Denny Hamlin’s ex-crew chief responds with a blunt take on Brad Keselowski’s remark about drivers ‘intentionally wrecking running 15th or worse’

NASCAR: Cup Practice - Source: Imagn
Brad Keselowski at Daytona International Speedway on Feb 14, 2025. Image: Imagn

Chris Gabehart has echoed Brad Keselowski's comment on drivers willing to wreck each other for a 15th or worse place finish. He noted the issue is getting worse week by week, with Iowa's NASCAR Cup race seeing 12 cautions, the most in 2025.

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Sunday's Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway ranks as the second-most yellow flags ever in a modern era Cup race with no DNFs. The race began clean. Stage 1 ran without incident but the yellow flags piled up during the closing laps, some warnings came for debris and others for single-car spins. Keselowski, who won both stages, suffered after each caution. He missed his chance to win and finished third.

Replying to Keselowski's tweet, Gabehart said that passing difficulty and track position plays a role in Cup drivers wrecking each other. But mostly, it comes down to drivers lacking dirt under their fingernails.

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"To be fair to [Josh Bilicki], [Brad Keselowski], I do think some of it is "the car" and how important it has made track position due to its inability to pass. But, to be fair to you, I think most of it is due to the lack of dirt under fingernails to earn the opportunities and the lack of "boys have at it" when those opportunities are wrongfully taken away."
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Keselowski had commented after Iowa's Cup race on X, writing:

"Single Biggest change I've seen in the cup series drivers over last 10 years- Complete willingness to semi-intentionally wreck each other running 15th or worse. I see it almost every week and none worse than this week in Iowa. Not sure what to make of it."

Brad Keselowski had the fastest car on track last Sunday and claimed the Xfinity fastest lap bonus, but eventually his fuel strategy faltered in the caution scramble. The RFK Racing driver and co-owner pitted under a late caution and restarted 26th. Even though he gained ground back to finish third, the damage was done.

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"I've run into people, you know, it's a pot calling kettle black, but I don't understand why guys wreck for 20th. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me," Brad Keselowski told Bob Pockrass.

Keselowski added that every yellow flag worked against him and his strategy.

Brad Keselowski 121 points or a win short of a spot in the playoffs

Brad Keselowski is still looking for his first win of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. After a frustrating weekend at Iowa, the 41-year-old is ranked 19th in the playoff standings with three regular‑season races remaining. He is 121 points behind the playoff cutline ahead of this weekend's Go Bowling at The Glen.

While Keselowski's RFK Racing teammate Chris Buescher won last year's race, the No. 6 Ford driver has delivered disappointing performances at the 2.45-mile road course in recent years. In 2024, he finished 26th after a crash and multiple pit-road infractions.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

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Edited by Tushar Bahl
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