|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Keselowski Runs Out of Fuel, Finishes 21st at Chicagoland |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Joliet, Ill. July 9, 2010
Brad Keselowski, driver of the Penske Racing No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Charger
in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, finished 21st in the Dollar General 300 powered
by Coca-Cola at Chicagoland Speedway on Friday night. Despite leading laps, a
late-race miscue on pit road resulted in Keselowski running out of fuel with two
laps to go in a race that ended under green-white-checkered flag conditions. He
was able to pull down pit road for fuel and complete the event keeping his
NASCAR-record streak of consecutive Nationwide Series finishes alive at 85
races.
Keselowski continues to lead the Nationwide Series driver point standings by 227
points over second-place contender Carl Edwards. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
In the final practice session of the day on Friday, Keselowski posted the
fifth-quickest lap overall with a fast-lap time of 30.641 seconds, or 176.234
mph, placing him in great shape to contend for what would be his fifth series
pole award of the season. However, he came up three-thousandths of a second
short with a lap of 30.421 seconds and had to settle for the outside of the
front row with a second-place starting position.
As the race began, Keselowski was able to maintain his position inside the top
three in the running order despite a tight handling condition in the center of
both ends of the 1.5-mile track. He was able to assume the lead for one circuit
on lap 56 before bringing his car down pit road for service under the green
flag. Crew chief Paul Wolfe called for air pressure adjustments to help the
tight condition. When the pit stop sequence cycled through, Keselowski found
himself back in the lead. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Keselowski was able to pace the field in his No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Charger
for the next 20 laps before relinquishing the lead on lap 80 due to a handling
condition that moved to the loose side. He began to try different lines around
the track on lap 114 in an attempt to pick up valuable time, while also trying
to fix the handling condition with a different driving style. He was successful
in doing so and began running the fastest lap times of any driver inside the top
five.
A caution period on lap 143 gave Wolfe the opportunity to call Keselowski down
pit road for track bar and air pressure adjustments in an attempt to give
Keselowski the car he needed to contend for the win. He restarted the race in
the eighth position on lap 147, but he quickly drove back inside the top five by
lap 160. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
When the third caution flag of the race flew on lap 187 for debris, all of the
leaders made their way down pit road for what many thought would be the final
time. Keselowski drove by his pit stall and was unable to bring his car to the
attention of his crew. Instead of losing valuable track position by entering pit
road on the next caution lap, Keselowski remained on the track to restart the
race as the leader on lap 190, despite tires that had 45 laps on them and a fuel
tank that was close to running empty by the end of the race.
Keselowski gave up the lead on lap 191, but he showed great determination by
keeping his car in the second position with an opportunity to grab an improbable
finish. The fourth caution of the night flew on lap 198, assuring that the race
would finish in overtime. All of the leaders elected to stay on track. However,
as Keselowski exited Turn 4 to restart the race, his Dodge Charger ran out of
fuel. As the race restarted, Keselowski came down pit road for a quick splash of
fuel. He was able to make it back to the track, but the race ended under caution
with Keselowski one lap down to the race winner in 21st place.
Penske Racing teammates Justin Allgaier and Parker Kligerman finished 10th and
13th, respectively. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
"I just missed my pit stall," said Keselowski. "It wasn't going to hurt us
(until the final caution and a green-white-checkered finish). It was going to be
great for us; it was going to give us a second-place finish, maybe even better.
I guess we were six laps to the good and running under yellow just sucked all
the gas out of the car. I ran out coming to the green flag. It's just one of
those deals I guess."
The No.22 Discount Tire Dodge Charger team will move to Gateway International
Raceway next weekend for the Illinois-Missouri Dodge Dealers 250. The race can
be seen live on Saturday, July 17, on ESPN beginning at 7 p.m. EDT. The event
can also be heard live on MRN Radio, as well as Sirius Satellite Radio Channel
128. |
|
|
|
|
|
Visit the Racing News Archive to read previously featured stories. |
|
|
|
|
