Two drivers made a statement Sunday night at Darlington Raceway, but only one came away with a win.
In a season when three Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champions have commandeered the spotlight, it was another former champion who catapulted himself back into contention despite the fact he was not the night's dominant driver.
One day after capturing the Xfinity Series race, Brad Keselowski cemented a memorable weekend for himself and his team by scoring his first 2018 win in the Bojangles’ Southern 500, one of the Cup Series most prestigious races. Add in a runner-up finish by teammate Joey Logano, and Team Penske, which had not won this race since Bobby Allison took the checkered flag in 1975, left Darlington with even more reason to celebrate.
For Keselowski, who had not won in the Cup Series since October, the victory was not necessary to clinch a playoff berth; he was already locked into the 16-driver playoff field on points. But with one regular-season race remaining, the win gave the 2012 champion some much-needed momentum and got the monkey off his back.
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"Moments like today are just so refreshing,” Keselowski said. “They recharge your batteries so much because the season is such a death march, especially when things aren't going well, and this is a complete battery recharge for myself and for our team. It makes going to the racetrack fun knowing that you've won and you can win."
While Keselowski was celebrating, Kyle Larson was left to ponder what might have been. One of NASCAR’s best young drivers, Larson drove one of the most dominating races of the season, only to come up short in the closing laps.
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