Best Moment: The First 4

This season certainly has been full of ups and downs, but the silver lining in it all is that Brad Keselowski has had glimmers of hope and joy through various points in the season. Most fans would probably say that the best moment of the year so far for Brad was his win in Charlotte. I agree that this was a very special moment for Brad; he had been on without a win for over a year. But for this challenge, I decided not to go with the obvious — the win at Charlotte — but take a bit of an unorthodox look at what has been Brad’s best moment. In my opinion, being able to run up front week after week — especially at the beginning of a title defense — is crucial. So my vote for Brad’s best moment was the first four races of the season.

In my opinion, being able to run up front week after week — especially at the beginning of a title defense — is crucial.

Daytona

The year started off with great confidence and hope in a title defense for Brad, and during Speedweeks at Daytona he showed his prowess on the restrictor plate track. Eventually coming home in 4th place, Keselowski battled adversity throughout the day, first being involved in a wreck early where he had to come down and effect repairs on the front nose of the car, which in most cases is a detriment on such an aero-sensitive track, but Brad took it as a challenge by coming up through the pack and leading a total of 13 laps on the day, and with just a handful of laps to go he was battling side-by-side for the lead with eventual winner Jimmie Johnson.

Phoenix

The next week in Phoenix confidence was obviously high for the champ after a strong start, and the momentum continued with a strong run in the desert. For a track where Brad has not had stellar success at in his Sprint Cup career thus far, Brad was able to lead the most laps he has ever led at the track in one race with 16, and secure his best finish at the reconfigured 1 mile venue after Brad Keselowski and crew chief Paul Wolfe won a fuel gamble to finish fourth for the second consecutive race, and the luck was also there because after the race in an interview, Brad stated that the car ran out of gas as it crossed the finish line to take the checkered flag.

Las Vegas

In the third race of the season, the Kobalt Tools 400, Keselowski came in riding high. He started the weekend fast by sitting on the pole, and led 12 laps and had to persevere through some adversity in the race to get a good finish. The team overcame a late pit-road issue to finish third. After the race, Brad was very happy with the day, and said, “Never ever give up. Never give up. This team doesn’t and we didn’t. You get a good run like we did and that is a product of that effort. I thought we had some really good speed there at the end.”

Bristol

Coming into Bristol Brad was the only driver who had finished in the top five in all of the first three races of the season. “I would say that the old Bristol isn’t back. I quite honestly feel like this one’s better,” said Brad who mustered a third place finish in the race at Bristol in the Spring after winning two of the previous three Bristol races. In the race Brad also led 62 laps, bringing his season total to 103. On top of that, the champ was back on top, as the point leader over Jimmie Johnson.

So, after the first four races of the year, Brad Keselowski was the only driver to post four top five finishes, and he claimed the top spot in the points by 15 points over Jimmie Johnson after Bristol. Brad was on top of the world in his title defense, and this span of four races has been his best of the year, and why I call it his best moment in the year thus far.