Brad Keselowski

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1 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Chevrolet 19.402 97.598
2 55 Brian Vickers MyClassicGarage.com Toyota 19.415 97.533
3 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Halloween Toyota 19.436 97.427
4 31 Jeff Burton Odyssey Battery / EnerSys Chevrolet 19.443 97.392
5 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 19.445 97.382
6 17 Matt Kenseth Ford EcoBoost Ford 19.467 97.272
7 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot / Mobil 1 Chevrolet 19.470 97.257
8 15 Clint Bowyer 5-hrEnergyBenefittingAvonFndnforW. Toyota 19.472 97.247

THE FINAL LAP WEEKLY – MARTINSVILLE PREVIEW FEATURING PHIL JONES

9 27 Paul Menard Zecol / Menards Chevrolet 19.490 97.158
10 43 Aric Almirola Gwaltney Ford 19.500 97.108

Continue reading “2012 Martinsville Cup Series Starting Lineup – Jimmie Johnson On Pole”

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What do Kansas Speedway, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin have in common? The three leading contenders for this year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup championship are the most recent winners at the Kansas City-area facility. Hamlin won in April – the last race conducted before the track was repaved and reconfigured. Johnson won last fall’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ event and Keselowski captured the spring race in 2011. Keselowski’s Kansas victory was his first as a driver for Penske Racing.

Johnson has Kansas Speedway’s best average finish (7.9) among active drivers.

Keselowski’s lead over Johnson is just seven points at the halfway point of the Chase. Hamlin is 15 points back in third followed by Bowyer and Kasey Kahne. Thirty-five points cover the top five.

Continue reading “Chase Leaders Swept Last Three Kansas Races”

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Brad Keselowski is in a good place; the first to hold the points lead in this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ and headed for Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he collected his first top-five finish at the track in May’s Coca-Cola 600. Keselowski’s seventh-place finish on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway was his 13th top 10 in his most recent 14 starts and 19th overall.

This Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 marks halfway in the 2012 Chase as Keselowski leads Jimmie Johnson by 14 points and Denny Hamlin by 23. The standings leader after four races has gone on to win the championship five times in the Chase era – Kurt Busch (2004), Tony Stewart (2005) and Johnson (2008-10). Reigning champion Stewart stood seventh a year ago after Race No. 4, 19 points behind Carl Edwards.

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Some drivers regard Talladega Superspeedway with trepidation. Not NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader Brad Keselowski, winner of the track’s spring race earlier this year and in 2009, when he scored his first of nine series victories.

Keselowski, who scored Chase win No. 2 on Sunday at Dover International Speedway, leads Jimmie Johnson by five points entering the fourth round of the post season.

Denny Hamlin is 16 points behind Keselowski in third place. A victory would make Keselowski the first to sweep both Talladega races since Jeff Gordon in 2007.