NXS: Brad Keselowski Goes From Rear of Field to Runner-Up

After qualifying second, Brad Keselowski had to start at the rear of the field for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 due to unapproved adjustments following qualifying – namely changing the fuel gauge and pump due to pressure issues. The past champion quickly made his way through the field to the top-five, running up front during the second half of the event. In parts, it looked as though the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang could go to victory lane. However, it wouldn’t be Keselowski’s night as he would finish second after Erik Jones was able to gap him on the final restart with 26 laps to go.

“We ran wide-open there and that’s always cool when you’re running wide-open in one of these things side-by-side and it was just a matter of who was gonna lift first and neither of us lifted and he just cleared me and drove by me,” Keselowski said. “It’s just part of the deal. He had a great car and Erik did a really fantastic job today, but we just came up a bit short today. I thought we were pretty strong at times and maybe had something for him. We got a little bit of damage on that last pit stop cycle, which I think probably hurt us a little bit, but who knows?

“All in all it was a good race, kind of up and down and recovering from some different track position battles with the start of the race and then someone got off in the grass in front of me on one of the cycles there and had to pit and clear that off. It was up and down and just barely missed it there at the end.”

For Jones, it marked his first career XFINITY victory, in which the 18-year-old boosted in victory lane about how good it felt to beat the Sprint Cup guys.

“I’ve watched him race in the Truck Series and he does a great job,” Keselowski commented. “He’s certainly right there with what that youth movement kind of demands to be successful, so this is certainly a huge notch in his belt so I’m happy for him.”

Jones becomes the second straight driver to score a first career victory at Texas, with Chase Elliott scoring his first victory spring. Whether the track leads to first winners is something that Keselowski doesn’t see as a catalyst. He feels that it’s just good drivers putting forth a great effort and getting the job done.

Keselowski, considered among the seasoned drivers of the sport now, understands that there are plenty of youngguns, including Jones, that are looking to break into the Sprint Cup Series. It’s a discussion that has been discussed over the past couple of years, versus a period from 2003 to 2013 where you didn’t hear about any new faces coming into the sport. Keselowski says that’s a case of the spells that you go through where you have a period of young blood, followed by no young blood and then back to it once again. Though while there’s new blood, that doesn’t mean that the veterans want to give up those seats for them.

“That’s always existed to the point where you don’t want to get out of the seat because you’re worried about getting replaced, but that’s part of it,” Keselowski commented. “I know a lot of it is I just don’t want to get out of the seat because I love racing and I don’t know how to make money doing anything else. I think everyone has their own motivation. It’s not something I sit and worry about, but maybe some others do.”