Late Blunder Proves Costly for No. 6 after Stage Points in First Two Segments
AVONDALE, Ariz. (March 12, 2023) – Brad Keselowski put his Castrol Edge Ford in prime position through the day Sunday at Phoenix Raceway earning stage points in the first two stages, before a late mishap put him 18th at the finish.
Keselowski – the 2021 winner at Phoenix – put himself in good position to start the day after qualifying fourth on Saturday, his best qualifying effort to date in 2023. He maintained that top-five position for much of Sunday’s 312-mile race as the No. 6 Ford showed speed throughout.
Stage one would run caution-free as the field spread out and Keselowski crossed the stripe ninth earning a pair of stage points. He restarted eighth for stage two that featured the race’s first natural caution. He ran eighth at the time of that yellow and restarted sixth with 39 to go in the stage. He would battle to gain two more spots and finish fourth in the second stage.
Stage three featured another set of pit stops under green as Keselowski cycled out to sixth with 50 laps remaining. The race looked to run caution-free to the end, but a yellow was displayed with 10 to go with Keselowski in seventh. After a four-tire stop he restarted 10th with the top six cars taking two tires. The No. 6 machine struggled to maintain power on the restart, relegating Keselowski to near 20th as the caution again came out, this time forcing NASCAR Overtime. Keselowski went on to finish 18th.
The No. 6 team returns to action next week as the action shifts back east at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Race coverage on Sunday is set for 3 p.m. ET on FOX. Radio coverage can be heard on PRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.
