FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500

Brad Keselowski gave the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’s new low-downforce package two thumbs up as he finished ninth at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

After the restrictor plate opener in Daytona, Week 2 brought the first true test of the new aerodynamics package, and Brad enjoyed the first 1.5-mile track under the new package. The racing was clean in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, which featured just two cautions before one final yellow to end the race in overtime with Jimmie Johnson as the victor. Meanwhile, the 2 Crew had the right setup on the wrong day: The No. 2 Autotrader Ford Fusion was outstanding on short runs on a day of long-run racing.

“We seemed to have really good short-run speed with the Autotrader Ford Fusion, but we didn’t have the long-run speed that we needed and we didn’t get a lot of short runs,” Brad explained. “When we did, we were able to drive to the front and that was a lot of fun. I loved the way the cars drive with the lower downforce package. I understand that it takes more than my opinion to make the sport go round, but I thought it was awesome. I’m looking forward to the rest of the year with the potential this package has.”

The short-run strength was evident from the beginning. After starting 18th, Brad was knocking on the door of the Top 10 just 10 laps in. At lap 18 BK made his way off to eighth before leveling out behind Johnson in ninth. The early run allowed Kes to get a feel for just how much the tires would wear on the rough 1.5-mile oval. Before pitting at lap 40, he had slid back to 11th.

The 2 Crew . Brad and the 2 Crew teamed up to post the second-shortest sequence of that pit cycle: a 1:45.8 trip around the track, including the four-tire pit stop.

“Great job on pit road today. Really appreciate it guys,” Brad said on his radio immediately after the race. “I think that was one of the best races we’ve ever had on pit road.”

Unfortunately, the lack of long-run speed undid the great work from the crew. He fell down to 12th by the end of the run and all the way back to 14th, as the last car on the lead lap when he pitted for the fourth time at lap 151. He pitted for four more tires and an adjustment—and that tweak sent the No. 2 off. Brad rocketed his way nearly back into the Top 10 and reported that it was the team’s best run of the day.

When the race’s first caution flag flew for debris at lap 210, the 2 Crew put BK in position to make another run. The quick stop sent Brad off in ninth place. From there, the blue and orange deuce flexed its short-run muscle. Brad picked off Kurt Busch, Chase Elliott, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch all the way to fourth by lap 235. But just when he got to the front, the tire wear got to the No. 2. He slid back to sixth before pitting at lap 25o.

Brad remained just outside of the Top 5 for a long stretch before falling off on the final long run of the day. He was seventh after a pit stop at lap 283 but fell back to ninth and was the last car on the lead lap. Johnson caught up to him with about 11 laps to go, and Kes did all he could to hold him off and remain on the lead lap. The No. 48 bested the No. 2 with eight laps to go, but Brad held Johnson off long enough to prevent him from lapping another car before the second caution came with three laps left, sparking overtime.

Kes earned the lucky dog free pass to get back on the lead lap. Just after the white flag following the final restart, a large wreck at the back of the field brought out the third yellow, and thus the end of the race with the No. 2 in ninth. Afterward, Brad gave praise all around to his crew, and crew chief Paul Wolfe commended his driver for battling on a day where circumstance didn’t fall their way.

“Way to hang in there,” Wolfe said. “We’re going to have to get our cars better here.”