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Keselowski Ignores Pain And Drives To Victory In The Pocono 500

Long Pond, Pa. – Ignoring pain from a grinding crash just four days ago, Brad Keselowski put on a gutsy performance at Pocono Raceway on Sunday to score a surprise victory in the rain-delayed Good Sam RV Insurance 500. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ace suffered a fractured ankle and foot injuries in a practice accident at Road Atlanta on Wednesday. NASCAR medical officials did clear Keselowski to race this weekend.

At Pocono, the gritty driver ran strong throughout and moved to the point on the 181st lap and held the premier position to the checkered flag, although hounded by Kyle Busch until the end.

For Keselowski, he won for the first time on challenging 2.5-mile oval and for the second time in 2011. In 74 Sprint Cup races, he has totaled three career victories. His previous best finish at Pocono was 20th a year ago.

“It is not me that should get the credit, it is just good people,” the victor said. “It’s having a Paul Wolfe (crew chief) and a team that digs. I’m no hero; the heroes are the guys (the Navy Seals) that died in Afghanistan. They were my inspiration for this weekend, and the things those guys do. I am just a race driver that races for a living.”

Discussing the race ending, the Miller Lite Dodge driver added, “You’re trying to fight yourself. Paul worked on the car and made it better. I knew if we got out front on that last restart we’d be tough to catch. I had a mirror full of the No. 18 car, but our Dodge was just a little bit better today.”

Asked about the pain he had to endure, Keselowski commented, “It doesn’t feel good, but I’ll be alright. It just hurts, but it felt better when I took the checkered flag.”

Kyle Busch finished .791 seconds behind in the M&M’s Toyota. He fought back from an early race spin and drive through penalty for the strong finish.

“It was a good day considering everything,” Busch said. “We lost an opportunity to come out of here with a win, get in the Sprint Showdown and get another win going into the Chase. We missed it, and I hate it for my guys. If I had to change anything, I don’t think I would.

“The last caution flag killed us. Our car was fast out front and I was trying to stay low, but I got caught up with Jimmie Johnson. Kurt (Busch) gave me a shot to get away from Jimmie, as I didn’t want to be back there. All in all a great day, and I wished I could have won on one of my favorite tracks.”

Kurt Busch survived a late race bash with Johnson to gain third place in the Shell/Pennzoil Dodge. The two champion drivers banged fenders several times during the final laps – each passing the other at least once – and Busch held forth at the finish.

During the cool down lap, the two exchanged gestures and once they stopped, a heated exchange took place.

Commenting on the battle with Johnson, Busch stated, “We had a good battle with him. For us to beat the No. 48 was good, as I often come out on the short end of the stick. What I saw today was good hard racing. Juking and rubbing back and forth is just racing; that’s what race fans love to see.

“We were racing hard, and it is just what you saw on TV. I raced him hard, and I am glad I did with no regrets. He jabbed me and I jabbed him back.”

Said the elder Busch about the race, “Today was a hard-fought battle, and we managed to run up front and exchange the lead with Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin, running third, fourth or fifth. We always start off good, but slide back once the track rubbers in.

“When the rains came, we pitted for tires just before the race was stopped. At the time, I thought my crew chief was crazy, but we came out one-two after the restart. My car just took off, but we had to hang on at the end. I was rooting for the two guys in front of me to wreck each other, so I could win. Anybody but the No. 48 (Johnson) would be okay with me.”

Busch borrowed Keselowski’s race set up, and he said was pleased with the outcome, smiling to himself throughout the race.

A frustrated Johnson took fourth place in the Lowe’s Chevrolet. “Kurt (Busch) said I turned down on him, but I don’t have a clue about it. We will work it out,” he commented, showing strong dissatisfaction with the result.

Ryan Newman garnered fifth in the Tornados Chevrolet with Jeff Gordon sixth in the Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet.

Carl Edwards raced to seventh place ahead of teammate Greg Biffle and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Tenth place went to Brickyard 400 winner Paul Menard.

Tony Stewart had an off day but maneuvered his way into 11th place.

Rain was forecast to roll in during the race, and it arrived on the 123rd lap and the race had to be stopped a lap later. At the time, Joey Logano held the lead and would have been the winner had the race been called. Johnson was a close second, having passed two cars just before the rains came. Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Busch were third and fourth.

Hamlin led 65 laps but fell back after the race resumed, ending up 15th after lug nuts fell off during a pit stop. Logano also had a late-race issue and ended up 26th.

With more rain predicted, NASCAR officials were undeterred, drying the track and continuing the race after a two-hour delay. Somewhat surprisingly, the weather held out and the full 200 laps were completed.

Edwards continues to lead the point stands with a nine marker advantage over Johnson. Kyle Busch gained a position to third and is 11 behind with Kurt Busch picking up two places, gaining fourth, 14 behind the leader.

Trailing this quartet are Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Gordon, Newman, Stewart and Earnhardt. Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer are in the vulnerable 11th and 12th places with five races remaining before the Chase field is set.

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