Brad Keselowski scored a ninth-place finish in The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway, leading a season-high 27 laps during the race. (Photo: Holden Barnes | The Podium Finish)
LONG POND, Pa. — In what was arguably the most speed that Brad Keselowski and the No. 6 RFK Racing team have shown all season, it was not an easy path to a ninth-place finish in The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway.
After taking the lead around the halfway point during Stage 1, Keselowski came down pit road on Lap 57 following a caution for a tire failure from Bubba Wallace, despite pit road being closed. This sent him to the rear of the field, and he lost all of the track position he had gained through the team’s strategy.
Before the conclusion of Stage 2, Keselowski, along with four other drivers, came down pit road to gain an advantage on how long they could run on fuel during the final stage before having to pit for the last time. During the pit cycle, Keselowski debated with crew chief Jeremy Bullins about staying out a few more laps before making his final stop. He ultimately won this debate, but a caution came out after Shane van Gisbergen spun out in Turn 1.
Brad Keselowski during Saturday’s practice/qualifying session at Pocono Raceway for The Great American Getaway 400. (Photo: Declan Wayman | The Podium Finish)
This forced Keselowski to pit from the lead, losing his track position late in the race before rallying back to score a top 10 finish in ninth place following the final restart.
During his interview with Amazon Prime Video following the race, Keselowski was very quick to take responsibility for the pit road mistake during the first stage, causing the No. 6 team to be handed a penalty.
“This is my fault, let me just be clear with this,” said Keselowski. “Normally, they hold pit road for one lap. So, when you get to lap two, it’s just an automatic pit. So, when we were going down the short chute, the team said, ‘pit this time,’ and I had no reason to challenge them. Ultimately, I hold the steering wheel and I’m the one that’s got to check.”
Brad Keselowski talking with former NASCAR Cup Series Champion, Kurt Busch, and last week’s winner, Shane van Gisbergen, before the start of The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway. (Photo: Holden Barnes | The Podium Finish)
It was still a good day for Keselowski, leading a season-high 27 laps en route to scoring his third top 10 of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. The only problem is that he currently sits in must-win territory to clinch a third consecutive playoff berth. This played a role in the decision to stay out longer during the final green flag cycle.
“I’m just a big believer (that) you can’t win by doing the same thing everybody else does,” he said. “You’ve got to be better than them, and you can’t be better if you’re the same. So, we were in a little bit of a hole there and were trying to dig out of it and we were well positioned.”
The next stop on the NASCAR Cup Series tour is the newly renamed EchoPark Speedway, which presents Keselowski with another shot to win his way into the postseason at the drafting-style 1.5-mile track. Next weekend’s Quaker State 400 also marks the first round of the inaugural NASCAR In-Season Challenge, where Keselowski slots in as the No. 17 and matches up against the No. 16 seed, Kyle Busch.
