NASCAR XFINITY Series Race Report
Track: Richmond International Raceway
Race: Virginia 529 College Savings 250
Date: September 9, 2016
No. 22 REV Group Ford Mustang – Brad Keselowski
Start: 6th
Finish: 4th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 250/250
Laps Led: 0
Owner’s Points Position (behind leader): 4th (-57)
Recap: Brad Keselowski and the No. 22 REV Group Ford Mustang team showed good speed in finishing third in Friday night’s Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway. After starting the race from the sixth position, Keselowski radioed that he was too tight in the center of the corners, but loose on entry and exit. Crew chief Greg Erwin elected to make wedge and air pressure adjustments on the first pit stop of the night at lap 51. The REV Group crew, who were solid all evening, picked up a spot for Keselowski as the 2010 series champion restarted the race from the sixth position. Using great long-run speed in the Ford Mustang, Keselowski began to patiently work his way through the field during an 89 lap, green-flag run, eventually making his way into the third position before the team’s final pit stop of the night at lap 155. Again, the pit crew picked their driver up one spot as Keselowski restarted the race in the second position at lap 161. After settling into the third position, Keselowski valiantly tried to challenge for the win but the handling of the Ford wasn’t quite where he needed it to be as he crossed the finish line in the third position. A three-time winner in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Richmond, the result marked Keselowski’s eighth top-five finish at the three-quarter mile oval.
Quote: “I think the guys did a good job tonight. We had really good execution tonight to bring home the REV Ford Mustang third. It is a little improvement for us here. Of course we want to win, that is kind of our own expectations. We showed progress, which is a good thing, but we have to keep going. We still have quite a bit of work to do.”
