Chase Elliott cruised to Victory Lane after a late-race domination in Texas. In doing so, he scripted history, adding another accolade to Hendrick Motorsports’ 40th anniversary and marking a career milestone.
Elliott bounced back into the winners’ charts with this win after a long and worrisome slump. But one driver is not too blissful about his comeback. Brad Keselowski, who finished in the runner-up position, chose to pour cold water on Elliott’s hard-earned finish.
Chase Elliott’s win is not so glorious, quips Keselowski
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Brad Keselowski manipulated the underperforming Ford Mustang car to the best of his ability in Texas. After a dismal outing through the first 80 laps, his Dark Horse rode into the top ten by lap 165. With 15 laps remaining, he had control of the third spot. Then, it was a story of trading positions with Denny Hamlin, Ross Chastain, and Chase Elliott.
After the final caution, there was some confusion about who finished second. Keselowski’s post-race demand made NASCAR change William Byron’s spot to third place. But Keselowski was still not happy with the race glory, publicly bashing himself for not making the car faster. And it turns out he shot arrows of frustration at the Lone Star champion as well.
In reviewing the finish, NASCAR put Keselowski in second and Byron in third at time of caution.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 14, 2024
Post-race, the Frontstretch press asked Keselowski if the raciness of Texas Motor Speedway was prominent. In his initial response, he gave a diplomatic answer, mentioning, “I mean, there’s people who like this track, there’s people who don’t like it. Probably predicated on if you’re good or not.”
Then, Brad Keselowski chose to aim his guns at Chase Elliott’s win, underscoring the No. 9 driver’s supposed hypocrisy. “I know Chase had said before the weekend, he didn’t like this track. I suspect he’ll say to the media center that he likes it now,” he said, adding, “We’re selfish drivers, and in that light, it’s been good to me, and I hope it stays the same.”
The 1.5-mile intermediate track has indeed not fared well for Chase Elliott earlier. Especially in the last two years, he finished outside the top 20 twice, notching just one 11th-place finish.
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Keselowski has been no better than his targeted rival
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Elliot’s best finish was back in June 2021, when he scored a podium finish. However, this win is bound to boost his confidence in the Lone Star State track. Even as Brad Keselowski harps on Charles Elliott being selfish, the RFK Racing driver has also demonstrated his selfish side in NASCAR before.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was known for its notorious corners. The 2.5-mile speedway is single-lane through four distinct corners. This made it incredibly difficult to pass and was unpleasant for drivers and fans alike. But Brad Keselowski loved the challenging track and wanted NASCAR to keep holding races there in 2019.
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The 2018 Brickyard 400 winner highlighted his personal concerns. “I really enjoyed winning there. It’s a big deal to me (so) it would be a bummer if it wasn’t on the schedule because I wouldn’t have a shot to win there. I would hate to see that go away.”
If Chase Elliott gives him an avenue to win a race, then Keselowski’s views about him might also take a turn for the better. What’s your take on this? Let us know below.