USA TODAY International Edition
Keselowski opens playoffs with 3rd win in row
LAS VEGAS – Brad Keselowski won his third consecutive race on Sunday — but that was the only thing even remotely predictable about the South Point 400, as NASCAR’s playoffs began with a wild afternoon that shook up the race for the championship.
Keselowski came into the 10-race postseason of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with more momentum than any other driver, and this triumph offered further proof that he is one of the primary contenders for the title.
Yet the 34-year-old, sitting fourth in the playoff standings heading into the race, was forced to survive a tumultuous catalog of events that provided thrills and spills at Las Vegas Motor Speedway before holding off Kyle Larson and defending NASCAR champion Martin Truex Jr. over the closing two-lap overtime period as caution flags abounded at the end.
As temperatures in the desert climbed above 100 degrees, there was carnage, with 12 of the 16 playoff contenders being involved in some kind of accident over the course of 272 intense and entertaining laps.
The race came under yellow three times during the final 20 laps, plus a red-flag stoppage with two laps remaining, leading to overtime. But each time Keselowski was able to answer the bell by blasting clear, especially when it mattered most at the end — as he pushed away from Truex and left him and Larson to battle for second.
After all the talk of the Big Three, Keselowski’s latest win suggests that maybe the chatter should be of a “Big Four” as the playoff schedule progresses, moving on to Richmond Raceway next weekend.
Kevin Harvick, winner of seven races during the year, had his day ruined by a wreck in turn one of lap 147, before angrily criticizing the quality of the Goodyear tires in a subsequent television interview, describing the equipment as like a driving version of “Russian roulette.”
His problems also took out unfortunate pole-sitter Erik Jones, who was unable to avoid plowing into Harvick on the high line and had his race ended by the resulting damage to put him in increased danger of playoff elimination when the first cut comes in two weeks’ time.
Points leader Kyle Busch had been finding things tough all day, then got loose on lap 232 and found himself on the infield. However, despite never contending for the lead, Busch was able to keep his No. 18 running and ultimately placed seventh thanks to the numerous incidents around him.
But it was Keselowski’s day and showed that for all the dominance of the big names over the previous months, the playoffs are a different story altogether. Keselowski’s win means he is now guaranteed to progress to the second round of the playoffs, but he is setting his sights much higher than that.