Pocono has a history of tearing up equipment, and more than one driver found himself babying it to the finish in the name of keeping their status intact in owner points._

_So after a weak weekend overall, which teams continue to stand out above the rest? And could rookie Andy Lally keep quietly impressing, just one week after Robby Gordon’s blown engine handed his team, TRG Motorsports a spot inside the top 35? Check out the Bubble Breakdown this week to see how the battle to keep a “locked in” spot is shaking out amongst NASCAR’s little teams that could…_

Tracking the Trucks: 2011 Good Sam RV Emergency Road Service 125 at Pocono

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*In a Nutshell:* See Kevin Harvick. See Kevin Harvick go fast. See Kevin Harvick have enough horsepower and saved fuel on the final restart to get away from Kyle Busch. See Kevin Harvick win. Caution flags are the only one that kept this one close, with Harvick leading 44 of the 53 laps run en route to the win. Kyle Busch made his way up to second and managed to keep up with Harvick during the final green-white-checker restart, but Happy managed to get a drive on the high side through turn 1 that put this one away. Busch, James Buescher, Johnny Sauter and Austin Dillon rounded out the top 5.

Going Green: Winners & Losers in Carl Edwards Re-Signing With Roush

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Carl Edwards has finally broken his silence. After months of giving no indication whether he was staying with Roush Fenway Racing in 2012, he has re-signed with the team that brought him up onto the Sprint Cup scene in 2004. This doesn’t just affect Edwards, however; it has left an impact on many other figures across the Sprint Cup garage. With that said, here are the winners and losers of his contract extension.

*Winners*

*Jack Roush* – Undoubtedly the biggest winner in all of this. He has seen his team enjoy a renaissance year, with two of his drivers having legitimate shots at the title after enduring a couple of seasons of mediocrity. One of those drivers is Edwards, but had he decided to leave, it would have completely demoralized the superb season the Roush camp has been enjoying thus far. More importantly, he can feel better about sponsorship. He has been struggling to find full-time and even part-time sponsors for next year. While sponsor details have yet to be announced with the signing, there is no doubt it will attract sponsors that this will help him big time.