Brad Keselowski shares his ‘2 cents’ over NASCAR’s role in Martinsville Xfinity debacle

Following the Xfinity Series debacle at Martinsville Speedway, veteran driver Brad Keselowski weighed in on NASCAR and team owners addressing the racing etiquette in the lower-tier series. As a former team owner, Keselowski suggested that team owners should take the lead in discouraging such reckless moves.

Although Xfinity races at the 'Paperclip Oval' have always been chaotic, last Saturday’s event sparked heavy criticism. With 14 caution periods over 256 laps, the pace car was on track for 104 laps — the fifth-most in series history. The overtime finish summed up the poor racing product, as Sammy Smith wrecked Taylor Gray, triggering a stack-up that allowed Austin Hill to take the victory.

Brad Keselowski, a former Truck Series team owner, opined that racing etiquette in the lower-tier series needs to be addressed. He added that the issue extends beyond Martinsville Speedway, which inherently promotes aggressive racing. Rather than relying on NASCAR to penalize drivers, Keselowski insists that team owners should be willing to park their drivers for such moves.

The RFK Racing co-owner acknowledged that team owners are bound by their sponsors and can't park funded drivers. However, he reckons that if all teams collectively take such actions, the racing etiquette could potentially improve.

"My 2 cents- The solution needs to come from the car owners not NASCAR. Until the car owners are willing to park their drivers for getting this out of control, very little will change," he said on X.

"I get that they are all scared to park a funded driver out of fear they will lose the money to continue to operations. However, at some point, that’s the risk you have to take to get this right. I believe if all of the teams do it together, it would work," he added.

Several NASCAR Cup Series drivers, including Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell, criticized the poor racing etiquette in the Xfinity race. Meanwhile, officials are evaluating the contact between Smith and Gray on the final lap.

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Brad Keselowski's newest team is leading the way at RFK Racing

RFK Racing's newest team, with Ryan Preece in the #60 Ford, is on a strong run with three consecutive top-10 finishes. Preece was the highest-finishing Ford driver at Martinsville, securing seventh place at the checkered flag, while his teammate Chris Buescher endured a rough ride, finishing 24th.

Brad Keselowski's quest for his first top-10 result of the season continues, as he finished 26th at Martinsville. The 41-year-old reflected on his race on X, stating that the #6 team couldn't catch a break, with untimely cautions derailing their strategy.

"Quite a day...Couldn’t catch a break with the yellows hitting us wrong 3 times straight."

Seven races into the season, Buescher occupies 11th place in the driver standings, three spots ahead of his teammate Preece. Keselowski's poor start to the season is reflected in his points tally, as he sits 30th with no top-10 finishes to his name.

Keselowski returns to Darlington Raceway this weekend, a track where he secured his most recent victory. The Goodyear 400 is scheduled on April 6 at 3:00 PM ET.