THE MODERATOR: We are joined by the winning owner and fourth-place finisher in today's race, Brad Keselowski.
Second consecutive win for RFK, second strong race by the No. 6 car. I'm sure you're feeling good. Tell us how good.
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Yeah, it's been two great weekends. I'm just thrilled to death for our company. There's a lot of people just working their guts out, trying to push, work within the limits of the rules and regulations, but not leave anything on the table, at the same time executing at the highest of levels, whether it be on pit road, restarts, whatever else it takes. I'm happy for them, their efforts getting them the results they deserve.
Also keeping our head down. We got a lot of racing left in front of us. We're now in a position to have at least one car fully locked in the Playoffs, and realistically both cars are probably locked in the Playoffs with today's results. That's super exciting.
Not officially, Ford, don't get mad at me, but realistically (smiling).
We're pumped for the way this weekend played out. This was not a track I thought we would come to and have a significant level of success given what we've seen throughout the rest of the year.
The team did a great job adjusting on both cars, making them faster. At the end of the race my car was just a rocket. I think we went from 10, 11 seconds back from the lead to 4 or 5 by the end of the race. I was hoping we could have another 20 or 30 more laps. I think I could have got all the way to the front.
Team did a great job across all aspects. We're getting those results so... Thrilled for Chris, our team. Just a big weekend for us overall. Big two weekends for us overall.
THE MODERATOR: If you score 54 points next week, you're officially clinched.
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Thank you.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions.
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Only 54 (smiling)?
Q. I've known you for a long time, got a lot of respect for you, but could you have imagined coming into this season and pulled off what you did? I can't imagine what Jack must be thinking seeing the 17 in Victory Lane two weeks in a row.
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Yeah, the highs are high and the lows are low over here. We had a lot of lows last year. It's nice to have these high marks. I don't take 'em for granted. They mean more to me probably because of how big a struggle last year was for both teams. Probably even more specifically for me.
I'm thrilled for it. I know the work that goes into it on all aspects. I'm thrilled for every department of our company, from the marketing side through all of competition.
We've come so far. We still have a long ways to go to get to where I want us to be, but we're building some really strong momentum with these wins.
I'm just as curious as anyone else to see where it goes from here. I try not to have expectations for good or bad. I just try to do our best, see what that plays out to on the field.
Q. It's two cars, so it's not a fluke.
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Both cars last two weeks have been exceptionally strong. I felt like Chris a little better than I was last week, executed at a really high level, knocked it out of the ballpark with a win.
This week I think I was a little bit faster, he executed really well. That's what it takes. The 19 car, Martin Truex, is no slouch, I can tell you that. Sure you guys already talked to him. He was a rocket most of the day. For Chris to be able to hold him off is really impressive.
Q. As far as pit strategy, do you feel like Chris worked that better than you guys?
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Yeah, I mean, we scored the stage points, right, in stage one and two. We were counting on the race going long, getting yellows at the end. We just didn't get the yellows, so...
You just don't know how the races are going to play out. With the speed we had, if there would have been yellows at the end, I think we could have won it, honestly. It would have been a good battle between the 19, probably Chris and I, all three of us. That's not the way the race played out.
At the end I think we were running 37.80s, the leader was running 38.0 and teens. The 11 car was running third, somewhere in there. We had a good 2/10ths on the field. That was super exciting and fun to be part of. It didn't play out with the yellows we needed to to rerack 'em.
That is how it goes sometimes, and you can't be upset by it. You play the cards. They don't always go your way. I was really happy how both teams had the strategy covered today.
Q. What does it do confidence-wise, mojo-wise, to win at a place like Richmond and win at a place like Michigan?
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Significant differences in the tracks. When we sat down and I think looked at the next three weeks ahead of us two weeks ago, I would have said we'll run okay at Richmond, top five, top 10, we'll come to Michigan and run 10th to 15th, given Kansas, then we'll go to Indy and be very, very strong.
I'm tickled to death that we're as strong as we were this weekend and last weekend. Looking for big things in Indy off that momentum. I know Chris is one of the best road course drivers in the series. Last year he probably deserved to win that race, but caught some terrible breaks. He's going to have a heck of a shot next week. I'm happy for him.
Q. Obviously a great run for you and your team. Also being a big part of getting a car in Victory Lane here in your home state, what does that mean for you and your team?
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Yeah, I'm probably still digesting it, to be quite honest (smiling). I was really caught off guard because I didn't foresee us being able to win here this weekend.
Honestly, at the end of the race both cars had a great shot at winning. That's a real pleasant surprise, to be honest. I'm still scratching my head on how we got there, but I'm not complaining. Don't get me wrong.
In the end we found good speed and executed and did all the right things. Like I said, we had the strategy covered on both ends. If a yellow came out, we were covered with my car. If the race went green, Chris had it covered with his car. It's good to see that.
Q. Now that both of your cars are in, can you be a bit of the fan of the sport and look at the next three races? Big names trying to get into that spot. How good it is for the sport that you have a lot of intrigue?
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Yeah, the next two or three weeks is going to get more and more wild. Chase Elliott is a heck of a road course racer. I know Hendrick Motorsports is coming loaded for bear for him the next two races.
Then you have Daytona to finish off the Playoffs. If Daytona wasn't already a madhouse, you can only imagine it now that you have all these prestigious drivers that are just below the cut line, going to lay it all out.
Not just the next three weeks, but the next 13 weeks are shaping up to be big for the sport. In the short-term picture, the next three weeks are going to be their own storyline.
That's one of the things that makes NASCAR special, how many storylines there are throughout the season, right? I think we're seeing that throughout this season.
Q. Obviously this is a track you wanted to win at forever. In Victory Lane what were the emotions like for you?
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Yeah, it's a different feeling. I'm glad to be there no matter what's circumstances. I want to be there as a driver, don't get me wrong. Being there as an owner is phenomenal, as well.
Like I said, I'm still soaking it in. With all the mixed emotions of, Hey, man, I was so fast at the end, if I could have gotten any kind of breaks to go our way. Then also just thrilled to death for Chris and his team and everybody on it.
Q. With several mile-and-a-half tracks, not exactly the same, with how good you guys showed up here, do you think those will be more of a strong suit heading into the Playoffs?
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Yeah, I mean, if our cars run like this at Kansas and Vegas, Texas, Homestead, man, we've got a shot of going really deep in the Playoffs. That's really thrilling. Those are four big races for us.
To show this kind of speed, that's a big statement.
Q. You spoke a lot of Buescher last week, think of him at 30 years old, just coming into his prime. What do you see as his long-term growth?
BRAD KESELOWSKI: Well, when you say 'long-term potential' all I am thinking is what does he need to change. Right now nothing. You don't change anything. He's at his potential.
I don't know what more we could ask of him right now. He's out there winning races, executing in all aspects, not tearing equipment up, not getting in trouble in the media or any of this other stuff.
I mean, what more do you ask for out of the guy (smiling)? I guess there's always something I could pick him apart on. If there's any advice I'm going to give him, Don't change anything, just keep going, right? We're really proud of him.
THE MODERATOR: Can you please give your opinions on Ford earning the Heritage Trophy for Ford, their ninth consecutive NASCAR Cup Series victory at Michigan.
BRAD KESELOWSKI: When we come to Michigan, there's some loud knocks on the door from the OEM side of you have to find a way to give all you got here. I think the teams all dig down deep.
More than that I think a lot of credit to Roush-Yates engines, Doug Yates. We didn't show the speed in practice or qualifying with any of the Fords. In the race, boy, did it show up. I got to give Doug and his team a lot of credit.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Brad.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports