Keselowski Dominates in Daytona

Originally written for CLNS Radio.

Brad Keselowski won the Coke Zero 400 from Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night.

Keselowski had a dominant car throughout the race, and led 115 of 160 laps.  Keselowski said he wouldn’t have been able to get to victory lane without his teammate Joey Logano.

Photo courtesy Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

“We had two great cars here with Team Penske, and we worked really well,” Keselowski said.  “Joey’s won here and he’s a pro…he gave me the push I needed.”

“I knew he would work with me, and I knew he was good at this.”

Keselowski returned to Daytona after a lackluster 20th-place finish in February’s season-opening Daytona 500.  Keselowski said his team worked hard to bring a good car to Daytona on Saturday night.

“I doubted myself here,” Keselowski said.  “We came here for the 500 and … we ran like dog crap.  My team worked on it, and I didn’t give up on them.”

“I don’t care it’s the 500, it’s Daytona.  This is huge, I love this place.”

Kyle Busch finished second to Keselowski on Saturday night, running in a backup car following a wreck in practice on Thursday afternoon.  Busch said his team helped him get to the front.

“It’s a true testament to this team,” Busch said.  “I can’t say enough about this team, from where we came from a couple days ago.”

Busch said Keselowski’s car was just too good throughout the race.

“You had to have a whole lot of help to get by that 2 car, he was just so strong today,” Busch said.  “There was just so much going on that there wasn’t enough … of a run that I could get so that I could get alongside of him in order to pin him down.”

Unofficial results:

1. Brad Keselowski

2. Kyle Busch

3. Trevor Bayne

4. Joey Logano

5. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

6. Kyle Larson

7. Austin Dillon

8. Greg Biffle

9. Clint Bowyer

10. Michael McDowell

11. Cole Whitt

12. Casey Mears

13. AJ Allmendinger

14. Ryan Blaney

15. Aric Almirola

16. David Ragan

17. Denny Hamlin

18. Ryan Newman

19. David Gilliland

20. Michael Annett

21. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

22. Reed Sorenson

23. Kurt Busch

24. Bobby Labonte

25. Carl Edwards

26. Tony Stewart

27. Danica Patrick

28. Matt Kenseth

29. Martin Truex Jr.

30. Kasey Kahne

31. Landon Cassill

32. Chase Elliott

33. Matt DiBenedetto

34. Jamie McMurray

35. Jimmie Johnson

36. Paul Menard

37. Brian Scott

38. Regan Smith

39. Kevin Harvick

40. Chris Buescher

Photo courtesy Sean Gardner/Getty Images