Keselowski guns for three in a row |
“The spring
race last year at Bristol was a race I will never forget,” said Keselowski, the
defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. “That is by far the best car I
have ever had. (It) was phenomenal. I have said a couple times what Bristol
means to me, and that hasn’t changed. Bristol is one of those race tracks that
defines (the) characteristics a driver should have to have to be successful. To
win there makes me feel like more of a racing man. That place is very special.
The way it challenges you both physically and mentally, it never gives you a
break. It always demands the most out of you of any track I have been to both
physically and mentally.
“There are
other tracks more demanding physically, but not so much mentally. Bristol is
both. To be successful there, you have to find another level. You have to find
your zone and you have to find it quick. If you don’t, it won’t take long for
you to be punished. I have really become accustomed to that track, (but) it
seems like every time I run well there, there is a change -- whether to the
facility or the rules -- to make it harder, but that is part of the challenge.
It makes every win and accomplishment at that track so special.”
With three Top-5 finishes already in their column, Wolfe said he is happy
with the start to the 2013 season. “So far we have gotten good results with three Top-5
finishes,” he said. “I think our short track program showed some strength at
Phoenix, which is encouraging. We had a big test at Vegas to see where we were
at on the mile-and-a-half tracks. So far, we are pleased with where we are at
and it is nice to be able to start the season and not be in a big hole from a
bad finish at Daytona. We are really happy with where we are at, but there are
always a lot of areas where we can still continue to get better.
“We’ve have had a lot of success
at Bristol in the past and we are excited about that and some of the things we
learned at Phoenix and then last weekend surely will apply to our setup for
Bristol.”
Despite an impressive run of recent success at Thunder Valley, Wolfe claims to still be searching for the magic set-up there.
“I don’t know
if there is anything special that we have found,” he insisted. “It is a track
that Brad has always run well at, and he understands what he wants his car to
do and what he wants it to feel like in practice. It makes it easier for us to
tune on the car, because he can help give good direction on what he needs to
feel. Overall, we have a good baseline package. We just have to implement some
of the things we have done different with the new car this year to that setup,
and I think we can run strong there once again.”
“Bristol is the type of race track that makes me think `this is what a real race track is,’” explained Keselowski. Bristol is what a real NASCAR race track is, and what it should be. It is the type of facility we should be racing at.
“Let me put it this way,” he said. “A win at Bristol is a win that you will never forget.”
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