Johnson poised to take his seat in racing history (cont'd)

2. In retrospect, did Roush Fenway Racing make the right decision in cutting Talladega winner Jamie McMurray loose for 2010?

Duane Cross: Yes. Let's not get caught up in the wake of a victory. It's not like Jamie has lit up the competition during his tenure with Roush. Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan give Roush the most solid foundation -- from experience to youth; it was a sound business decision.

David Caraviello: What else were they supposed to do? They had to drop someone to fit under NASCAR's four-car cap. The Yates backup plan fell apart. By all accounts, it looked like a McMurray vs. David Ragan cage match, loser leaves town. And I guess Jack feels like he has more invested in the younger Ragan, despite the fact that Jamie has done more on the race track.

Jamie McMurray

'Dega not enough

Perhaps Roush Fenway Racing felt like they had more invested in the younger David Ragan, despite the fact that McMurray has done more on the race track.

• McMurray wins at 'Dega
• A nice way to depart RFR
• Driver page: Ragan
• Driver page: McMurray

Dave Rodman: The numbers don't lie. They did the right thing based on what they had to work with. Jamie himself acknowledged that post-race at Talladega. But, and it's a big but, there's no telling that he might not come back into the fold at any point -- and that's a neat point to make.

David Caraviello: Although you could make the argument, given David's tough 2009 season, that they should have kept the guy with now three career race wins over the guy who has none. But Ragan is young, and his sponsor is solidly behind him, and he nearly missed the Chase last year, and Roush is down as a whole. So we'll see.

Duane Cross: Let's turn around the question: Is Jamie McMurray better off being able to leave Roush for another ride? If he lands with Earnhardt Ganassi, yes -- I think he'll do just fine with EGR. For his sake, I hope Jamie does team up with Juan Montoya; those two would be a lot of fun together.

David Caraviello: He does kind of fit the description of best available driver, and even though he may look a little strange in Bass Pro Shops livery, Jamie would do just fine in the No. 1 car being vacated by Martin Truex. And I know every winning driver thanks fans and sponsors in Victory Lane, but the way Jamie did it Sunday -- knowing he hadn't been there in a while, and that many people had stuck behind him -- was very classy and heartfelt.

Dave Rodman: I really think this season for David Ragan is an extreme anomaly. He will bounce back and be a Chase contender once again if he can come to grips with whatever's escaped him. He broke that long-awaited Nationwide bubble this season and proves he hasn't forgotten anything.

Duane Cross: David, you touched on the problems with Roush. If the new Ford engine is up to snuff, this could be a one-year blip on the radar. Then again, the new engine may need massaging once it gets implemented into competition. Time will tell, but I believe McMurray and Roush will benefit from this decision -- a rare occurrence, certainly.

Dave Rodman: I think the engine is the least of Roush's worries this season. According to Biff, they have as much, if not more power than everyone else. They need to get a handle on the cars, it appears. And if you're not a Hendrick team, that fine line has appeared difficult to draw. I think if Jamie ends up back at EGR, and can take Donnie Wingo with him, and they have proper funding for the entire season, it could work out well for him. Then again, that doesn't take into account what Donnie might have up his sleeve -- or the potential to create a new chemistry altogether.

Duane Cross: I hope EGR makes it a 2-for-1 deal; Jamie needs to get out of the box quickly and having Donnie in his ear would be one less thing to worry about. Stability works; the 48 team, anyone?

David Caraviello: I'm always doubtful of how much real difference a new engine can make. Given the drafting situation at Talladega, can we say Jamie's win was all because of horsepower? I don't know. I just don't think you can plug in a next-generation engine and have it make all the difference. It's a total package, and the cars are much more difficult to get a handle on, and to me that's where more teams fall short. That's not to say Roush won't turn it around next year -- their drivers, at least their top three, are too good not to. But I don't think it's going to be solely because of a new engine.

Dave Rodman: Although this new engine supposedly will offer some car-balance changes, and once they get it in an "open" configuration, it'll be interesting to see if that makes much difference -- or if they can even quantify it.

David Caraviello: Anyway, it was good to see somebody different win for a change, and for a non-Chase guy to break through. Don't get used to it, though. The next two weeks, at Texas and Phoenix, could very well once again turn into The Jimmie Show. And then maybe someone off-the-wall will win at Homestead, because the bigger fish will be focused on the championship picture. But something tells me, at this pace, that might be sewn up before we get there.

Duane Cross: I'm rooting for a 267-lap party in Victory Lane for the No. 48 team. Take the green, bring it to pit road and crack open the bubbly. Reckon anyone would get the message that the Chase has met it match (if there was any doubt after the past several seasons)? It would be cool for the series champion to provide color commentary during the broadcast. ABC's ratings might get a lift.

David Caraviello: Well, he comes out of Phoenix with a 196-point lead -- only 12 points larger than he has right now -- he doesn't even need to start at Homestead. He could spend all night up on the pit box drinking champagne. Wouldn't that be a scene.

Dave Rodman: The possibilities are limitless. And as usual, I like the way we think. (Continued)