2 weeks Ago
Brad Keselowski is a NASCAR Cup Series champion. He's won 36 races. He's also successful in the business of racing.
He's largely credited with turning around the Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing organization since his arrival in 2022 as a part owner, including totaling six wins between himself and Chris Buescher. That success has earned him respect throughout the garage. His voice matters.
He shared that voice on Sunday after the final race in the Round of 8 at Martinsville when Ryan Blaney won and automatically advanced to the Championship 4 race at Phoenix next weekend. But in what has become an all-too-familiar scene for fans this season, it wasn't the race winner Keselowski or anyone else was talking about after the checkered flag fell but controversy. On an early November evening in Virginia on The Paper Clip, there was an abundance of it.
Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images There were three contentious items in question, and interestingly, two involved race manipulation. The first occurred when William Byron found himself in that final spot to advance to the championship race in Phoenix on points and his car began to fade in that final stage. He could not afford to lose any additional positions when a pair of Chevrolets conveniently driven by Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon pulled behind the HMS car with less than 20 laps to go and instead of passing, formed a blockade, preventing any potential competitors from getting close to the No.
24, including Keselowski. Both the Nos. 1 and 3 team radios confirmed there was coordination and, effectively, race manipulation.
Radio comms between Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon’s crews. @AlwaysRaceDay pic.twitter.
com/MLLFr6mBmi The other two question marks involved Christopher Bell. His first was race manipulation-related due to the rapid decline of fellow Toyota driver Bubba Wallace on the final lap. The No.
23 rapidly dropped numerous positions, which allowed the No. 20 to pass him and pick up the critical final necessary spot to get even with Byron in the points but advance on a tiebreaker. Wallace's team radio also reported a potential tire issue in the final trips around the track.
After the 29-year-old JGR driver aggressively passed the 23XI car, he slid up into the wall, hit the gas and rode it around the corner for a couple of seconds, similar to Ross Chastain's "Hail Melon" in 2022. That move was ruled a penalty starting in 2023 and considered a safety violation. In a season full of controversy, it only seemed fitting that the final race to decide who goes to the championship included a little drama.
NASCAR officials added to it by deliberating for 26 minutes after Blaney crossed the finish line before announcing that the No. 20 was penalized for committing a safety violation. The drop in position and points meant Byron finished ahead and would advance.
Keselowski didn't sugarcoat what he thought about the situation. This should be the last straw on the camel’s back for the playoffs. https://t.
co/j4Z5MSGkjo "This should be the last straw on the camel’s back for the playoffs," he replied on X to a post talking about the finish. The playoffs have been criticized by some fans since their inception. Others like the format and what it produces.
On Sunday night at Martinsville, it produced the two remaining finalists for Phoenix and plenty of drama and controversy. Related: NASCAR Driver Brad Keselowski is Taking Ownership On and Off the Track.
