When you can tout an average finish of 1.67, as in the case of Dale Earnhardt Jr, or Brad Keselowski’s 2.33 you know you are doing something right. Each has a win, with Junior having a pair of runner up finishes compared to the two third place runs put in by the 2012 champion.
Another week in the books for this year's talented rookie class - another week met by struggles for each of them to endure. The 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway produced some ill-handling cars that resulted in poor finishes for the class of talented drivers.
Earnhardt’s engine sputtered on the final lap at Las Vegas, allowing Brad Keselowski to pass for the win as fuel mileage cost the No. 88 its second win of the year. Still, Earnhardt has a win and two runner-ups, and leads Keselowski in the points standings by one.
Parker Kligerman and Swan Racing are entering Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend hoping to revive themselves from dismal finishes the past two weeks at Phoenix International Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Now just a piece of dust to his big win on Sunday, Brad Keselowski also found himself victorious in Saturday's Nationwide Series Sam Boyd 300. For Keselowski, getting the win this year felt like redemption after the last couple of years. In his last two starts at Las Vegas prior to the win, he had come close - thought ended up finishing 23rd and 27th.
With already having locked in his Chase birth, there was a simple attitude going into Sunday's race at Las Vegas for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and crew chief Steve LeTarte - do what it takes to win, even if it takes trying out a game.
Three races in, and the story of the 2014 Cup season is the success of Dale Earnhardt Jr. He wins at Daytona, finishes second in Phoenix, and a hiccup in his fuel pick up was all that kept him from victory at Las Vegas. That and Brad Keselowski. Still, take a gamble, have it turn sour, and still come home second is not all that bad.
Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing wasn’t fueling around in Talladega Sunday. Brad Keselowski was the mastermind of a Stage One strategy that became the talk of the race.
The reigning two-time Cup Series champion from Elk Grove, California, led 23 of 189-overscheduled laps and went from 11th to 1st in half of the final lap during an overtime shootout to score his first superspeedway victory and increase his points lead by 73 points with two-scheduled events remaining.
