Weather permitting, Brad Keselowski will start in a solid position for the AAA 400 to move on to the Contender Round at Dover International Speedway.
Hurricane Joaquin threatens this weekend’s schedule, and heavy rains washed out Friday’s practice and qualifying sessions. As a result the field was set based on the owners points standings. In other words: The Chase field starts in order first through 16th—with Brad in the middle at position No. 8.
Kes is just one of eight drivers who controls his own fate without needing a victory. Meaning, if Brad garners 30 points on Sunday, he will advance, no matter where the rest of the Chase hopefuls finish. He can finish 14th without leading a lap, 15th with at least one lap led or 16th with the most laps led, and he’ll safely advance. And of course, a win would do the trick too.
“This race has a little more riding on it than usual, but that’s what makes it fun,” Brad said. “Our first priority is to advance to the Contender Round of the Chase and if we can do that with a win all the better.”
BK will be sporting the only paint scheme that has brought him a win this year: the No. 2 Wurth Ford Fusion. He brought the red and white Wurth machine to Victory Lane at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. in March.
The #GoingFor2 mantra will be in full effect this weekend. As he looks to make the postseason’s second round, he’ll also be eying his second win of the season, and the second of his career at The Monster Mile.
He’ll be hoping the Wurth colors can bring him some luck, and he’ll also lean on a solid track record at Dover. He boasts four Top 5 finishes, including a second-place finish in this even last year. He was also in the Wurth Deuce for that runner-up finish.
One of those Top 5s came as a key moment in his 2012 championship season as well. Dover’s famous Miles the Monster trophy was holding a Blue Deuce after the 2012 Chase race, a win that was a key stepping stone on BK’s title run.
“Dover is a good track for the No. 2 Wurth Ford team,” Brad said. “We’ve led laps and been in a position to win here the last few times we’ve raced at the Monster Mile, and what it takes to win is the same each weekend, you have to have speed, you have to execute and a little luck helps too.”
Brad finished second in both Dover races last year, and he has led a total of 116 laps over his last two starts at the one-mile Delaware track. He paced the field for 28 laps but finished 12th at this track in the FedEx 400 in May.
He battled a loose Deuce in that race, and Paul Wolfe and Co. will need to be on their game to battle the weather and changing conditions at Dover this weekend. If Mother Nature allows, the 2 Crew will have two practice sessions at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. ET on Saturday to dial in the Wurth Deuce.
The AAA 400 is scheduled for a green flag around 2:30 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network.