Keselowski Holds On to Finish 33rd at RIR
April 28, 2013
THE RACE
The Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway (.75-mile, D-shaped oval, Richmond, Va.)
THE RESULTS
The No. 2 REDD’S Apple Ale Ford Fusion
Start Position: 23
Finish Position: 33
Status: Running
Current Championship Position: 6
THE RACE REVIEW
· Keselowski started Saturday night’s race from the 23rd position after posting a qualifying lap of 20.925 seconds around the RIR oval
· On the strength of a fast REDD’S Apple Ale Ford, Keselowski quickly sliced his way toward the front after the start of the race. He was scored in the 14th position when the first caution flag flew at lap 41.
· After briefly entering the top 10 in the running order, Keselowski had a tire go flat at lap 158 which forced him into the outside wall. After several trips down pit road to make repairs Keselowski was able to display the same speed, even turning laps faster than the race leaders.
· At lap 289, Keselowski radioed that he developed a small vibration in the REDD’s Ford. He pitted at lap 291, just before a scheduled stop for fresh tires that would have alleviated the vibration. However, he was caught a lap down when the caution flew as he was coming off of pit road. Keselowski then received the “Lucky Dog” award to get his lap back.
· After battling back to get inside the top 10 late in the race, the No. 2 Ford experienced a power issue. Keselowski was able to nurse the car to the checkered flag and avoid a DNF as he was scored in 33rd place.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
TALK ABOUT YOUR RACE
“It was a long day but I felt we were going to get something out of it. We fell back a little bit and then blew a tire. We were able to drive back up to the front. I thought I had a tire going down again and didn’t and got the Lucky Dog and got back out there, thinking we would still have a top-10 or top-five day. Then whatever happened with the engine. It was just one of those deals and a long day but we kept finding a way to get back through all the adversity; there was nothing we could do about the last one.”
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU HIT THE WALL EARLY?
“It was a freak deal where something in the wheel broke and let all the air out of the tires. We got hit by a lot of freak deals tonight. I felt like we would have a top-10 day at the worst and who knows. We were on the same strategy as Kevin (Harvick) and he won the race. It would have been a great battle.”
The Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway (.75-mile, D-shaped oval, Richmond, Va.)
THE RESULTS
The No. 2 REDD’S Apple Ale Ford Fusion
Start Position: 23
Finish Position: 33
Status: Running
Current Championship Position: 6
THE RACE REVIEW
· Keselowski started Saturday night’s race from the 23rd position after posting a qualifying lap of 20.925 seconds around the RIR oval
· On the strength of a fast REDD’S Apple Ale Ford, Keselowski quickly sliced his way toward the front after the start of the race. He was scored in the 14th position when the first caution flag flew at lap 41.
· After briefly entering the top 10 in the running order, Keselowski had a tire go flat at lap 158 which forced him into the outside wall. After several trips down pit road to make repairs Keselowski was able to display the same speed, even turning laps faster than the race leaders.
· At lap 289, Keselowski radioed that he developed a small vibration in the REDD’s Ford. He pitted at lap 291, just before a scheduled stop for fresh tires that would have alleviated the vibration. However, he was caught a lap down when the caution flew as he was coming off of pit road. Keselowski then received the “Lucky Dog” award to get his lap back.
· After battling back to get inside the top 10 late in the race, the No. 2 Ford experienced a power issue. Keselowski was able to nurse the car to the checkered flag and avoid a DNF as he was scored in 33rd place.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
TALK ABOUT YOUR RACE
“It was a long day but I felt we were going to get something out of it. We fell back a little bit and then blew a tire. We were able to drive back up to the front. I thought I had a tire going down again and didn’t and got the Lucky Dog and got back out there, thinking we would still have a top-10 or top-five day. Then whatever happened with the engine. It was just one of those deals and a long day but we kept finding a way to get back through all the adversity; there was nothing we could do about the last one.”
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU HIT THE WALL EARLY?
“It was a freak deal where something in the wheel broke and let all the air out of the tires. We got hit by a lot of freak deals tonight. I felt like we would have a top-10 day at the worst and who knows. We were on the same strategy as Kevin (Harvick) and he won the race. It would have been a great battle.”