SRT Motorsports - Sprint Cup Race Recap - Kentucky

July 1, 2012 , Sparta, Ky. -  Brad Keselowski picked up his third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win of the season Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway, leading the final 56 laps en route to victory in the Quaker State 400. The driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge is now the only Sprint Cup driver with three victories this season.

Keselowski remains 10th in the season standings with nine races remaining to set the field for the Chase for the Sprint Cup. While it’s important that the driver of the “Blue Deuce” stays in the top 10 to collect three bonus points for each victory when the points are adjusted for the 10-race Chase, Keselowski put a firm hold on one of the wild card berths which goes to the two drivers finishing between 11th and 20th in the point standings with the most win.

Using a back-up car after his primary car was involved in a mishap in the opening minutes of Friday’s first practice session, Keselowski held off Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin in the 267-lap event at the 1.5-mile oval. The No. 2 Dodge was at the front of the field throughout the race, leading three times for a total of 68 laps. Once he took the lead on the restart following the fourth caution, he continually built up a lead that had expanded to more than four seconds at the checkered flag.

“What a weekend,” said Keselowski. “It started off, we hit the wall on Lap 1 in practice and brought out the backup. This is my Martinsville car from the Chase last year. This isn’t the newest car we have, but it sure runs. I’m real proud of my team. The Miller Lite Dodge was a fast racecar tonight. We fought back from adversity all weekend in 100 degree temperatures. Got this car out and get it ready for practice. It was a lot of hard work. And that’s what got us here in Victory Lane.”

The 28-year-old from Rochester Hills, Mich., picked up his seventh victory in 106 Sprint Cup starts. He won earlier this year at Bristol and Talladega and has seven top-10 finishes in the first 17 events.

“Three wins feels pretty dang good,” he said. “There are never any guarantees. I’m trying to look forward. We want to climb up the ladder and not worry about the wild card.”

Teammate A.J. Allmendinger finished ninth in the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge Charger. It was his third top-10 of the 2012 season.

“I was happy with the way most of the day went, especially because I haven’t been good around here at Kentucky,” said Allmendinger. “A lot of the credit goes to Brad helping me out. He’s obviously really good here (smiles). But for a track that I’m not very good at, that I really struggle at, and considering the tough conditions, running inside the top 10 for pretty much all of the day and getting a ninth out of is something to build on.”

Race Results
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Quaker State 400
Kentucky Speedway
Saturday, June 30, 2012
1. BRAD KESELOWSKI
2. Kasey Kahne
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Jeff Gordon
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Matt Kenseth
8. Martin Truex Jr.
9. A.J. ALLMENDINGER
10. Kyle Busch

NASCAR Sprint Cup
Point Standings
(After 17 of 36 races)
1. Matt Kenseth -633
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -11
3. Jimmie Johnson -23
4. Greg Biffle -25
5. Denny Hamlin -68
6. Kevin Harvick -68
7. Clint Bowyer -76
8. Martin Truex Jr. -77
9. Tony Stewart -88
10. BRAD KESELOWSKI -96
23. A.J. ALLMENDINGER -233

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