NASCAR XFINITY Series Race Report
Track: Pocono Raceway
Race: Pocono Green 250
Date: June 10, 2017
No. 22 SKF Ford Mustang – Brad Keselowski
Start: 8th
Finish: 1st – 35th career series win
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 100/100
Laps Led: 29
Owner’s Points Position (behind leader): 1st (+92)
Recap: Brad Keselowski used an impressive late-race drive to secure the win for the No. 22 SKF Ford Mustang team in the Pocono Green 250 at Pocono Raceway on Saturday afternoon. The victory was the first for the three-time NASCAR XFINITY Series Owners Championship team since November 7, 2015 at Texas Motor Speedway. Keselowski began the day from the eighth position but quickly began a march to the front of the field when the race began. He moved into the top spot at lap 22 and won the first 25-lap stage. During the break, crew chief Greg Erwin made no adjustments to the SKF machine – he would make no adjustments throughout the day – and Keselowski restarted the second, 25-lap stage in the third position. On the seventh lap of the stage, Keselowski resumed the lead and would score his second stage win of the day 16 laps later. Things began to get interesting in the final, 50-lap stage as Erwin elected to keep his driver on track during the break while other competitors came down pit road. Keselowski gave up the lead on lap 64 when he made a green-flag pit stop that cycled him back in the field behind those that pitted during the break. A lap 79 caution saw those drivers hit pit road to allow Keselowski to move to the second position for the restart. However, while passing for the lead on the first lap back to action, Keselowski was accidentally pushed too far into the first turn by the No. 1 of Elliot Sadler, who was trying to give Keselowski as push to the lead. As a result, the 2010 series champion ran out of the racing groove and fell back to the 13th position with only 15 laps remaining. With a fierce determination and a fast Ford Mustang, Keselowski began an incredible march to the front. He reached the top five at lap 90 and eventually moved around the No. 42 of Kyle Larson on the last lap to score the win, sweeping all three stages on the day.
Quote: “What a day. First off, we had a great SKF Ford Mustang, which of course is always helpful, and there was good strategy and all that, and that kind of carried us through the first two stages. Then you saw the mix-up in the field in Stage 3, which I can’t say was a surprise. We kind of knew if we won Stage 2 we would maybe not be in the best position for the start of the stage, but you don’t want to give those points up and you don’t want to give away running up front. In my heart, that’s what this sport is about – it’s about running up front and doing the best you can at all times. Man, a heck of a battle there with Kyle (Larson), a heck of a finish. I don’t know if it gets any better than that, but I was proud to be a part of it and I’m really happy for this team to get back to Victory Lane.”
