KANSAS CITY, Kan: In a matter of the green flag and the checkered flag of double-overtime in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, Brad Keselowski went from being in the NASCAR Playoffs to being the first car out of the Playoffs as Chase Elliott edged the Team Penske driver by just three points to advance to the Round of 8.
Keselowski showed speed in his No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang throughout the first stage of the Kansas Speedway elimination race, but as the race marched forward – the handling deteriorated with the Rochester Hills, Mich. native plummeting through the field.
After finishing Stage 2 outside the top-10, Keselowski continued to battle the handling of his car throughout Stage 3 and even went a lap down to leader Denny Hamlin.
But inside the final 10 laps of the race, Team Penske Ryan Blaney clobbered the frontstretch wall, eventually cutting a tire and triggering a caution.
Trapped a lap down – Keselowski took the wave around putting himself back on the lead lap. Taking the green with two laps to go, Keselowski found himself teetering from making it through the next round but when Darrell Wallace Jr. crash, it sparked another caution and allowed the opportunity to get four tires for the finish.
In the first attempt at NASCAR overtime, Keselowski started 15th but found himself in a wad of traffic and made contact with Daniel Suarez who spun into pole-sitter Daniel Hemric and Keselowski’s teammate Joey Logano who spun through the infield grass.
Denny Hamlin was inches from taking the white flag but the wreck ignited the final caution of the race allowing Keselowski another opportunity to attempt to stop Chase Elliott – who sat third for the final restart.
Restarting 13th, Keselowski left nothing on the table – but boggled in traffic, he found himself stuck in the middle with cars passing him on both sides. Trying to move forward on the last lap, Keselowski scuffed the wall killing his momentum and found himself fending off Austin Dillon but chasing Paul Menard.
Keselowski crossed the start-finish line 19th, losing six positions over the final three miles of the race.
Chase Elliott finished second and eliminated Keselowski from the semi-final round of the Playoffs by just three points.
“We didn’t make it,” Keselowski said after the race. “I pushed as hard as I knew how and didn’t quite do good enough on the last restart and that was it.
“We clawed as hard as we could and there were times it looked like we were going to be fine and times it didn’t. In the end, it didn’t work out.”
Keselowski thought when he was able to pit late in the race, it would solidify his chances to move on.
“I did think we were okay but obviously we weren’t,” he added.
As to what’s next for Keselowski? he simply replied, “Go win Martinsville.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
