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THE RACE

Federated Auto Parts 400
Richmond International Raceway
Saturday, September 6, 2014

THE RESULTS

The No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion
Driver:  Brad Keselowski
Starting Position: 1
Finish Position: 1
Driver's Points Position: 1
 

THE RACE REVIEW

The No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion

· Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite team started Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 from the pole position. The top result marked Keselowski’s fourth pole of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season and his seventh career pole. It also represented the 11th time this year that the team has earned a front-row starting spot.

· The race began with Keselowski holding the top position for the opening 43 laps of the race before he dropped down to the second spot at lap 44 as the car began to lose rear grip on the long run.

· A NASCAR mandated competition caution flag was displayed at lap 50 which set up the night’s first pit stop for the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford. During the stop, crew chief Paul Wolfe called for an air pressure adjustment to address the handling issues on the Ford Fusion. The Team Penske pit crew executed well and Keselowski regained the lead exiting the pit lane.

· As the green-flag action resumed, Keselowski again paced the field for the next 63 laps. The No. 4 car driven by Kevin Harvick was then able to get by the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford as it lost rear grip once again over the long green flag run.

· A timely yellow caution flag flew at lap 124, which led to a pit stop on lap 127. During this stop, the Miller Lite team made a chassis adjustment to in order to give the car more rear grip over the long runs. Once again the No. 2 pit crew executed flawlessly and Keselowski seized the lead of the race coming off pit road.

· From that point forward Keselowski took control of the field as he led 383 of 400 laps on the evening. He captured the checkered flag – claiming his fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win of the season.

· The victory was impactful on multiple fronts as it represented Team Penske’s 400th win all-time as an organization, as well as Keselowski’s 14th career NSCS victory.

· With the win, Keselowski enters the 2014 Chase for the Sprint Cup next week as the top-seeded driver and he is the winningest driver to date this year with a series-leading four victories.
    

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

BRAD KESELOWSKI, NO. 2 MILLER LITE FORD

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT A SPECIAL NIGHT AND A DOMINANT WIN FOR THE MILLER LITE FORD TEAM?

“What a night. I pulled into Victory Lane and I pinched myself once to make sure I wasn't dreaming. These are nights you don't forget as a driver, and you live for. The Miller Lite Ford Fusion was just flying, and I couldn't ask for a better way to enter the Chase than to win and take the first seed. We're ready. We want to run for another Cup. We feel like this team has it. Team Penske is clicking. It’s the 400th win for Team Penske, and this feels so lucky to have such an incredible team and a car like we did tonight and be able to execute it and not have any bad luck.  We've had plenty of bad luck over the last few weeks, but wow, what a night.”