Ford Performance NASCAR: Logano and Keselowski Post-Race Quotes

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Autotrader Ford Mustang – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW

“We lost our track position there for a minute, but was able to just stay patient and work on it and this amazing fast race car allowed me to really make some great moves on the racetrack and getting the push there on the last lap to get to the outside of Brad.  Just getting to break the plane of his back bumper was gonna be my only chance there and I was able to get him there and get the push from the 20 on the backstretch.  Overall, just a really fast Ford Mustang is what it came down to.  It’s nice to win with Autotrader on the car.  I don’t think I’ve ever won a race without Shell on the car.  It means a lot to get this one in Victory Lane.  It’s been a lot of years coming.  Atlanta, this means so much to me to win here.  So many memories of driving my Legends car right here where we’re standing when I was 9 years old.  This is a really special one and a dream come true.”

YOU WERE ABLE TO CONTROL THE FIELD MUCH OF THE DAY, BUT HOW DID IT CHANGE THE FINAL STAGE?  “The intensity ratcheted up, obviously.  I’ve got great teammates and I wanted to stick with them.  There were plenty of times I could have moved up, but I didn’t want to leave my teammates down there.  I wanted them behind me.  I knew how fast their cars were.  If I could pick one, that’s the one I want, so I was able to try to keep them with me.  I thought with two to go the outside lane got three cars, four cars clear and I was like, ‘I don’t know if I’m gonna make it here,’ but I got a good push – enough to get to the outside of the 6 and that was the big difference.”

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 King’s Hawaiian Ford Mustang – “The bottom row came with a huge run.  I don’t know how and I thought I had it blocked and Joey just kept shaking and his car didn’t stall out.  I couldn’t get the push down the back.  I thought, ‘I’ll just get a push down the back,’ and the 20 car just hauled down there.  A great run all-in-all for our RFK King’s Hawaiian Ford Mustang.  We were right there.  I’m glad a Ford won.  It was a heck of a battle.  The coolest thing about this is two veterans showed that you can run a race here side-by-side bump drafting and not wreck the field.  It can happen if you race respectfully and I thought everybody did a great job.  We were right there.  I’m proud of my team and the effort, just not much we could do there.”

YOUR TEAM HAS COME SO FAR.  “It’s night and day from where we were a year ago, 100 percent.  You just keep running like this with good finishes and the wins will come.”