Keselowski Races From Pole to Top-5 Result at The Glen
August 10, 2014
THE RACE
Zippo 200 at the Glen – Watkins Glen International (2.45-mile road course, Watkins Glen, N.Y.)
Saturday, August 9, 2014
THE RESULTS
The 12 Snap-on Ford Mustang
Driver: Brad Keselowski
Starting Position: 1
Finish Position: 4
Owners'Points Position: 2
THE RACE REVIEW
· Brad Keselowski and the No. 22 Hertz Ford team started from the pole for the Zippo 200 at the Glen. The pole winning effort represented the fourth pole of the season for Keselowski and the No. 22 Team Penske crew.
· As the green flag waved to start the action, Keselowski moved out front and lead the first five circuits before teammate Joey Logano passed him at lap six.
· At lap 10 Keselowski worked his way back around Logano and once again took the lead. He led through lap 18 when the No. 22 Hertz Ford made its first stop of the day.
· A caution flag on lap 11 would prove pivotal in the outcome of the race as two lead pack cars, the No. 09 of Marcos Ambrose and the No. 54 of Kyle Busch pitted early to take tires. The strategy allowed them to just take fuel only on their next stop and pass Keselowski when he pitted for the first time at lap 18.
· The Team Penske machine was a little too free everywhere so crew chief Jeremy Bullins made a chassis adjustment during that first stop.
· As the field cycled through pit stops, the No. 22 machine fell back as far as 28th. Once the field had all pitted, Keselowski was scored in the fourth position.
· Keselowski would hold position in the top-four over most of the balance of the 82-lap event. He made a couple of spirited attempts to pass the third-place car of Busch, but he was unable to make the pass stick.
· As the laps wound down, Keselowski did his utmost to improve position but had to settle for a fourth-place finish.
· The result allows the No. 22 to hold onto the second spot in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Owners’ point standings, trailing the No. 54 of Joe Gibbs Racing by just three points.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
BRAD KESELOWSKI, DRIVER NO. 22 HERTZ FORD
NOT QUITE THE DAY YOU HAD HOPED FOR OUT THERE, TELL US ABOUT YOUR RACE.
“We had a real fast Penske Hertz Mustang. We just came up a little short. I thought we had really good speed and made some runs at it but not enough to clear on the passes that I needed. Whoever got up front looked like they were going to use the clean air to run away and Marcos did a great job with that and we just came up a bit short.”
WHAT DID YOU LEARN FOR TOMORROW IN THE CUP CAR?
“It is so difficult to pass and it will be probably even more difficult in the Cup car so we have to find a way to fight through it.”