NASCAR Quaker State 400 Results; Brad Keselowski Wins For Second Time In Kentucky
Brad Keselowski started at the pole and led most of the NASCAR State 400, leading a total of 199 of the race’s 267 laps on his way to taking the checkered flag. Tonight’s win at Kentucky Speedway is Keselowski’s second Sprint Cup series win this year, solidifying his spot int he Chase for the Cup. This was Brad’s second Quaker State 400 victory at Kentucky Speedway and his first Sprint Cup victory from the pole position.
Kyle Busch finished second, 1.105 seconds behind Keselowski, followed by Ryan Newman in third. Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. round out the top five finishers. The remaining drivers in the top ten were Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, and Jimmie Johnson. All four Hendricks Motorsports cars finished in the top ten. You can find the complete list of finishing positions here.
Tonight’s third place finish was Ryan Newman’s best finish of the year and first top five finish in the 2014 Sprint Cup Series.
The only drivers to seriously challenge Brad Keselowski for the lead in the Quaker State 400 were joey Logano, who led 37 laps and appeared poised to keep the lead until he apparently lost a cylinder in lap 251, and Kyle Busch, who led for 31 laps. Keselowski, Logano and Busch traded the front spot a total of 12 times in the Quaker State 400.
The first drivers out of the race were Denny Hamlin and Mike Bliss, who both left the race in lap 49. Hamlin has an accident and Bliss had engine trouble.
Keseloski enjoyed a long run without cautions in the home stretch, with the final caution of the night coming in lap 214 when Aric Almirola smacked the wall. All told, there were six cautions lasting a total of 34 laps.
Jeff Gordon retains the lead in the points standings, with Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. tied for second at 24 points behind Gordon. After winning tonight’s NASCAR Quaker State 400, Brad Keselowski is in fourth place int he points standings. Matt Kenseth is in fifth.
Today’s victory puts Brad Keselowski into the third seed on the Chase Grid with nine races left before the Chase for the Cup, NASCAR’s version of the playoffs. Keselowski has two wins, eight top fives and nine top tens.
Keseloski’s checkered flag pulls him alongside Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick with two wins apiece, following Jimmie Johnson who leads all NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers with three wins this season.
Drivers will head to Daytona International Speedway next week for the NASCAR Coke Zero 400.
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