Keselowski Wins Regular-Season Finale at the Brickyard

Originally written for CLNS Media.

Brad Keselowski picked up his second-straight victory on Monday afternoon after winning the rain-delayed Big Machine Vodka 400 from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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After winning last weekend’s Southern 500 at Darlington, Keselowski used a late-race pass of Denny Hamlin to pick up his second victory in a NASCAR major event.

Keselowski said his crew chief made the call to get him into victory lane.

“I’ve got to give credit where credit is due; Paul Wolfe made a heck of a call to pit,” Keselowski said.  “He gave me the ball and I had to make a play.”

The victory was the first for team owner Roger Penske in the Monster Energy Cup Series at Indianapolis.  Penske has 17 Indianapolis victories in IndyCar, but was winless in NASCAR’s top series until Monday.

Keselowski said it was special to get “the Captain” his first Brickyard NASCAR Cup Series victory.

“To get Roger Penske his first Cup car win here at the Brickyard is an incredible feeling,” Keselowski said.

Monday’s race was the final of the regular season, with NASCAR’s 10-race playoff beginning next Sunday in Las Vegas.

Kyle Busch won the regular season championship, and said he was looking forward to using his playoff points to get to the season finale in Homestead.

“The bonus points mean a lot; the hardware means a lot,” Busch said.  “They give away a trophy for a regular season championship…but more importantly we want to go after the end of the season championship and take home that bigger trophy.”

Unofficial results:

1. Brad Keselowski

2. Erik Jones

3. Denny Hamlin

4. Kevin Harvick

5. Clint Bowyer

6. Kurt Busch

7. Jamie McMurray

8. Kyle Busch

9. Paul Menard

10. Ryan Newman

11. Ryan Blaney

12. Matt Kenseth

13. Joey Logano

14. Kyle Larson

15. Chase Elliott

16. Jimmie Johnson

17. Michael McDowell

18. Daniel Suarez

19. William Byron

20. Regan Smith

21. Ty Dillon

22. Austin Dillon

23. Aric Almirola

24. David Ragan

25. Chris Buescher

26. Ross Chastain

27. Corey LaJoie

28. Reed Sorenson

29. JJ Yeley

30. BJ McLeod

31. Landon Cassill

32. Jeffrey Earnhardt

33. Alex Bowman

34. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

35. Timmy Hill

36. Matt DiBenedetto

37. AJ Allmendinger

38. Darrell Wallace Jr.

39. David Starr

40. Martin Truex Jr.

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