Keselowski picks up must-win
TALLADEGA, Ala. — Brad Keselowski packed a punch on the track, the only place that mattered after a controversial week.
Pushed around in the garage, he came out fighting like a champion at Talladega Superspeedway, where his win Sunday staved off elimination and pushed him into the third round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
“There’s a part of me that’s come to accept that this isn’t going to be easy,” Keselowski said, referring to both his week and his career.
Fined $50,000 by NASCAR this week for his post-race meltdown at Charlotte, Keselowski’s professionalism had been under attack and his season was slipping away. He reported for work at Talladega, where he had to win to remain in title-contention.
It was no easy task as Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were in the same must-win position, and hadn’t been knocked around all week the way Keselowski was for losing his cool at Charlotte.
“I’ll take the 50 grand and the win this week, wouldn’t you?” Keselowski team owner Roger Penske said. The owner and driver can just take the fine out of the winner’s check of $288,361.
But Penske, winner of the IndyCar title this year with Will Power, strongly defended the driver who gave him his first career Cup title two seasons ago.
“These guys are jealous of the job he’s done this year,” Penske said. “He’s won six races. He’s made poles. He’s been up front. Nobody likes to see a guy win like that.
“I want him to get mad. I don’t want him to take it. We talked about it (last week). I said, `Brad, put it in the rearview mirror.”’
Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick, the winners of the first two races in the second round, also advanced to the third three-race round along with Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin and Kenseth. The field will be cut to four after the ninth race. Points are reset after each round, and the title will be decided by finishing order in the Nov. 16 finale at Homestead.
After the race, NASCAR said Newman’s car failed inspection because it was too low on both sides of the back of his Chevrolet. Penalties will likely be issued Tuesday.
