News

Track: Pocono Raceway
Race: Axalta 'We Paint Winners' 400
Date: June 7, 2015
 
No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion – Brad Keselowski
Start:  7th
Finish: 17th
Status: Running
Laps Completed:  160/160
Laps Led: 0
Points Position (behind leader):  6th (-118)
 
Recap: Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion ran strong most of the day, but slipped back late following an on-track incident, eventually coming home 17th on Sunday afternoon at Pocono Raceway.  Keselowski started from the seventh position and ran there for the first 20 laps, at which point the team pitted early in the fuel window to make adjustments and setup an alternate strategy.  At lap 93, a caution flew and put the Miller Lite Ford in the third position. The team appeared to be set to contend for a top five finish over the final third of the race, but on the ensuing restart, Keselowski got stuck in the middle, got loose and lost several positions. On lap 128, he and the No. 34 both got loose in turn one and made slight contact. While the damage was not too severe, the team lost several spots and crucial track position after pitting to change tires and assess the damage.  Despite restarting in the 26th position, Keselowski rallied to a 17th-place finish at the end. The result keeps the No. 2 Miller Lite team sixth in the championship standings.

Quote:  "I thought my team guys did a really, really good job making the most of the car we had.  I'm proud of my team guys, the mechanics and pit group, and we know what we have to do to get better. We do need to continue to improve in order to be where we need to be when the Chase begins."

 
No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion – Joey Logano
Start:  43rd (qualified 11th, had to drop to the back at start of the race)
Finish: 4th
Status: Running
Laps Completed:  160/160
Laps Led:  0
Points Position (behind first): 4th (-79)
 
Recap:  Joey Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion completed a roller coaster of an afternoon after starting from the back, racing towards the front, overcoming a pit road penalty and even losing a lap before rallying to a top-five finish, coming home fourth in the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway.  Logano qualified his Ford Fusion in the 11th position, but had to drop to the back of the field before the start of the race after changing a rear gear on Saturday after final practice.  Logano quickly moved his way from 43rd to 23rd in the first 20 laps.  However, on his first pit stop on lap 22, Logano was too fast exiting the pits and had to serve a pass through penalty, resulting in losing a lap to the leaders.  Crew chief Todd Gordon called for Logano to take the wave around on lap 52, putting him back on the lead lap.  From there, Logano began a slow and steady charge back to the front despite being on a different pit strategy due to taking the wave around.  Logano broke into the top-10 on lap 72, but fell back to 21st following another rounds of stops with the field again on varying pit strategies.  Again though, Logano began a steady march toward the front, breaking back into the top-10 on lap 100 and getting as high as second with 20 laps to go.  Logano slipped back a few positions to fourth as the checkers waved, notching his seventh top-five finish of the season.  Logano remains fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings.
 
Quote:  "I'm happy with the way it ended.  We didn't have a very fast Shell-Pennzoil Ford from the get-go when we unloaded here, but we kept fighting hard.  This was one of those blue-collar days, just working hard all day on the car and on pit road the guys did a good job making my car faster and got to where we were a top-five car at the end.  We were maybe a little better than the 48, but nothing for the 4 and the 78.  Those guys have been rocket ships each and every week and we've got to figure out a way to catch up to them – figure out what they're doing or try to come up with our own way – something, but they're really fast right now."