Despite third-place finish at Kansas, Brad Keselowski wants more

Despite third-place finish at Kansas, Brad Keselowski wants more

 

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

 

(October 9, 2011)

 

KANSAS CITY, Kan.—Brad Keselowski has at least one trait that’s very beneficial to a racecar driver—he’s never satisfied.

 

Yes, Keselowski combined aggressive driving with excellent strategy to finish third in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. But he was still rueful about the one that got away.

 

Though he’s fourth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings, 11 points behind leader Carl Edwards, Keselowski was thinking more of his missed opportunity last Sunday at Dover, where he ran 20th after a power steering failure, than he was of his three top-five results in four Chase races.

 

“Another solid day for us thus far,” Keselowski said after the race. “Makes you kick yourself that last week at Dover we had troubles we did, because we’ve had top-five cars each and every week, (and) we’re executing very well as a group and as a team.

 

“Just the things that we can control we’re doing very well. So I’m proud of everything and proud of our efforts.”

 

Keselowski and Denny Hamlin stayed out when all the other lead-lap cars came to the pits under caution on Lap 241 of 272. The move proved beneficial, as Keselowski was able to hold off every other driver save race winner Jimmie Johnson and runner-up Kasey Kahne.

 

Facetiously, Keselowski accused Johnson of stealing the No. 22 Dodge Challenger that Keselowski had driven to a dominant win in Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 Nationwide Series race.

 

“Paul Wolfe, my crew chief, used great strategy,” Keselowski said. “We did the best we could. I think Jimmie went in the garage and stole my 22 Nationwide car, because there was nobody going to run with him all day.

 

“His car was just way better. … To get a third place out of this, if it wasn’t for that power steering last week, we’d probably have the points lead. Those failures, those troubles, they’re going to come the 48’s (Johnson’s) way, and when it does, we’ll be there.”