bigbadbrother
03-09-2014, 11:44 PM
Brad Keselowski was in the right place at the right time, winning Sunday's Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran out of gas half a lap from the end of the race.
Keselowski drove his No. 2 Penske Racing Ford past Earnhardt on the backstretch on the 267th and final lap to win the 11th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of his career and become the third different winner in as many races this season.
The victory means Keselowski is a virtual lock to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup under NASCAR's new win-and-you're-in championship format.
"Locked in the Chase early," said Keselowski, the 2012 series champion, who gave team owner Roger Penske his first Sprint Cup victory in Las Vegas. "I don't have to hear all that crap all year long about not being in the Chase."
Earnhardt held on to finish second in his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet ahead of Paul Menard's Richard Childress Racing Chevy, Joey Logano in a second Penske Ford and Carl Edwards in a Roush Fenway Racing Ford..
"It sucks to lose like that," said Earnhardt, who has not finished worse than second this season and has six consecutive top-five finishes dating back to last year. "It's tough losing like that. That thing started sputtering out of (Turn) 2."
The Penske entries were fast from the get-go. Logano started from the pole, flanked by Keselowski and it was Logano who took the early lead, as Keselowski fell back to fifth in the opening laps of the race.
Jimmie Johnson took the lead for the first time on Lap 47, by virtue of a two-tire pit stop under a caution period for debris. Thirty laps later, Kyle Busch went to the point for the first time, his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota working to perfection on the high side.
At the 100-lap mark, Busch led Johnson by 3.91 seconds, with Earnhardt third ahead of Kevin Harvick, Keselowski and Jeff Gordon.
Harvick, last week's winner in Phoenix, moved up steadily from his 16th starting position, and he took his first lead on Lap 130. Four laps later, the field hit the halfway mark, with Harvick leading Busch by 0.585 sec., followed by the Hendrick teammates Johnson, Earnhardt and Gordon.
Most of the leaders pitted for a debris caution on Lap 156, but Keselowski stayed out and took over the top spot ahead of Harvick, Johnson and Busch.
Harvick's shot at a second victory ended on Lap 195 when he had to pit for an issue with his left-front hub, which locked up. Keselowski pitted from the lead one lap later, and then Menard passed Johnson on Lap 198 to move into the No. 1 position.
After a round of green-flag pit stops, Keselowski found himself out front again on Lap 213, leading Menard, Johnson, Busch and Earnhardt.
A caution for debris sent the field down pit road on Lap 226, with most of the field opting for fuel only, but Keselowski taking two tires. Earnhardt, Edwards and Hamlin stayed out, taking over the top three spots, with Keselowski rejoining the race seventh.
With fresh rubber, Keselowski was able to move up in the closing laps, moving to second with 20 laps to go.
Earnhardt held onto the lead until the final half lap, when his tank ran dry, which allowed Keselowski to make the race-winning pass.
Keselowski drove his No. 2 Penske Racing Ford past Earnhardt on the backstretch on the 267th and final lap to win the 11th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of his career and become the third different winner in as many races this season.
The victory means Keselowski is a virtual lock to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup under NASCAR's new win-and-you're-in championship format.
"Locked in the Chase early," said Keselowski, the 2012 series champion, who gave team owner Roger Penske his first Sprint Cup victory in Las Vegas. "I don't have to hear all that crap all year long about not being in the Chase."
Earnhardt held on to finish second in his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet ahead of Paul Menard's Richard Childress Racing Chevy, Joey Logano in a second Penske Ford and Carl Edwards in a Roush Fenway Racing Ford..
"It sucks to lose like that," said Earnhardt, who has not finished worse than second this season and has six consecutive top-five finishes dating back to last year. "It's tough losing like that. That thing started sputtering out of (Turn) 2."
The Penske entries were fast from the get-go. Logano started from the pole, flanked by Keselowski and it was Logano who took the early lead, as Keselowski fell back to fifth in the opening laps of the race.
Jimmie Johnson took the lead for the first time on Lap 47, by virtue of a two-tire pit stop under a caution period for debris. Thirty laps later, Kyle Busch went to the point for the first time, his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota working to perfection on the high side.
At the 100-lap mark, Busch led Johnson by 3.91 seconds, with Earnhardt third ahead of Kevin Harvick, Keselowski and Jeff Gordon.
Harvick, last week's winner in Phoenix, moved up steadily from his 16th starting position, and he took his first lead on Lap 130. Four laps later, the field hit the halfway mark, with Harvick leading Busch by 0.585 sec., followed by the Hendrick teammates Johnson, Earnhardt and Gordon.
Most of the leaders pitted for a debris caution on Lap 156, but Keselowski stayed out and took over the top spot ahead of Harvick, Johnson and Busch.
Harvick's shot at a second victory ended on Lap 195 when he had to pit for an issue with his left-front hub, which locked up. Keselowski pitted from the lead one lap later, and then Menard passed Johnson on Lap 198 to move into the No. 1 position.
After a round of green-flag pit stops, Keselowski found himself out front again on Lap 213, leading Menard, Johnson, Busch and Earnhardt.
A caution for debris sent the field down pit road on Lap 226, with most of the field opting for fuel only, but Keselowski taking two tires. Earnhardt, Edwards and Hamlin stayed out, taking over the top three spots, with Keselowski rejoining the race seventh.
With fresh rubber, Keselowski was able to move up in the closing laps, moving to second with 20 laps to go.
Earnhardt held onto the lead until the final half lap, when his tank ran dry, which allowed Keselowski to make the race-winning pass.