It’s been 110 races, over three years since Brad Keselowski last visited NASCAR Cup Series victory lane. A long-term rebuild was expected after jumping from Team Penske in 2022 to become a co-owner in Jack Roush’s team but, four runner-up finishes later, he was overdue to get over the hump.
Leave it to Darlington Raceway’s throwback weekend to throw Keselowski that lucky break, a throwback victory for one of the oldest drivers on the entry list.
The 40-year-old was right place, right time when teammate Chris Buescher and Tyler Reddick collided up ahead of him, cruising past both to earn the victory in Sunday’s Goodyear 400. It checked a lot of boxes off the list for this 2012 Cup champion: first Ford win of the year in any of NASCAR’s top three series, an almost-certain playoff bid and the first Mother’s Day win of his career with wife, Paige, and his three kids in attendance.
“One of my probably favorite childhood memories is being in victory lane with my dad, and I think I was 10 or 11 years old,” Keselowski explained. “I’ll never forget that day … I want that same memory for them. It’s one of those core memories that I have.”
All it takes is that win to help straighten out the ownership…
