News

Track:                    New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Race:                     Overton's 200
Date:                     July 15, 2017

No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang – Brad Keselowski

Start:  2nd
Finish: 5th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 200/200
Laps Led: 102
Owners' Points Position (ahead of second): 1st (+98)

Recap: Brad Keselowski and the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang were the dominant duo on Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the Overton's 200, but a pit road penalty with less than 30 laps to go resulted in an unfortunate fifth-place finish for the former series champion. Keselowski started the NASCAR XFINITY Series event from the third position, but showed early that the Discount Tire machine was going to be the class of the field all day long.  Keselowski took the lead for the first time just three laps into the event, lost it briefly but regained the top spot on lap 28. Unfortunately, a passing rain shower brought out a nearly 45-minute red-flag condition around lap 31.  Once the race resumed, crew chief Greg Erwin brought Keselowski in for a two-tire pit stop, resulting in an eventual fifth-place finish at the end of stage one.  Keselowski dominated stage two and earned the No. 22 team a crucial playoff point in the race for the 2017 XFINITY Series Owners' Championship. As the final stage began, the No. 22 Discount Tire Mustang once again proved the dominant car, pacing the field from lap 102 to 170, when Keselowski came in for his final stop of the day. Unfortunately, during that final pit stop, the gas can got caught in the fuel filler nozzle and the Discount Tire Ford Mustang carried it outside the pit box. That resulted in a stop-and-go penalty, which came under green-flag conditions, and dropped Keselowski down to the ninth position. He was able to drive his way back to fifth, but a lack of a late caution flag kept the team for fighting for their second victory of the season. Keselowski was able to lead a race-high 102 laps in the race and extended the No. 22 team’s lead in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Owners’ point standings to 98 over the No. 42 from Chip Ganassi Racing.

Quote:  "We just had an ill-timed pit road penalty there at the end of the race. I don't have a much better way to say it than that. It is always fun being fast and leading the most laps and all, that but we just didn't put the whole race together today."