After watching Rockingham’s strategic showdown, Brad Keselowski revisits the painful fuel-saving twist that cost him a second championship
Brad Keselowski recently reflected on a pivotal moment in his Cup Series career, when he narrowly missed out on a second championship while attempting to save fuel. The memory resurfaced during NASCAR’s return to Rockingham Speedway, where similar events brought back the moment that cost him the title.
The Truck Series race at Rockingham delivered late-race drama as Chandler Smith ran out of fuel while running second, falling to 13th, while Tyler Ankrum, despite running low, managed to cross the line first. However, RCR's Jesse Love, who saved enough fuel for an overtime restart in the Xfinity Series, ultimately crossed the start-finish line in P1 but was later disqualified following the post-race inspection, where an issue was detected with his rear suspension.
These events brought back memories for Brad Keselowski of his heartbreak at Talladega Superspeedway on October 14th, 2018. The two-time NASCAR champion saw his hopes for a second title slip away just before the final restart when his car ran out of fuel. The Michigan native was poised for a top-10 finish but ultimately fell to 27th.
"Been there too… Thinking they had enough gas but just couldn’t get the fuel cell to work going slow on the banking. 🤷🏼" Keselowski wrote on X.
When a fan asked whether Keselowski was talking about Talladega or Indianapolis, the RFK Racing owner and driver responded:
"Yes. Dega 18 cost us a shot at the championship."
Keselowski was driving the No. 2 Ford for Team Penske that year. His teammate Joey Logano won his first Cup Series title in 2018 and has since added two more, including last season’s championship.
Brad Keselowski, a former Cup and Xfinity Series champion, has had a highly decorated NASCAR career, earning 76 victories across its top three divisions. Of the 76 triumphs, 36 were secured in the Cup Series, including a win at the iconic Brickyard 400. He captured the 2012 Cup Series title while driving for Team Penske. Moreover, Keselowski has also been honored as one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers.
Brad Keselowski delivers his verdict on the hot subject of NASCAR Cup drivers in Xfinity
Kyle Larson nearly swept NASCAR’s Bristol weekend, winning the Xfinity race and dominating the Cup race by leading 411 laps. Afterward, the Hendrick Motorsports driver said he aimed to “embarrass” the Xfinity field to demonstrate the performance level expected at the top tiers of the sport.
Days later, former Cup champion Brad Keselowski weighed in on Cup drivers competing in lower-tier series. CBS Sports journalist Steven Taranto shared a post on X, inquiring whether Cup drivers should compete in the Xfinity Series.
"Are you sure you want Cup guys in Xfinity again? Are you really, really sure you want this?" he wrote.
The RFK Racing driver sternly responded, saying:
"Yes. Very sure."
Meanwhile, Brad Keselowski will now compete at Talladega Superspeedway on 27th April at 3:00 PM Eastern time. Catch the race live on FOX, MRN, and SiriusXM.