Qualifying
Toyota dominated qualifying by sweeping the top three starting spots. Joey Logano started on the pole. Kasey Kahne was second quickest and Martin Truex Jr. started third.
The rest of the top five starting spots went to Carl Edwards' Ford and Kurt Busch's Dodge.
The top Chevy driver was Paul Menard who rolled off seventh.
Drop Of The Green
Joey Logano picked the outside lane for the start and got the advantage in turn one over Kasey Kahne. The top four were single-file long before they got to the tunnel turn and they stayed that way for the rest of the first lap.
Logano continued to lead until Kyle Busch spun out off of turn three and brought out the first caution. Logano won the race off pit road but gave up the lead to Kevin Harvick shortly after the green flag racing returned.
The caution flew again quickly as David Ragan backed it into the wall which allowed Kurt Busch to take the top spot. It wasn't long before Denny Hamlin moved past him, the field spread out and Hamlin lead the rest of the early racing.
Storylines
David Ragan's early crash has a huge impact in his hopes of claiming a wild card spot in the Chase. Ragan came into the race 16th in points tied with three other drivers in 11th - 20th in points with one win each.
When the checkered flag flew and the dust had settled Brad Keselowski found himself leading the wild card race as the only eligible driver with two wins. Denny Hamlin was still eleventh in points with one win which currently gives him the second wild card spot.
Paul Menard and David Ragan also have one win each but they will need to catch Hamlin in points (unlikely) or win one of the remaining Race to the Chase events to make the 2011 Chase for the Cup.
Chasing The Checkers
Shortly past the halfway point they started talking about rain in the area. Sure enough this race was to be affected by a one hour and forty minute red flag for rain.
When they finally went green again Kurt Busch was in the lead but there was a long way left to go.
With 38 laps left to go Kyle Busch caught his brother and took over the lead. The race stayed green until Juan Montoya spun with 20 laps to go.
The leaders mostly stayed out leaving Kyle Busch in the lead for the restart. Carl Edwards was the first of the leaders to pit and he restarted in tenth.
Brad Keselowski got the lead on Kyle Busch when they restarted but Kyle wasn't done fighting yet. Kyle chased Keselowski all the way to the checkers but it wasn't enough. Brad Keselowski picked up the 2011 Pocono Raceway win.
Top Ten
- Brad Keselowski
- Kyle Busch
- Kurt Busch
- Jimmie Johnson
- Ryan Newman
- Jeff Gordon
- Carl Edwards
- Greg Biffle
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Paul Menard
The Points
Carl Edwards continues to lead the 2011 points. His lead is now just 9 points over Jimmie Johnson.
No new drivers joined the top ten. Dale Earnhardt Jr. currently sits tenth twenty-three points ahead of Denny Hamlin for the final "regular" points position.
The 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Standings:
- Carl Edwards
- Jimmie Johnson -9
- Kyle Busch -11
- Kurt Busch -14
- Kevin Harvick -20
- Matt Kenseth -26
- Jeff Gordon -52
- Ryan Newman -62
- Tony Stewart -78
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. -79
