Keselowski dominates in playoff win at Richmond Hamilton wins crash-marred Tuscan GPrix, Bottas second
Allgaier completes Xfinity weekend sweep
RICHMOND, Va, Sept 13, (AP): Brad Keselowski entered NASCAR’s playoffs certain he has as good a chance at the Cup championship as favorites Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin.
He even predicted he’d win at Richmond Raceway.
His confidence was justified as Keselowski dominated Saturday night at Richmond Raceway, leading 192 laps in the second playoff race and advancing into the next round.
On a night when the only caution flags were scheduled by NASCAR, leading to plenty of green-flag pit stops that jumbled the leaderboard, Keselowski kept rising to the top.
CAR RACING
Harvick, the title favorite, won last week’s opener to earn the automatic berth into the second round. Hamlin, derailed at his home track of Richmond by a speeding penalty, finished 12th but still advanced into the next round based on points.
Keselowski was the only driver able to run with Harvick and Hamlin when racing resumed in May following a pause for the pandemic. He won three earlier races, earned a contract extension at Team Penske and steadfastly maintained he should not be discounted in the title race.
He didn’t do a celebratory burnout after making good on his Richmond prediction because that specific No. 2 Ford has won twice in as many races
this year and Keselowski wants it intact for the championship-deciding finale at Phoenix.
Meanwhile, Justin Allgaier saw a more than 9-second lead evaporate when a late caution flag flew, but he pulled away again on a restart with 13 laps to go to complete a sweep of a NASCAR Xfinity series doubleheader weekend at Richmond Raceway on Saturday.
Allgaier, who lost the lead when he had trouble on a previous restart, had no such issues starting on the inside last with Jeb Burton to his outside and Ross Chastain behind him. He quickly moved in
front entering Turn One and pulled away in a dominant performance.
The victory was his third of the season.
Burton held on for second, followed by Chastain, Harrison Burton and Justin Haley. Even with no fans in the stands, Allgaier celebrated with a burnout at the start-finish line.
The late caution came because of an incident between Riley Herbst and Brandon Brown. By then, Allgaier had sailed to a lead of more than 9.4 seconds, or the complete backstretch of the 0.75-mile, D-shaped Richmond oval.