Updated: Apr 5, 2017 11:23 am
After winning at Atlanta, Keselowski is now the first driver in 2017 to win twice as he scored his 23rd career victory and first for Ford at Martinsville since 2002. Keselowski led 68 of the final 95 laps, including the final 43, on his way to the win. The victory was Keselowski’s 23rd in the Monster Energy Series, and has moved him into the front of the playoff points lead with 10,and forth in the season standings.
Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and Austin Dillon rounded out the top-five finishers.The race brought out 14 cautions in total, mostly for spins and several drivers suffering cut tyres.Jamie McMurray,Dale Earnhardt Jr,Denny Hamlin and Kurt Busch were a some of the name drivers that ended up with on the track incidents.
Stage 2 looked to be Kyle Busch’s although Ricky Stenhouse may have had something to say about that,he made a clear push to get by him in Turns 3 and 4 with the green-checkered upcoming on Lap 260.That move kept Stenhouse on the lead lap and cost Busch the segment,instead handing it to Chase Elliot.Stenhouse defended his actions afterwards,making it perfectly clear why he made the move.
“It’s as hard as I can drive,” he said. “I’ve got sponsors, fans and a team to take care of. I had to stay on the lead lap.
“This is awesome,” said Keselowski, the season’s first two-time winner. “We’ve ran so good here with the Miller Lite Ford, but something always happens and we haven’t been able to bring it home. Martinsville is just one of those champions’ tracks. The guys that run well everywhere run well here, and it’s really just an honor to win here and get to compete here.
“This track is 70 years old and a lot of legends have won here. It feels great to be able to join them and bring home a (grandfather) clock(trophy). A lot of people don’t know this, but those clocks are built in my hometown in Rochester Hills, Michigan, so it’s cool to get one of them from back home. I have one as a truck owner, but not as a driver, so I’m glad to bring one back as a driver…
“I don’t like to keep trophies at my house, but this one’s going to my house. That’s how special it is.”
Next week the Monster Energy series moves onto Texas.
