NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen

Topics:  Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen

Brad Keselowski
August 15, 2011

WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK

THE MODERATOR: We welcome into the media center at this time Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge, who finished second in today's Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen. Brad, just talk a little bit about this past week as well as the race out there today.
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Yeah, I guess I was happy with the car from the start and was able to drive up there and make some moves and knew we had a strong car right before the beginning with our Miller Lite Dodge Charger. Got up to the lead there, I guess at the end of the second segment, felt pretty good about it, and felt like we were one of the cars to beat.
But I just wasn't quite good enough to pull it off there and made a couple small mistakes at the end and lost the lead to Kyle and got back by him and then lost the lead to Marcos.
Some great racing at the end. I hope everybody enjoyed it. I think that's about as good as the racing gets right there, and just proud to be a part of it.

Q. Just talk about how much the ankle played in. Did it get easier, more difficult as the race went on?
BRAD KESELOWSKI: I wouldn't say it got any easier, but when your car is fast you can put a lot of that stuff behind you and make it work. You know, we were able to do that today and make it work. I was happy to have a fast car, and that's what it's all about is having fast race cars. Just life is good when you have fast race cars.
Sorry, I'm watching a fight up here. I don't know if you guys are watching this, either. Is this live?

Q. Yes.
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Oh, wow. This is the story.
Okay, what was I talking about? (Laughter.) This is a lot more fun to watch. Fighting is racing, too, I guess.
But all good. We made it work. How about that?

Q. Brad, was this a tougher day than last week at Pocono physically, and when you got past Kyle and he went wide in Turn 1 on that final restart, did your eyes get big and did you start thinking about No. 3 at that point?
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Absolutely they got big. I don't know about tougher. It wasn't no easier, that's for damn sure. But we had a shot at it and that's all you can ask for as a driver, great long run speed, and were able to get to the front.
I look back at this one and wish that I had been in better condition and wish that I had more experience or was able to run the Nationwide race the day before and maybe I could have made the most of my car because quite frankly I think I had one of the cars to beat. But that's just the way it goes. It kind of is what it is.
But proud of the day, proud of a good finish. I think we're on great standing now. At least we moved up a bunch in the points, which is good. Got to make the most of that wild card stuff that we were able to build up. Was kind of wishing Denny wouldn't have had trouble there so wouldn't have to worry so much about him. But still in good shape.

Q. Can you just talk about Marcos' talent on road courses? I think it's pretty obvious, but you were up there battling with him there at the end. Can you just talk about how he's just kind of like a cut above?
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Well, he's smooth, he's smart, and he's experienced. You know, we only do this two times a year. I counted on my finger the amount of times I've raced at road courses in my life. You know, fingers and toes. I guess it was 12 career road course starts between Nationwide and Cup, and he's got to have ten times that at least, maybe more.
So he's got experience. He's a good driver with experience with a competitive car, where the rest of us are probably okay drivers, and he just -- he's a cut above right now, and I would expect him to stay that way with his experience level for quite some while.

Q. Could you take us over those last couple laps, particularly when you guys were trying to get into Turn 1?
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Well, we got into Turn 1, it looked like Kyle had a little bit of right front lock-up and slid up out of the groove, which gave me a great opportunity to get underneath him. Marcos filled the gap, and next thing you know we were three wide for the lead going into Turn 2, and I don't know about you guys but I don't think racing gets any better than that on a road course, two passes for the lead and the last two laps -- I wish I would have been the last pass for the lead, taking it instead of losing it.
But you know, it was still pretty awesome to watch, and it was cool to be a part of. I felt like I might have had a shot at Marcos again. I was able to close the bumper on him through the inner loop when that last yellow came and just wasn't meant to be. But it was a hell of a race, just a hell of a race, and Turn 1 it was exciting. It just doesn't get any better than that.
THE MODERATOR: Brad, thank you very much for your time this afternoon.