Keselowski embracing ‘survivorship mentality’ of NASCAR’s postseason
Brad Keselowski has the perfect of each worlds going into the primary elimination race of the NASCAR Cup Sequence postseason Saturday evening at Bristol Motor Speedway.
As the motive force of the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford Mustang, Keselowski is solidly above the cutline. Sitting fifth on the playoff grid, Keselowski, the 2012 sequence champion, is 33 factors to the great. And because the co-owner of the No. 17 Ford Mustang, Keselowski and Chris Buescher have an opportunity to advance each vehicles into the following spherical. Buescher is 13 factors above the cutline.
“It’s good to have each vehicles within the black and never within the crimson in terms of factors,” Keselowski mentioned this week. “After all, the 6 automobile having an excellent 30-something level cushion, which is sufficient to really feel fairly comfy so long as we simply don’t have a whole catastrophe of a race. The 17, nonetheless having a cushion someplace over 10 factors… that’s higher than nothing, actually, and higher than being within the crimson.”
Had it not been for a tire failure inside the ultimate 10 laps final weekend at Kansas Speedway, Buescher is perhaps effectively above the cutline as effectively. Buescher was working twelfth when the precise rear tire blew and despatched him into the wall. He completed twenty seventh, as Keselowski completed ninth.
“In order that was unlucky, however I’m fairly assured that we will have two sturdy vehicles and good runs this weekend, and looking out ahead to repeating our outcomes from final fall at Bristol,” Keselowski mentioned. “Quite a lot of vitality, numerous pleasure for RFK with each groups and I’m actually pumped to go to Bristol this week – it’s considered one of my favourite tracks.”
Buescher is the defending race winner at Bristol Motor Speedway. He and Keselowski, who weren’t part of the 2022 postseason, dominated the evening with a mixed 278 of 500 laps led. It was Buescher in victory lane, however Keselowski blew a tire whereas main with 87 laps to go.
The energy of two top-10 finishes within the first two playoff races has positioned Keselowski effectively going into the Tennessee bullring. Nevertheless, Keselowski appeared to downplay the workforce’s efficiency when he posted on X, previously Twitter, after Kansas that he and his workforce have been “surviving” after growing his playoff benefit.
“Surviving and thriving could not at all times be the identical, however generally surviving is prospering within the playoffs, by the way in which, the way in which these items are arrange,” Keselowski mentioned. “I assume everybody has a special perspective on it. I wish to get by way of every spherical the perfect we will after which transfer on.
“In the end, for those who get to the Championship 4, no one else cares in regards to the 9 races earlier than that. Conversely, you possibly can win two or three races and never make the ultimate 4, and it nonetheless not be thought of an excellent 12 months. I believe the way in which that this factor is about up, it’s important to simply repeatedly survive. It’s a survivorship mentality.”
Keselowski is a three-time winner at Bristol.
