Keselowski Scores 10th Career NASCAR Sprint Cup Victory
October 13, 2013
THE RACE
Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval, Concord, NC)
Saturday, October 12, 2013
THE RESULTS
The No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion
Driven By: Brad Keselowski
Starting Position: 23
Finish Position: 1
Status: Running
Driver's Points Position: 14
THE RACE REVIEW
· Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion team started the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) from the 23rd position on Saturday night.
· The reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) champion patiently began to work his way through the field at the start of the event while dealing with the “dirty air” from other cars that comes with running in the back of the pack.
· Keselowski was running in the 14th position before he visited pit road under the green flag at lap 73 for a four-tire stop with no adjustments. A great pit sequence by driver and pit crew resulted in the team gaining six spots as the pit stops cycled through.
· Shortly after getting back up to speed, Keselowski radioed that he had a severe vibration in one of the rear tires. Fortunately, a caution flat at lap 83 gave the team an opportunity to make another four-tire pit stop to solve the vibration. Unfortunately, Keselowski pulled out of his pit stall with the jack still underneath the No. 2 Ford. He had to come back down pit road to have it removed, while serving a penalty for leaving the stall with pit equipment.
· Despite restarting at the rear of the field, Keselowski was pleased with the handling of his Miller Lite machine as it displayed great long-run speed. He raced his way to the top spot before making a pit stop at lap 134.
· After his pit service, Keselowski again showed the strength of his Ford as he continued to make up valuable track position.
· After a lap 278 pit stop for four tires and fuel, crew chief Paul Wolfe informed Keselowski that he was a couple of laps short of making it to the end of the race. Fortunately, a lap 307 caution eliminated the need for Keselowski to go into a fuel-save mode and it allowed him to race hard for the win.
· Wolfe called for air pressure and wedge adjustments, along with four tires instead of two, on the team’s final pit stop. Keselowski restarted the race in the sixth position, and one of the first cars on four fresh tires.
· Following a hard-fought battle with Kasey Kahne, Keselowski took the lead for the final time at lap 326 and held on for his 10th career NSCS victory.
· The victory was Keselowski’s first in the Cup Series with Ford Racing and his first NSCS win at CMS.
· With the victory, Keselowski moved up one spot to 14th in the NSCS driver’s point standings.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
BRAD KESELOWSKI
HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO BE THERE AT THE END WHEN IT MATTERED TO PICK UP THE WIN?
“It was just a never-give-up night. We had a lot of struggles tonight. We didn’t qualify well, but we kept working our way forward. I knew we had a good Miller Lite Ford Fusion. I’m not sure we were as good as the 48 or the 5 (cars). I never got to really race them until the end and they had two tires, so I think we were probably pretty even. When (crew chief) Paul (Wolfe) made the call to take four tires and I saw we were that close to the front, I knew we could get them.”
Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval, Concord, NC)
Saturday, October 12, 2013
THE RESULTS
The No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion
Driven By: Brad Keselowski
Starting Position: 23
Finish Position: 1
Status: Running
Driver's Points Position: 14
THE RACE REVIEW
· Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion team started the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) from the 23rd position on Saturday night.
· The reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) champion patiently began to work his way through the field at the start of the event while dealing with the “dirty air” from other cars that comes with running in the back of the pack.
· Keselowski was running in the 14th position before he visited pit road under the green flag at lap 73 for a four-tire stop with no adjustments. A great pit sequence by driver and pit crew resulted in the team gaining six spots as the pit stops cycled through.
· Shortly after getting back up to speed, Keselowski radioed that he had a severe vibration in one of the rear tires. Fortunately, a caution flat at lap 83 gave the team an opportunity to make another four-tire pit stop to solve the vibration. Unfortunately, Keselowski pulled out of his pit stall with the jack still underneath the No. 2 Ford. He had to come back down pit road to have it removed, while serving a penalty for leaving the stall with pit equipment.
· Despite restarting at the rear of the field, Keselowski was pleased with the handling of his Miller Lite machine as it displayed great long-run speed. He raced his way to the top spot before making a pit stop at lap 134.
· After his pit service, Keselowski again showed the strength of his Ford as he continued to make up valuable track position.
· After a lap 278 pit stop for four tires and fuel, crew chief Paul Wolfe informed Keselowski that he was a couple of laps short of making it to the end of the race. Fortunately, a lap 307 caution eliminated the need for Keselowski to go into a fuel-save mode and it allowed him to race hard for the win.
· Wolfe called for air pressure and wedge adjustments, along with four tires instead of two, on the team’s final pit stop. Keselowski restarted the race in the sixth position, and one of the first cars on four fresh tires.
· Following a hard-fought battle with Kasey Kahne, Keselowski took the lead for the final time at lap 326 and held on for his 10th career NSCS victory.
· The victory was Keselowski’s first in the Cup Series with Ford Racing and his first NSCS win at CMS.
· With the victory, Keselowski moved up one spot to 14th in the NSCS driver’s point standings.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
BRAD KESELOWSKI
HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO BE THERE AT THE END WHEN IT MATTERED TO PICK UP THE WIN?
“It was just a never-give-up night. We had a lot of struggles tonight. We didn’t qualify well, but we kept working our way forward. I knew we had a good Miller Lite Ford Fusion. I’m not sure we were as good as the 48 or the 5 (cars). I never got to really race them until the end and they had two tires, so I think we were probably pretty even. When (crew chief) Paul (Wolfe) made the call to take four tires and I saw we were that close to the front, I knew we could get them.”