News

Track:  Kentucky Speedway
Race:   Kentucky 300
Date:   July 10, 2015

No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang – Brad Keselowski
Start:  4th
Finish: 1st (33rd-career NASCAR Xfinity Series win)
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 200/200
Laps Led: 72
Points Position:  1 (+43 points)
 
Recap: Brad Keselowski and the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang team started the Kentucky 300 from the fourth position, led 72 laps and went on to claim Team Penske's 50th NASCAR XFINITY Series victory, taking the checkers Friday night at Kentucky Speedway. The field was set based on the lone practice session Thursday after steady rains caused qualifying to be canceled on Friday.  Over the opening laps of the event, Keselowski slipped from fourth to ninth place as his Ford Mustang was extremely loose. The Discount Tire crew made adjustments over the course of the race and Keselowski made his way to the lead for the first time at lap 79. He would go on to lead a total of three times for 72 laps. The former XFINITY Series champion had to work for the victory as he fell to second after green flag stops, and then took the lead at lap 165 after taking two tires on the last pit stop of the night. Following the final restart on lap 169, Keselowski once again fell to second. However, Keselowski battled back to take the lead for the final time at lap 192 and went on to take the checkered flag. The win marks Team Penske's 50th NXS victory, Keselowski's 27th NXS win for Team Penske and, overall, his 33rd-career NXS win. The milestone victory keeps the No. 22 Discount Tire at the front of the Owners' Standings, holding a 43-point advantage over the No. 60 of Roush-Fenway Racing.
 
Quote: "We had a good car tonight and I think probably the top three were all real close. Kyle (Busch) and I at one point had kind of stretched out a pretty good lead over Erik (Jones), and maybe I built up a little bit of a false sense of confidence because when Erik got by me there on that last restart I thought, ‘We'll get right back by him,' and it was not easy. That's a credit to Greg (Erwin, crew chief) and the team for having a great car to where we could make the most of the opportunity. I feel very, very humbled and proud to get to drive a car this good year in and year out at the XFINITY Series level. To hit that 50-win number for Roger is special. I don't know how many of those are mine, but I hope most of them are. I think this is really a key win for me. I was kind of reflecting in victory lane. It feels really good to get back in the car and I feel like I'm a good driver, but when you get in this car and win that confidence, that momentum, you just feel it in your soul, you feel it in your body and that energy that you have it just really feels special and I'm very pumped about this win today and feeling very much like we can carry it into tomorrow."