Brad Keselowski gives straightforward verdict on Talladega crash

Brad Keselowski released a statement on the wreck that took him, Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney. The wreck occurred in the Cup Series race at the Talladega Superspeedway.

Keselowski, Blaney, and Busch were involved in a multi-car crash at the end of Stage 1. During Lap 43, the drivers faced the chaotic nature of Talladega, where the drivers, coupled with the high speed and high banking, got into pack racing. While Busch was trying to move down the track, he hit Keselowski (somebody who had won the race six times before), ending his race early. The incident occurred due to cars slowing down unexpectedly to enter the pit lane, causing the other cars who were not entering the pit lane to change their driving line and maintain their speed.

Brad Keselowski released a statement on the incident and explained his side of the unfortunate wreck. He said (via Speedway Digest):

"It was just a stack of guys trying to come to pit road as fast as they could and we were kind of the ham in the sandwich that got squeezed. I waved down the backstretch to let everybody know I was gonna pit and I came off of four and everybody was so tight behind me that I didn’t even have a chance to turn left. I hate that it ruined not just our day, but several other people’s day. I don’t think I could do anything different.”

He added:

“I just got hit from behind. I didn’t really have a chance to do anything and got turned and wrecked our race car and a few others. That really stinks but that’s the way it’s been.”

Brad Keselowski is also a co-owner of RFK Racing, which also involves Fenway Sports Group’s John W. Henry and racing legend, Jack Roush. Over his career in NASCAR, Keselowski has won the 2010 Xfinity Series and the 2012 Cup Series championship.

The Michigan native also has 36 career wins, tying him at third among the drivers currently racing full-time in NASCAR. During his time in NASCAR, he has cemented his status as somewhat of a Superspeedway specialist, his reputation coming along after winning the Talladega six times, along with wins at the Southern 500 and Brickyard 400.

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Brad Keselowski shares what dictates Talladega and Daytona races in the NextGen machine

Brad Keselowski, a seasoned NASCAR champion and RFK Racing driver, shared his insights on the evolving dynamics of racing at Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway with the NextGen car.

He explained that, unlike previous eras where cars relied more on aerodynamic “bubble” pushes, the current NextGen machines demand a more physical push, especially in the front two lanes exiting turn four.

"This car (NextGen) is more reliant on getting a physical push, where we went through an era where the cars were not quite as reliant on that. This car has shown time over time, I guess over this six-race sample size at Talladega and arguably over a few races at Daytona, that really it’s about the front two lanes and how they are able to get off of turn four and the physical contact between the cars," Brad Keselowski said via Speedway Digest.

This physical contact between cars has become the critical factor that dictates success at these high-speed superspeedways, emphasizing the importance of lane choice and timing during the race.