News

THE RACE

Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1.058-mile oval, Loudon, NH.)
Sunday, July 13, 2014

THE RESULTS

The No. 2 Redd’s Apple Ale Ford Fusion
Driver:  Brad Keselowski
Starting Position: 7
Finish Position: 1
Driver's Points Position: 3
 

THE RACE REVIEW

·  Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 Redd’s Apple Ale Ford Fusion team qualified in the seventh position for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV Sales 301.

·  In the opening laps of the race, Keselowski lost two positions, dropping to ninth-place in the running order, but by lap 20 he had maneuvered his way into the top five.

·  Early in the race, scheduled for 301 laps, the veteran driver radioed to his team that the Redd’s Apple Ale Ford was strong, but it could use just a touch more drive off of the corners.

·  As the race progressed, Keselowski made a steady march to the front and at lap 74 he seized the lead for the first time of the afternoon.

·  He led just five laps before having to pit for fuel and tires at lap 78. After the pit stop he settled back into the third position as a couple of other competitors took just two tires to his four.

·  The former series champion wasted little time in regaining the top spot as it took just six laps for him to drive the No. 2 Redd’s Apple Ale Ford back to the front.

·  During the course of the afternoon, Keselowski led seven times for a race-high total of 138 laps. He drove from as far back as 12th to first on five separate occasions, often passing numerous cars on the first lap of a race restart.

·  Keselowski took the lead for the final time of the afternoon at lap 270 after he had fallen back to ninth place during a lap 249 pit stop as numerous competitors again elected to take just two tires and were on different strategies.

·  A caution flag with just three laps remaining gathered up the field for a green-white-checkered flag finish. During the final restart Keselowski pulled out to a three-car-lengths advantage to cap off a dominate performance with a well-earned victory.

·  The win resulted in Keselowski clinching a berth in the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase. He now holds down the No. 1 spot in the Chase Outlook standings, leading second-place driver Jimmy Johnson by 36 points.

·  Sunday’s victory also moved Keselowski and the No. 2 Team Penske Ford team into third-place in the Sprint Cup Series season point standings.

·  Keselowski also became the first-ever driver to sweep both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on the same weekend, following his victory on Saturday at Loudon. The win represented Keselowski’s 13th career Cup Series victory.
    

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

BRAD KESELOWSKI, NO. 2 REDD’S APPLE ALE FORDLOOK BACK AND REVIEW SUNDAY’S VICTORY

“Where do I start?  The team was just really on it today. It really feels like we’ve hit our stride, and I'm kind of quiet and somber because I want to soak it all in. I don't want this moment to go away so quick. It seems like you get in Victory Lane and you're rushed around left and right you don't really get a chance to soak it in. This was just such a phenomenal weekend, and these don't happen that often, and that's what makes it special. You try to appreciate them and enjoy them and hope that there's more but not count on it, because these are big deals, winning races at the Sprint Cup level – sweeping a weekend, and it's all possible because of the hard work and effort from everyone at Team Penske. I can drive the heck out of a car, but you can only do so much. You've got to have a good horse, and we had that today. I'm just really, really thankful and happy with the form we have.”