Brad Keselowski Sweeps Weekend; Passes Dale Earnhardt Jr. On Final Lap
Brad Keselowski passed Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the final lap of Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to score the victory. Keselowski notched his 11th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory after leading a dominating 52 laps of the 267 laps ran in ‘Sin City’.
“Heck of a call throughout the race to get us out front,” Keselowski said in victory lane. “At the end, this car was just really fast. I’m really proud of the car and proud of the team.”
“Carl Edwards helped me out there,” Keselowksi explained. “He gave me a little break and let me go after Dale.”
Keselowski, who won yesterday’s Boyd Gaming 300 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at LVMS, inherited the race lead after Earnhardt’s fuel tank went empty down the backstretch on the white flag lap. Earnhardt was able to continue and finished an acceptable second place, which becomes his second straight runner-up finish.
“It sucks to lose like that, but we can’t let that be a negative.” Earnhardt explained after climbing from his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. “Running out of gas it tough, but one thing you can’t do it let it get under your skin, get under your team’s skin. Probably would have had a better record with about a Mountain Dew can full of fuel.”
The pivotal moment of the event occurred with 48 laps remaining when the fourth caution of the race flew for debris on the front stretch. Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Paul Menard were among the front runners to hit pit lane in hopes that’d be their final stop of the race. However, considering we were in the famous gambling city of Las Vegas, Nevada, it was only appropriate for somebody to stay out and try to make it to the end on fuel.
Carl Edwards and Earnhardt were the only competitors to gamble and stay on the racetrack. Luckily, they both were able to have enough fuel in the tank to reach the checkered flag. Edwards finished fifth, which marks his first top five of the season and Earnhardt (like stated above) finish second.
Paul Menard, on the day his wife was scheduled to have her baby, finished third after sitting inside the top five all race long. Menard finished highest among the Richard Childress Racing stable and posted his first career top five at Vegas.
“It’s something we can definitely build on for more mile and a halfs,” said Menard, who was going back home to North Carolina, where his wife is due to deliver their first child.
Joey Logano, who started the race on the pole and led 44 laps, finished fourth after dying off during the middle part of the event. Jimmie Johnson, who led 34 laps today, finished sixth after being shuffled outside the top five late in the going.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to the track next Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee in what’s going to only instigate existing feuds and create new ones while it’s at it.
Brad Keselowski Scores Vegas Victory After Fending Off Kyle Busch
Brad Keselowski sailed to victory lane on Saturday after leading a remarkable 144 laps of the 200 laps run in the Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He was able to do ‘donuts’ while holding the American Flag for the 28th time in his NASCAR Nationwide Series career and the first time at the tricky Las Vegas track.
“We found every way we could to make it hard (on ourselves).” Keselowski explained in victory lane. “This Ford was flying today. These races aren’t getting any easier to win.”
Keselowski fended off late race charges by Kyle Busch to eventually score the victory by 0.349 thousandths of a second. While holding off Busch, the No. 22 team was overwhelmed by possible electrical issues worsening. Luckily, the problem didn’t progress, which provided fans with a magnificent two-car battle right to the checkered flag.
“I don’t know what caused us to lose the lead (on the restart), that was unfortunate.” Busch explained following a runner-up finish. “Best motor won, probably the best car.”
The climax of the event occurred with 30 laps remaining when Ryan Sieg spun bringing out the fifth and final caution. The restart following the yellow flag featured Keselowski quickly stretch his lead to 1.5 seconds. However, ‘Rowdy’ Busch wasn’t going down without a duel in his home state of Nevada.
The tension started rising around 15 laps to go when Busch was beginning to reel in former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, Keselowski. But, over the duration of the final five laps the leaders were mired in lap traffic which gave Keselowski all he needed to seal an impressive victory.
“Kyle is one of the best in the business and he deserves a win here. It was just our day, it was meant to be.” Keselowski explained. “We had to never give up”
Kyle Larson, who’s making his first NSCS start at Vegas this weekend, had to overcome early race damage to finish an impressive third place. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who’s still celebrating a Daytona 500 triumph, finished fourth and wasn’t disappointed at all.
Chase Elliott, who rode inside the top five all day, finished fourth and rounding out the top five was Matt Kenseth right in Elliot’s tire tracks. Kenseth, who spun out with under 50 laps remaining, was a contender for the victory but had to settle for sixth.
“It was just a lot of fun. It gives us a mindset that we can run up front.” Elliott explained after hopping out of his machine. “The cars (that JR Motorsports provides) can (run up front), just up to me to get the job done.”
Regan Smith maintains his points lead, but Trevor Bayne is just a mere three markers behind the NNS Daytona winner. NASCAR’s second premier series takes to the short track of Bristol Motor Speedway next week in what’s already anticipated to be a door banging and tempers flaring kind of race.
