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NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Report
Track: Texas Motor Speedway
Race: Duck Commander 500
Date: April 11, 2015
 
No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion – Brad Keselowski
Start:  3rd
Finish: 5th
Status: Running
Laps Completed:  334/334
Laps Led: 27
Points Position (behind first):  4th (-60)
 
Recap: Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite team battled back through a tire vibration, losing a lap and a commitment cone violation to bring home a top-five finish in Saturday night's Duck Commander 500. After starting third and running in the same position for the early part of the race, the No. 2 Ford Fusion picked up a vibration that eventually necessitated Keselowski pit early and out of sequence.  This put the team a lap down, but with fresh tires, Keselowski was able run fast enough to get the lap back and stay out long enough to assume the lead as the rest of the field pitted. Late in the race, while running in the top-10, Keselowski misjudged his position entering the pits and hit the commitment cone, signifying a driver's intention to pit.  The ensuing penalty dropped him to the back of the lead lap cars. He fought back over the closing laps, driving from 24th to fifth at the finish.  With the strong run, the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford team holds steady at fourth in the point standings.

Quote:  "We had a really strong car. It's just that the 4, the 48 and at times the 88 were just a little bit stronger than both Joey (Logano) and I. We did everything we could. We threw everything we could at them and just weren't close enough speed-wise to get what we wanted out of it, but it was still a great day for the Miller Lite Ford and a lot to be proud of. It was an up-and-down night. We led some laps early, faded in the middle and then found a little bit at the end and charged hard to get back up to fifth. I think we were a second or third-place car there at the end.  It's hard to say, but it was up and down. We just have to keep working and find a little more speed." 
 
 
No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion – Joey Logano
Start:  6th
Finish: 4th
Status: Running
Laps Completed:  334/334
Laps Led:  19
Points Position (behind first):  2nd (-26)
 
Recap:  Joey Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil team overcame some mid-race handling issues to finish fourth in Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.  Logano started sixth in the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion and hung around the top-five for the first 50 laps of the event.  The handling of Logano's Ford swung to the tight side during the middle portion of the race and Logano slipped as far back as 10th just past the lap 110 mark.   Crew Chief Todd Gordon continued to make air pressure and wedge adjustments to the car and Logano slowly started working his way back toward the front.  Logano raced his way up to third and took the lead on lap 266 when he stayed out during a quick caution.  Logano held onto the top spot for 19 laps before eventually falling back to second.  Late in the race, contact from the No. 4 car sent Logano up the track and from third to ninth. However, the 24-year-old driver was able to race his way back to the fourth by the time the checkers flew.  It was Logano's seventh-straight top-10 finish to start the season.  He remains second in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings.
 
Quote:  "I felt like at the beginning of the race and to the middle of the race we starting falling off, but we made some good adjustments and started getting some speed back in the car.  We were all the way back to 11th at one point and got back to almost a winning car.  We just needed a little bit more speed, but it's fun out there.  We were racing hard and doing everything we could do to try and win the race.  We're racing to the end of the race and I expect to get raced the way I race people and I would do the same thing, so it's not a surprise there.  I felt like I had to guard that position.  I felt like if he (Harvick) got by me there I wouldn't have the opportunity to get back by him and I felt like I would have lost the race that way.  We're all just racing for wins. "