by Lee Spencer

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Joey Logano's spin-out in Turn 4 of Lap 182 put him on a different pit sequence than the leaders and enabled crew chief Greg Zipadelli to devise the perfect strategy and make the necessary adjustments to put his driver into optimum position.

So when the skies opened and rain shortened the race with 28 laps remaining in the Lenox Industrial Tools 301, Logano had cycled into the lead and was declared the winner.

It didn't matter that Jimmie Johnson lapped Logano on Lap 141. It didn't matter that Logano spun out to ignite the ninth caution and pitted before pit road was opened, or that he exceeded the speed limit entering the pits. And it didn't matter that Logano squeezed back onto the lead lap with his second "lucky dog" bonus of the day on Lap 195.

All that matter was Logano was sitting in P1 when NASCAR called the race for weather after 273 laps.

So Logano, who grew up 178 miles away from New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Middletown, Conn., becomes the youngest driver — at 19 years, one month and four days — to win a Sprint Cup race at the racetrack where he first witnessed a NASCAR event.

Sounds like a storyline made in stock car heaven, doesn't it?

"I never thought I'd be the one," Logano said.

Neither did anyone else. Logano assumed the lead after Ryan Newman pitted on fumes on Lap 264 and had led 10 laps when the caution was called for rain on Lap 267.

Logano's position certainly surprised last year's winner, Kurt Busch.

"When I drove into (Turn) 3, catching (Jeff Gordon) big time, the crew chief radioed in and said, '20 is the leader.' It almost startled me," said Busch, who finished third. "I forgot where the brake pedal was or the steering wheel because it was like 'wait a minute,' I thought I was racing the 24."

Second-place finisher Gordon, who leads the tour with 82 career wins, says it doesn't matter how Logano won, just that he won.

"When you go back to the stats and you look at the wins, there's no asterisk next to rain-shortened," Gordon said. "It's 'you got a win.' I've won a bunch of races in this series and I've been very fortunate to do it at times by having the best car, the best pit stops. You know, sometimes I can say that I outdrove the guys.

"But there's plenty of those wins that came because of a two-tire stop, gas and go, rain-shortened, a lot of different ways. I'll take them any way I can get them, that's for sure."

Busch certainly wasn't going to chastise Logano for the way he won, since the No. 2 Dodge's victory came under similar circumstances last year. Busch, however, was disappointed that Logano took the youngest-driver record from his brother Kyle.

"He's the youngest winner, but it takes away from Kyle, my little brother," Busch said. "A little sentimental history, but hey, when you win, it's a win. And I've been on the other side of the fence, so I can't complain."

Logano gained three positions in the point standings and moved to 21st position with his win. But since the rookie does not figure in the Chase picture, for Gordon and Busch, who maintained second and fourth place in the standings, respectively, it was as if no one won at all.

"Ten points, (Gordon) didn't get them, I didn't get them," Busch said. "So I call them a wash and we'll come back here and race in September."

Gordon, who cut 15 points from leader Tony Stewart's advantage, concurred.

"I'm disappointed we didn't get the 10 bonus points because we had a great shot at it with a great run, but it is a wash because at least nobody else we're racing right now in the championship or in the Top 12 or 14 got them either.

"So, it's like nobody got 10 bonus points."

Game changer

Several Chase bubble boys, including Jeff Burton and Brian Vickers, were caught in an eight-car pile-up triggered when Dale Earnhardt Jr. admittedly spun his tires during a restart on Lap 175.

Despite Earnhardt's issues on the restart, both Martin Truex Jr. and Vickers pointed fingers at Kyle Busch for escalating the incident.

At the time of the accident, Vickers was unclear what had occurred ahead of him. After reviewing the replay on a monitor in the infield care center, Vickers said, "it looked like (Busch) was just completely impatient — very normal. Just hooked (Truex) in the right rear and turned him in front of the field. If you wreck somebody on the straightaway, you kind of should be black-flagged for it. But that's NASCAR's call, not my call.

While Vickers, who is currently 17th, didn't lose any positions in the standings after finishing 35th, the points separating him from a spot in the top 12 increased from 123 to 197.

"I don't know who spun their tires, but that happens, that's part of racing," said Truex, who was seventh on the restart before the wreck. "(Kyle) just can't let off. He's always trying to be a hero and that p***** me off."

Truex was fastest in Happy Hour and ran among the top 10 for most of the day before the wreck sidelined him in 37th position. He dropped to 24th in the standings.

For Burton, who restarted 14th, his performance would have been a much-needed morale booster following a miserable 34th-place result after Sonoma. Although the team was able to repair the No. 31 Chevrolet and Burton returned to competition, he finished 31st.

"It was very frustrating," said Burton, who dropped to 16th in the standings. "It's just been that kind of year. Certainly hurt us in the points. But I feel good about what we are doing with our team. I feel good about what we are doing with our cars, I think we can still do this thing, I really do."

With nine races remaining before the Chase, Burton is 108 points out of 12th place.

Numbers game

Brad Keselowski's sixth-place finish is his third top 10 in five starts.

The nine laps that Bobby Labonte maintained at the point on Sunday were more than the total circuits (five) the No. 96 Ford had led all season.

17 points separate 10th through 14th in the championship standings.

Kudos for double-file restarts

For the second consecutive June NHMS race, Mother Nature foiled Tony Stewart's plans for a trip to Victory Lane.

Regardless of the outcome, Stewart, who finished fifth, has become an advocate of — and a whiz at — double-file restarts.

"I'm a big, big fan of this double-file restart stuff because it's so much fun restarting with the guys that you're racing with and are used to running up front with and not having to deal with some of these guys on the restarts that you sometimes have to deal with."

Stewart was able to take the lead from Jeff Gordon on the final restart and held the point for 40 laps until the leaders started pitting for fuel. He maintained the points lead by 69 markers over Gordon.

What a twit ...

Random messages from NASCAR's world of Twitterers:

"There is nothing we could of done against the race At least we finished with good points and still 12 this is getting tighter by the minute" — Juan Pablo Montoya (@jpmontoya)

"If it wasnt for bad luck, we would have no luck at all. Everyone get ready for a great Daytona. we have to look forward." — David Ragan (@David_Ragan)

"I am also watching Nascar.....its so awesome how well Tony is doing with his new team this year!" (Editor's note: Maybe she's taking notes for next year?) — Danica Patrick (@DanicaPatrick)

Say what?

Team owner Joe Gibbs on Joey Logano's early success: "If we keep this going we can ride this deal for another 20 years ... but I might not be around for the final 10."