Late-Race Accident Relegates Keselowski to 28th-Place
October 6, 2013
THE RACE
Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway (1.5-mile oval, Kansas City, Kan.)
Saturday, October 5, 2013
THE RESULTS
The No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang
Driven By Brad Keselowski
Starting Position: 13
Finish Position: 28
Status: Accident
Owner's Points Position: 1
THE RACE REVIEW
· Brad Keselowski and the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang team began Saturday’s event from the 13th position based on his qualifying effort on Saturday morning.
· As the race began, Keselowski radioed to crew chief Jeremy Bullins that his Ford was loose on corner entry while building tighter on corner exit as the run progressed.
· A NASCAR-mandated competition caution at lap 25 provided an opportunity for Bullins to call for a two-tire pit stop with a track bar adjustment to help the car’s handling.
· After restarting from the eighth position at lap 31, Keselowski noted that his car lacked speed down the straightaways. It was later discovered that the No. 22 Ford had a hole in the nose from running over debris earlier in the race.
· Despite the hindrance. Keselowski eventually worked his way up to the third position before a lap 90 caution caught many of the lead lap cars a lap down. The former NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) champion was able to make his way down pit road for service before restarting the race from the second position at lap 95.
· Keselowski was able to keep his Ford Mustang inside the top three cars well into the second half of the 200-lap race, eventually grabbing the top spot at lap 152.
· As the laps wound down, Keselowski found himself running in the second position behind eventual race winner, Matt Kenseth, with Kenseth precariously close to running out of fuel before the end of the race.
· With 20 laps to go in the event, Keselowski and Kyle Busch began a tough battle for the second position to capitalize if Kenseth was forced to pit for fuel.
· At lap 188, while coming off turn four, Keselowski was hit in the left rear by Busch, sending him spinning across the track and into the outside wall. The damage was too severe for him to finish the race.
· With their 28th-place finish, the No. 22 Ford Mustang team continue to lead the NNS owner’s point standing by five points over the No. 54 entry.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
BRAD KESELOWSKI, NO. 22 DISCOUNT TIRE FORD
“I got wrecked. There is no other way of putting it. It was hard racing up until then. It was good, hard racing. It was probably going to be for the win. Without the yellow it was doubtful the 18 (Kenseth) would have made it. Maybe he would. The odds were in the favor of whoever was going to win the battle between me and Kyle so I'm sure Kyle knew that. I think it’s pretty self-explanatory what happened after that. I’m proud of everyone on this Discount Tire Ford team because we worked our tails off to be in position to win the race. It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get a chance to see how it would play out.”
Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway (1.5-mile oval, Kansas City, Kan.)
Saturday, October 5, 2013
THE RESULTS
The No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang
Driven By Brad Keselowski
Starting Position: 13
Finish Position: 28
Status: Accident
Owner's Points Position: 1
THE RACE REVIEW
· Brad Keselowski and the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang team began Saturday’s event from the 13th position based on his qualifying effort on Saturday morning.
· As the race began, Keselowski radioed to crew chief Jeremy Bullins that his Ford was loose on corner entry while building tighter on corner exit as the run progressed.
· A NASCAR-mandated competition caution at lap 25 provided an opportunity for Bullins to call for a two-tire pit stop with a track bar adjustment to help the car’s handling.
· After restarting from the eighth position at lap 31, Keselowski noted that his car lacked speed down the straightaways. It was later discovered that the No. 22 Ford had a hole in the nose from running over debris earlier in the race.
· Despite the hindrance. Keselowski eventually worked his way up to the third position before a lap 90 caution caught many of the lead lap cars a lap down. The former NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) champion was able to make his way down pit road for service before restarting the race from the second position at lap 95.
· Keselowski was able to keep his Ford Mustang inside the top three cars well into the second half of the 200-lap race, eventually grabbing the top spot at lap 152.
· As the laps wound down, Keselowski found himself running in the second position behind eventual race winner, Matt Kenseth, with Kenseth precariously close to running out of fuel before the end of the race.
· With 20 laps to go in the event, Keselowski and Kyle Busch began a tough battle for the second position to capitalize if Kenseth was forced to pit for fuel.
· At lap 188, while coming off turn four, Keselowski was hit in the left rear by Busch, sending him spinning across the track and into the outside wall. The damage was too severe for him to finish the race.
· With their 28th-place finish, the No. 22 Ford Mustang team continue to lead the NNS owner’s point standing by five points over the No. 54 entry.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
BRAD KESELOWSKI, NO. 22 DISCOUNT TIRE FORD
“I got wrecked. There is no other way of putting it. It was hard racing up until then. It was good, hard racing. It was probably going to be for the win. Without the yellow it was doubtful the 18 (Kenseth) would have made it. Maybe he would. The odds were in the favor of whoever was going to win the battle between me and Kyle so I'm sure Kyle knew that. I think it’s pretty self-explanatory what happened after that. I’m proud of everyone on this Discount Tire Ford team because we worked our tails off to be in position to win the race. It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get a chance to see how it would play out.”