Look for Penske Racing to be Strong in Texas; Harvick Looks to Rebound

Brad Keselowski (2) and Joey Logano (22)  will be very strong this weekend
(Photo: Google Images)

They say everything is bigger in Texas and there is no bigger race for a select few drivers with only one race before the season finale in Miami in two weeks.

Kevin Harvick is one driver who is looking to rebound in a big way. After wrecking at Martinsville last week and finishing 33rd, Harvick is looking to come back at Texas Sunday and climb back into championship contention. He and crew chief Rodney Childers have been very fast all season long and had a shot at winning just about every race. But it is bad luck like last weekend and things like mechanical issues that have cost them several victories. Otherwise they could have been serious title contenders. They are still in the Sprint Cup fight but it will be difficult to overcome their wreck last weekend without winning one of the next two races.

Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth should also run strong in the Lone Star State. Kenseth has always been great on the mile and a half tracks, especially since joining Joe Gibbs Racing last season and Gordon won at the speedway back in 2008 after years of back luck there. Both of these drivers need a good run to stay eligible for the season finale in two weeks and to be able to run for the championship.

However, the Penske Racing duo of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano will more than likely steal the show.

Jimmie Johnson is always strong at Texas (Photo: Google Images)

Keselowski and Logano have dominated the "cookie cutter" tracks this season; Keselowski won at Las Vegas this spring, Chicago and Kentucky and Logano scored victories in the Chase race at Kansas and at Texas earlier this year. So with Logano going for the sweep and Penske's straight up dominance this past season, there isn't any reason to doubt that they will at least be in contention on Sunday. But while Logano is in good shape to advance to the finale, Keselowski needs a win to assure himself a shot at a second title after having a serious parts failure at Martinsville last week. If he has another bad run or if another part breaks, it could spell disaster for the 2012 champion.

Speaking of past champions, look for Jimmie Johnson to play spoiler.

Texas has been the six-time champion's personal playground many times in the past and this year will probably be no different. While he is no longer eligible for the title, Johnson and his team are simply going for wins. They do not have any so far in the Chase and, unless they can win one of the final three events, that would be the first time ever the No. 48 team failed to win a race in the Chase. But they are always stellar at tracks like Charlotte and Texas, so if there is a non-Chaser to keep an eye on this weekend, the No. 48 car is definitely one to watch. If the Penske cars don't pull off a victory, Johnson will.

This week, there is definitely going to be some Texas-sized pressure on a number of drivers to try to win a title for their team, but it could be a driver with nothing to lose who crashes the party and puts even more pressure on the Chasers heading to Phoenix.