Keselowski Scores In Bristol Truck Race

Keselowski (19) had them covered

Brad Keselowski is finally a winner on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

After finishing in the runner-up position no less than five times over the years, the former Sprint Cup Series champion finally claimed a Truck Series checkered flag, holding off a strong late run by Darrell Wallace, Jr., to win the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The race was scheduled to run last night, before being postponed by heavy rain.

Keselowski’s win came in his 62^nd career NCWTS start and made him the 25^th driver to win at least one race in all three of NASCAR’s national series. He led three times for 119 laps, including the final 76 circuits, and joined with his father, Bob Keselowski as the only father/son tandem to win in the series. Bob Keselowski won at Richmond International Raceway in 1997.

“This is huge,” said Keselowski after the race. “I’ve been wanting to win in this series for a long time. My family has been a part of this series since its inception, and I feel like I have, too, either as a kid watching or now as a team owner and driver. I nearly went bankrupt in this series, trying to make it.

“It took a long time to get here and I’m thrilled. It’s great to win. This is a special day.”

Wallace finished second – his fourth Top-2 finish in the last seven races – followed by Ron Hornaday Jr., defending series champion Matt Crafton and point leader Johnny Sauter. John Hunter Nemechek, Joey Coulter, Cole Custer, Ben Rhodes and Corey Lajoie completed the Top-10. Pole sitter Kyle Busch finished 24^th after suffering a cut right-rear tire on lap 177, and has now lost two consecutive Truck Series races after winning five in row over the last two seasons.

Only four cautions slowed the race, the fewest in Bristol Truck series history.

Fin           #              Driver

1                19             Brad Keselowski

2               54            Darrell Wallace Jr.

3                30             Ron Hornaday Jr.

4               88            Matt Crafton

5               98            Johnny Sauter

6               8               John Hunter Nemechek

7                21             Joey Coulter

8               00            Cole Custer

9               32             Ben Rhodes

10             92            Corey Lajoie

11             13             Jeb Burton

12             23             Max Gresham

13             29            Ryan Blaney

14             77             German Quiroga

15             75             Caleb Homan

16             63             Justin Jennings

17             9               Brennan Newberry

18             02            Tyler Young #

19             08            Jimmy Weller III #

20            33             Brandon Jones

21             31             Ben Kennedy #

22            35             Mason Mingus #

23             20            Gray Gaulding #

24            51             Kyle Busch

25            6               Norm Benning

26            17             Timothy Peters

27             10             Jennifer Jo Cobb

28            50            TJ Bell

29            05            John Wes Townley

30             25            Justin Boston

31             80            Jody Knowles

32             99            Bryan Silas

33             01             Jake Crum

34             07             BJ McLeod

35             36             Blake Koch

36             28            Bryan Dauzat