Brad Keselowski experienced a critical setback during the Pocono race on Sunday with a pit-road penalty that effectively ended his best chance at his first win of the season. After leading for 27 laps and looking poised for victory, a mistake on lap 57 caused by missing a pit-road caution signal resulted in Keselowski being sent to the back of the field, deeply impacting his finish and highlighting the pivotal role of situational awareness at the Brad Keselowski pit-road penalty at Pocono race.
As the race unfolded, Keselowski was making strategic moves for a win. When Shane van Gisbergen, the previous week’s Mexico City winner, spun out on track, the scoring light at pit road switched to yellow, but Keselowski failed to notice in time. This error forced NASCAR officials to penalize him when he entered pit road under caution. He openly expressed his disappointment after the race.
“I don’t know what that last yellow was for, but I wanted to strangle whoever it was,”
—Brad Keselowski, Driver. Once informed it was van Gisbergen who had spun, Keselowski responded,
“He’s a little bigger than me. It was just one of those days.”
—Brad Keselowski, Driver.
Following the incident, Keselowski’s crew fitted his ford/”>Ford Mustang with fresh tires and added fuel, but the penalty dropped him to the back on the restart. Demonstrating resilience, Keselowski clawed his way from 30th at the restart up to a ninth-place finish in the closing laps. Despite the substantial recovery, the lost opportunity to capitalize on his strong car weighed heavily on the 2012 NASCAR Cup champion.
Kenselowski Accepts Responsibility for the Setback
The caution brought out by van Gisbergen’s spin prompted most drivers to remain on track, leaving Keselowski isolated in his decision to pit. He accepted full accountability for the miscue.
“This is my fault, to be clear with this,”
—Brad Keselowski, Driver. He explained that when approaching the pit lane, he followed his team’s instructions without second-guessing. Ultimately, Keselowski stressed the driver’s role in monitoring the crucial entry lights, stating,
“Ultimately, I hold the steering wheel and I’m the one that’s got to check (the pit lane entry lights) and I didn’t check with the crew chief and the spotter and it’s my fault.”
—Brad Keselowski, Driver.
The lost chance was underscored by the fact that, absent the penalty, Keselowski likely would have been in position for a top-five finish or even a win. In his own words, he recounted,
“If I would have pitted (a lap earlier and) the yellow came out while we were on pit road, we probably would have cycled inside the top 10 with new tires and might have had a shot to win the race,”
—Brad Keselowski, Driver. In a frank admission, he added,
“So I feel bad about not taking advantage of that.”
—Brad Keselowski, Driver.
Kenselowski Targets Improvement for Upcoming Races
This recent episode continues a frustrating trend for Keselowski, who has managed only one win since early in the 2021 Cup season despite 36 career victories. He acknowledged the challenge but looked forward with cautious optimism, identifying the remaining nine regular-season races as new opportunities. Tracks like Atlanta, Iowa, and Indianapolis, where he has tasted past success or positive results, are now in his focus.
Kenselowski and his team are scheduled for a two-day test at Gateway, seeking valuable data that could boost their performance for the Iowa race. Looking ahead, Keselowski emphasized just how close he feels the team is to returning to victory lane.
“We just need that much to win,”
—Brad Keselowski, Driver, he said, illustrating the small margin with his fingers.
“If we can find just that little bit more, I think it will take us to victory lane.”
—Brad Keselowski, Driver.
Keselowski’s disappointment is evident, but so is his determination to turn small improvements into race-winning results. As the NASCAR Cup season heads into its final stretch, he remains focused on correcting costly errors and making every opportunity count for his team and fans.
