Victory Interview with Brad Keselowski from NASCAR Nationwide Series at MIS
Hi. I will be at the Bristol Motor Speedway Thursday and Friday. If you will be there, give me a shout. I will be twittering for @Nationwide. Also, attached is the audio file of the interview with race champ Brad Keselowski along with a transcript and a link to all the pictures we shot this weekend http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationwide/sets/72157621941182867/ Nancy Smeltzer Nationwide Insurance Communication Consultant (614) 249-4491 FAX: (614) 677-6802 Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nancy501 Follow Nationwide on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nationwide Brad Keselowski NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion Interview ā€“ Michigan International Speedway Brad Keselowski: Iā€™ll never forget this day, thatā€™s for sure. Itā€™s still surreal in my mind to win here; itā€™s just an amazing feeling. At Michigan, his home track, Brad Keselowski went from third to first on the last lap of the Carfax 250, to capture Nationwide Series win number three in 2009. Just after Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch who combined led 110 of the 125 laps got to battling over the final two miles. Leaving Keselowski an opening to the outside, when Vickers dropped down low to block Buschā€™s inside move, as they took the white flag. Keselowski: I knew theyā€™d do what they did and thatā€™s why I was sitting there lurking. The two of them together are a recipe for what you saw. Thatā€™s just putting it the way it is. I knew I didnā€™t have to go out there and pass both of them running in a single file. So I just was ready and jumped on it when I could. That left Busch hopping mad and when he came onto pit road he bumped into Vickersā€™ car and leaped out of his Toyota to yell at Vickers, who was still strapped in. Brian Vickers: Kyle was crying like a little girl. After the race he came up and he was whining because I was racing him so hard. I donā€™t know, I thought this was racing, I thought this was what we were supposed to do. We raced fine the whole race. I called him and he let me go and he called me and I let him go. Then the race we are racing for the win and heā€™s crying about. I donā€™t know what he wants. Kyle Busch: He just hung on my right rear corner panel side drafted me and wasnā€™t paying attention to the mirror that the 88 was coming. I knew the 88 was coming, man I was stuck, I had no where to go. If I would have moved up I would have been into him, if I would have gone lower I would have been in the dirt so I had nothing to do. It was just unfortunate there that the side draft played that big of role and loss both of the winning cars a chance to win the race. Vickers: Whether the 88 was coming or not itā€™s irrelevant, my jobs to try to win the race, itā€™s the last lap. At that point the greatest threat was the 18. I didnā€™t hit him, I didnā€™t move him, I didnā€™t do anything dirty. We raced down the front stretch, the 88 got into my side and him and I raced down the backstretch. I didnā€™t think anything of it until he hit me in the pits. Sitting uncomfortably side by side in the Michigan media center during the post race press conference both Busch and Vickers were asked, where do those two go from here. Busch: I donā€™t know, ever since Richmond Iā€™ve had a problem with him racing with him on the racetrack. Itā€™s just another escalation of that. Vickers: The Richmond incident, the first turn he got to me, moved me off the racetrack and I moved him back off the racetrack the next turn. After that we have been fine so I donā€™t know what else to do. We were racing for the win. I mean Kyle if you are going to be upset that, I mean Iā€™m sorry thatā€™s my job is to try and win the race and if anyone else disagrees, If anyone else thinks I should have just rolled out of it and let Kyle win then please raise your hand. I donā€™t know what else Iā€™m supposed to do. Iā€™m fine; the only thing Iā€™m mad about is how he handled it after the race. Iā€™m sure we can get pass that but there again Iā€™m always going to race everybody the way they race me. Coming home forth was David Ragan with Kevin Harvick fifth. The rest of the top 10 Ryan Newman, Justin Allgaier, Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton and Paul Menard. Finishing 40th was title contender Carl Edwards, who wrecked on just lap two after bumping rookie, Trevor Bayne. Carl Edwards: Itā€™s very frustrating but itā€™s part of it. Sometimes things donā€™t the way you want. Thatā€™s just the way it is. I just drove down the corner, it surprised me we got together because for some reason in my mind I thought I had more room but I didnā€™t. Itā€™s nobodyā€™s fault but my own. I should have been cautious. Edwards is still second place in the Nationwide Series championship battle but with 12 races to go is now down 339 points to Kyle Busch. Edwards: Anything can happen, you just have to keep working, keep going at it. No you donā€™t ever give up, thatā€™s not part of it. Michigan winner Brad Keselowski is third minus 389 points and had this to say sitting with crew chief Tony Eury Sr. when asked if he was worried about running out of room, when he made his winning pass. Keselowski: Yes, but what are you going to do. Iā€™d rather win the race. If I would have wrecked right then trying to pass him for the win then I donā€™ think pops would have been too mad at me. Would you have been mad at me pops? Tony Eury Sr.: No. Keselowski: Nah. There you go, thereā€™s your answer. A full set of the pictures taken at the Michigan International Speedway can be viewed at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationwide/sets/72157621941182867/ The Nationwide Series will return this week to the Bristol Motor Speedway. Look for the audio interview following the Food City 250. And donā€™t forget, Nationwideā€™s Media Team will be Twittering from the Bristol Motor Speedway. You can follow the Teamā€™s whereabouts on the track at Twitter/Nationwide ( http://twitter.com/Nationwide). If there is a picture of someone or something you would like to see trackside, send your request to http://twitter.com/Nationwide. The team will try its best to get the shot. Pictures will be posted at http://www.twitpic.com/photos/nationwide