Brad Keselowski's pit road blunder at Pocono cost him crucial points, leaving fans questioning his team's execution.
Brad Keselowski, the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion, faced another blow in his tumultuous 2024 season following a high-profile pit road error at Pocono Raceway. The widely discussed Brad Keselowski Pocono pit road blunder upended what looked like a breakthrough race for the RFK Racingdriver, casting fresh uncertainty over his playoff hopes with only a handful of regular season events left.
Arriving at Pocono ranked 32nd in the points standings, Keselowski was under immense pressure, having endured five DNFs in sixteen races and posting just one top-five finish at Charlotte for RFK’s No. 6 ford/”>Ford. Despite these setbacks, Keselowski efficiently maneuvered his way from 14th on the grid to take the lead by lap 56—a rare up-front appearance for his car this season. This surge offered a glimpse of promise for a driver and team desperate for a turnaround.
Momentum Crumbles After Pit Road Confusion
Keen to capitalize on new track position during the green-flag cycle, Keselowski’s pit stop would prove disastrous. Moments after his team called him to pit, rival Carson Hocevar orchestrated a deceptive move over team radio that ensnared the veteran. Hocevar openly admitted,
“Yeah, I know. I wanted to bait him. I didn’t want him to realize the mistake,”
—Carson Hocevar, Driver, after his pit crew insisted,
“It’s closed. The red light is off. Stay out, stay out, stay out!”
—Hocevar’s Pit Crew, Team Radio. Even Denny Hamlin acknowledged playing along, saying on his own channel,
Image of: Brad Keselowski
“Yeah, I know. I just didn’t want to tip him off.”
—Denny Hamlin, Driver.
Misreading the pit signals, Keselowski pulled in while the pit road was closed, earning an immediate penalty and losing the precious lead he had fought to secure. This was not an isolated incident; earlier in the season at Charlotte, he fell back due to vehicle interference on pit road. Despite rebounding to finish inside the top ten at Pocono by racing from 24th to 9th in the last stint, the penalty cost him critical stage points and advantageous track position—both vital as the playoff chase intensifies.
Proven Resilience Overshadowed by Repeated Errors
After serving his penalty, Keselowski displayed determination, clawing back through the pack during a fierce final run. He surged 15 spots in the closing laps, eventually taking the checkered flag in ninth. Post-race, the driver was candid about the impact of the blunder, remarking,
“We got the lead there in the first stage and felt like we were in control and lost control of the race early with the pit road penalty… Came from 24th on that last run to 9th. I thought that was strong, but not enough.”
—Brad Keselowski, Driver.
Despite this late rally, the damage to his playoff campaign was clear. Keselowski dropped to 30th in the standings, now 362 points adrift of the leader, and faced an even steeper climb to secure a spot in the postseason.
Fan Outrage Erupts Over Team’s Costly Pit Mistakes
The Pocono miscue immediately sparked criticism from fans, many of whom blamed persistent pit road issues as root causes for the No. 6 team’s underperformance. Disappointment turned to anger on social media, where frustration centered on repeated unforced mistakes. One fan vented,
“Brad’s CC is a dumba– and every freakin week for RFK it’s a pit road penalty or pit road blunder 🙄🤦♂.”
—Fan Comment. This vocal frustration highlights a season marred by costly pit errors, including commitment line violations at Talladega, excessive pit crew members at Nashville, and a costly speeding penalty at Michigan that prompted Keselowski to question officials.
Another fan lamented what could have been a pivotal win, stating,
“Brad K probably would have won the race had it not been for that. He climbed all the way to 9th even in spite of that ill timed caution. Can we fire Bullins for Rodney Childers already?”
—Fan Comment. The spotlight now turns directly to Jeremy Bullins, Keselowski’s crew chief, as discussions intensify about leadership on the #6 team.
Leadership and Strategy Called Into Question
With so much at stake in this critical phase of the season, doubts are being cast over who is ultimately responsible for the mounting pressure and poor outcomes. One frustrated observer summed up the divided blame with,
“I don’t know if you can really blame NASCAR. Brad was the only guy to pit, Hocevar and Hamlin intentionally faked him out, and no one else pitted. So veterans like Elliott, Busch and Logano didn’t have the brainf— that Brad and team had. Hamlin and Hocevar’s teams even panicked and told them both to stay out. This was on Brad and the 6 team,”
—Fan Comment. These voices encapsulate a growing sentiment that both driver and crew are failing to adapt and execute at critical moments.
The growing stack of mistakes and missed opportunities also prompts concern about Bullins’ grip as crew chief, with speculation rising among fans about whether leadership changes could be considered.
Bait-and-Switch: Strategy, Deception, and Racing’s Mind Games
The incident showcased not just a tactical error but the sophisticated psychological warfare that defines modern NASCAR. Hocevar’s clever ploy of feigning a pit stop exposed the vulnerabilities even of veteran contenders. As another fan observed,
“Honestly, good on them. We need more of these kinda games out there.”
—Fan Comment. These mind games heighten the suspense, making every decision at the Tricky Triangle—and throughout the remaining nine regular season races—potentially decisive.
Carson Hocevar himself is locked in his own fight to secure a top-16 playoff berth and, as the event showed, has no hesitation about using creative tactics to upset more established teams. Such maneuvers raise the competitive tension and reward not only speed but psychological acuity in all teams and drivers.
What’s Next for Keselowski and RFK Racing?
For Brad Keselowski, Pocono could become the defining disappointment of a season that slipped from his grasp, an event he may remember as the missed opportunity that cost him a playoff run. His struggles on pit road now span multiple races and have become a persistent drag on RFK Racing’s campaign.
The team faces mounting pressure to eliminate mistakes in the final stretch, with fan patience wearing thin and scrutiny over Jeremy Bullins’ leadership at an all-time high. Keselowski’s margin for error is nonexistent as he heads into the last nine races still locked outside the playoff bubble.
In NASCAR’s high-stakes playoff race, every decision counts. For Keselowski and RFK, overcoming the sting of the Brad Keselowski Pocono pit road blunder will be essential if they hope to rescue their season from complete derailment and prove they can still compete among the Cup Series elite.
