BRISTOL, Tenn. — Brad Keselowski moved a step closer to making the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship by winning Saturday night’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway, his third victory of the season.
Keselowski has been on a tear since breaking his ankle in a crash while testing earlier this month. Since the injury, he’s won at Pocono, finished second at Watkins Glen, third at Michigan and now has the victory at Bristol.
Although he has walked gingerly in the month since the accident, he hopped up and down in excitement as he climbed from the No. 2 Penske Racing Dodge.
“An awesome car, an awesome team!” he yelled. “Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt won this race. It’s a race of champions. There are races that pay more, that are races that might have a little more prestige, but this is the coolest one of them all.”
Keselowski’s three wins should be enough to at least earn him one of the two wild cards into the 12-driver Chase. The top 10 in the standings after the Sept. 10 race at Richmond make the Chase, along with two wild cards for the drivers with the most wins who aren’t already eligible.
Power on IndyCar pole
SONOMA, Calif. — Will Power won the pole position in qualifying for today’s Infineon Grand Prix.
Power led Team Penske to the top three qualifying spots in the IndyCar race, with Brazilian Helio Castroneves and Australian Ryan Briscoe qualifying second and third, respectively.
Vettel tops F1 qualifying
SPA, Belgium — Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel held off Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren in rainy weather in qualifying to secure pole position for today’s Belgian Grand Prix.
The defending Formula One champion will start from the front for the ninth time this season. Red Bull teammate Mark Webber, celebrating his 35th birthday and a new one-year contract with his team, was third.
Back in the pack
How Regan Smith, racing for Denver’s Furniture Row team, fared Saturday night at Bristol, Tenn.:
• Finished 18th on an uneventful evening. He moved up to ninth early in the race but dropped back. He never threatened but stayed on the lead lap all night.
• Remained 25th in the points standings.
Today’s races
INDYCAR Grand Prix of Sonoma
Site: Sonoma, Calif.
TV: Versus, 2 p.m.
Track: Infineon Raceway (road course, 2.303 miles).
FORMULA ONE Belgian Grand Prix
TV: Speed, 5:30 a.m.
Track: Spa-Francorchamps (road course, 4.35 miles).
