Brad Keselowski started the Monster Energy Cup Series Playoffs in fourth place, and he left its opening race at Chicagoland Speedway still in fourth place—an enviable, relatively stress-free standing.
The No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion driver holds a 35-point cushion on the current 12th-place cutline at 2061 points, tying him with his none other than his longtime rival Kyle Busch going into the ISM Connect 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. BK knows that the road to Homestead and the Monster Energy Cup title goes through Busch and his fast No. 18 Toyota.
“It seems like every year there’s some kind of spillover,” BK said of his back-and-forth with Busch. “It adds a bit of motivation, which is kind of fun. It does give you a little bit of a competitive edge.”
BK and fellow Ford Performance driver Kevin Harvick showed some potential in their setups at Chicago. Both drivers earned points in Stage 1 and Stage 2 and finished in the top six. However, it was clear that the Toyotas of Busch and race winner Martin Truex Jr. are still the machines to beat as they led a combined 162 laps.
A Toyota driver in Denny Hamlin claimed the victory at NHMS earlier this season. Brad overcame a jack malfunction to finish ninth in that race—his 12th consecutive Top 15 finish in Loudon. Adding to that streak, particularly with a Top 5 or Top 10, would be just what Kes needs to survive and advance to the Round of 12.
“The first round of the playoffs isn’t about going out there and going for broke to get a win,” Brad said. “It’s about building a strong foundation for the rest of the playoffs, working on your speed so you can be ready when it matters.”
Even independent of the rest of the field’s performances, a strong points day should be enough to ensure BK’s berth in the Round of 12, even if disaster strikes next week at Dover.
Kes and crew chief Paul Wolfe have a strong playbook for The Magic Mile. In 16 career Cup starts at the 1.058-mile track, Brad boasts 10 Top 10 finishes—as many as he has at any other track. He has won twice at Loudon at the XFINITY level and one in Cup (2014), and he’s captured seven poles between the two series.
He’ll look to add to that number during Friday’s 5:15 ET qualifying session. The ISM Connect 300 is set for a 2 p.m. ET green flag on Sunday.