Faced with a must-win scenario to keep his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship hopes alive, Brad Keselowski led his Roush Yates powered Ford Fusion to a spectacular victory.
The Redd’s Wicked Apple Ale car started the Geico 500 at Talladega near the tail end of the field. Keselowski’s day was nearly ruined early on when Jamie McMurray blew a tire and spun into the side of his door. Keselowski worked his way to the front of the field and survived two green-white-checker finishes to clinch his spot in the semifinal Eliminator Round of the chase.
“We just persevered,” Keselowski said. “We didn’t give up. I got a lot of help from my teammate Joey Logano and wow, this is just special. Everything about today is special. I want to say ‘Thank you’ to everyone that supports our team.”
This is Brad’s sixth series win of the season, third at Talladega and 16th of his career. Both Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano will advance along with Carl Edwards from Roush Fenway Racing to contend for the coveted Sprint Cup Championship.
Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney had a great run on only his second Sprint Cup start. Blaney qualified fourth and led 15 laps during the Geico 500.
The RY-45 built by Durham Racing Engines and Scott Bloomquist continue their success by collecting $50,000 Sunday at Portsmouth Raceway Park. Bloomquist started 4th in the annual Optima Batteries Dirt Track World Championship and put on a show racing for the lead with his Sweet-Bloomquist Chassis.
On lap 61, Bloomquist showed dominance by taking the lead away from Jimmy Owens in the 100 Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model event. For the remainder of the race Scott would maintain the lead and take the checkered flag continuing his winning season. This marks Bloomquist’s second DTWC victory and one of multiple crown jewel wins of the year.
“I came here very confident,” Bloomquist said Sunday after the race. “We’ve run so well every time we’ve been here. All I was hoping for was a racetrack that you could maneuver, and it turned out to be just that. Nothing was going to hold us up. I feel like we had the superior car and it was just a good night overall.”
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