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SPORTS Monday 16 october 2017

Keselowski races way into 3rd round of NASCAR’s playoffs

By JENNA FRYER next week’s elimination
AP Auto Racing Writer race at Kansas. Crew chief
TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — To Paul Wolfe told Keselowski
win the championship this he was going to need to
year, Team Penske told win Sunday because the
Brad Keselowski he had to Fords haven’t run as well as
win at Talladega Super- the other playoff contend-
speedway. ers on intermediate tracks,
So he did. so this was his shot.
Again. Wolfe didn’t doubt the
Keselowski earned an au- driver could deliver. When
tomatic berth into the third the elimination format was
round of the playoffs with a rolled out in 2014, Kesel-
victory Sunday at Tallade- owski had to win Talladega
ga, where he considered to advance. The race this
himself lucky to finish after year was moved to the
a sloppy day for NASCAR. middle event of the sec-
“I survived,” Keselowski ond round, so eliminations
said. “I feel like only eight weren’t at stake, but Kes-
cars finished the race. It elowski needed a big day.
was one of those crazy “As we tried to understand
days ... a lot of attrition.” what we need to do in
There were just 14 cars run- each round and look at our NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski holds up the trophy after the Alabama 500 at Talladega
ning at the conclusion, strengths and weaknesses Superspeedway, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, in Talladega, Ala.
and only four were play- ... I looked at Talladega Associated Press
off drivers. The race was and this round as an op- reer Cup win was at Talla- us a top-five out of a day afternoon.
red-flagged three times for portunity,” Wolfe said. “This dega in 2009. that looked like we may McMURRAY’s BAD DAY:
nearly 35 minutes. By avoid- was going to be our path Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished not even finish. I’m proud Jamie McMurray’s cham-
ing the carnage, Keselows- to make it to Homestead, seventh in his final race at of that.” pionship chances took a
ki won for the fifth time at and that was going to be Talladega, where he and Denny Hamlin finished sixth, huge hit when he misfired
Talladega and gave Ford winning Talladega. his late father combined the best of the Toyota driv- on his attempt to pit early in
a season sweep of the four “When he gets in these situ- to win 16 Cup races. Ala- ers. But the manufacturer’s the race. He was too high
restrictor-plate races. Most ations, you’re going to get bama declared Sunday playoff streak came to an on the track when he tried
important, though, is that the most out of him. You’ve “Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day.” end after Martin Truex Jr. to dart low to make the
he knows he’s still in the got to have a little bit of “This has been a hell of a and Kyle Busch gave Toyo- entrance to pit road, and
hunt for his second Cup ti- help, lucky breaks, what- weekend for me, and I’m ta wins in the first four play- forcing the issue in traffic
tle. The victory vaulted him ever you want to call them, glad to be able to finish off races. caused him to wreck.
from 10th to second in the along the way, but I knew if and finish well. That means Of the top 10 finishers, only He entered the day in the
playoff standings. “You’d we had that, our cars have a lot to me,” Earnhardt Keselowski and Hamlin transfer position for the
love to be able to pat your- been fast enough, and said. “I know a lot of folks were playoff drivers. playoffs, but he finished
self on the back and say he’s talented enough at came and traveled here The rest of the 12-driver 37th on Sunday and is now
it’s all skill, but there is some these tracks that I knew we to see us run, so I know playoff field had a rough last in the 12-driver field.q
luck that’s involved in this,” could get it done.” they’re disappointed we
Keselowski said. “When you Keselowski was the leader didn’t win, but I’m glad
come here, probably three when the race resumed they got to see us run the
out of every four races with three laps remaining, whole event, and hope-
you’re going to get caught but was passed by Ryan fully they enjoyed it.”
up in a wreck. But the races Newman, who stayed out Newman finished second
where you have the good front until the final lap. in a Chevrolet and was fol-
fortune, where you don’t Then Keselowski made his lowed by Trevor Bayne, Lo-
get caught up in a wreck move around Newman on gano and Aric Almirola —
or you don’t have some- the high side of the track all non-playoff drivers.
thing break or any of those to take the lead, and a “Brad and I work really well
things, you have to take crossover move held off together on these speed-
those races, run up front both Newman and Penske ways,” Logano said. “I was
and win them. teammate Joey Logano. able to push him up to the
“That’s what we’ve been Keselowski then collected lead and I thought, ‘Alright,
able to do.” the American flag for the now I got you to the lead.
Talladega was the perfect victory lap on his 24th ca- It’s my turn to get up there
place for Keselowski to reer Cup win, which came and try to win this thing.’
take the stress off before in his 300th start. His first ca- Our never-quit-attitude got