News

Track: Darlington Raceway
Race: Bojangles Southern 500   
Date: September 6, 2015
 
No. 2 Miller High Life Ford – Brad Keselowski

Start: 1st (9th-career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole)
Finish: 2nd
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 367/367
Laps Led: 196
Points Position (behind leader): 4th (-111)
 
Recap: Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller High Life Ford team started from the pole, led six times for a race-high 196 laps and finished second in the Bojangles Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Keselowski earned his first pole of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and the ninth of his career before getting our front early and leading the first quarter of the race. As the race wore on, the popular red and white throwback Miller High Life Ford ran consistently in the top-five for most of the night. Keselowski had held the lead on a long green-flag run and, with just 13 laps to go, looked poised to collect the checkers when the caution flew. On the final restart, Keselowski was scored second and finished the race in the same position. The strong finish, his 17th top-10 of the season, has him scored fourth in the championship standings, 111 points behind leader Kevin Harvick.
 
Recap: "Long race. Long night. At least we led a lot of laps, which is something to be very appreciative of, and obviously started on the pole, and that was great. Just seemed like one of those races that just kept cycling with yellows and pit stops and yellows and pit stops. I don't know how many yellows there were but I don't know if I ever drove a Sprint Cup race with this many yellows before. A lot of yellows and a lot of back and forth there, and we just came up short right at the end, which was a bummer. But a lot to be proud of, but still want to win these races, and gosh, man, we were right there, and we just haven't been able to close it out. We'll go to work and keep working."
 
 
No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion – Joey Logano

Start: 4th
Finish: 4th
Status: Running
Laps Completed:  367/367
Laps Led:  29
Points Position (behind first): 2nd (-42)
 
Recap: Joey Logano and the throwback No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion had a car that could compete for the win on Sunday night at Darlington Raceway but ended up with a fourth-place finish after leading 29 laps.  Logano started the race from the fourth position and, early on, raced his way to third.  The special-look Shell-Pennzoil Ford dropped to seventh as the car was really tight early on.  With the low-downforce package and softer Goodyear tire, handling was a premium all night long. Crew chief Todd Gordon made several small air pressure and wedge adjustments over the course of 12 pit stops during the 500-mile event. Logano raced in the top-five for much of the race and took the lead for the first time on lap 248 when he stayed out during a round of pit stops.  Once out front, the Shell-Pennzoil Ford was strong and Logano would pull away from the field. Logano would lead for a total of 29 laps in the race. With less than 10 laps to go, Logano and the rest of the field would come down pit road for their final stop of the night.  Restarting fourth, Logano would hold position and come home fourth, his 15th top-five finish in the season’s first 25 races.  Logano continues to sit second in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings, 42 points behind Kevin Harvick.
 
Quote: "I was proud of what my team did to make this Shell-Pennzoil Ford a lot faster throughout the night. That was a long race. We got it to where I thought we were a winning race car. We were able to get up front and lead with good speed for a whole run. We got a little behind and tried to make it up and tried to work the right restarts and do everything to make it happen but we just came up a little short. I am proud of the speed we had and the momentum we are building for the Chase. We aren’t slowing down any. I am looking forward to it."