When a caution came out with three of the original 160 laps remaining in Sunday’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it was clear Keselowski did not have enough fuel to make it to end and would need to pit.
However, Keselowski stayed on the track during the caution and remained on the front row with Blaney for the restart of the first overtime. Just as the field exited Turn 4, Keselowski dove onto pit road.
That allowed the car behind him – in this case Larson – to move up to the front row, even though he technically was going to restart third.
Larson powered past Blaney and into the lead after taking the green, then secured the victory when he was leading in the second overtime when a caution came out on the final lap.
During a red flag for a multi-car wreck in the second overtime, Blaney fumed over his radio over Larson being allowed to move up to the front row, although that is typically how NASCAR rules such scenarios.
“I thought we put ourselves in a great spot,” a dejected Blaney said after the race. “I know (Keselowski) was probably going to run out if it went green. Came to the restart, I couldn’t believe they stayed out.
“I knew there was no way they were going to make it. So, I obviously chose the top (lane) because he might run out in the restart zone. He runs out coming to the green, so he gets to go to pit road and (Larson) gets promoted.”
Frustrated with late restart call
Blaney said he thought NASCAR should have called off the restart once Keselowski abandoned his position on the track and had the field re-choose their lineup positions.
“With this, you’re promoting the third-place guy before the second place guy if the leader has problems. That’s not right,” he said. “It’s dumb luck, right, of where Brad ran out and stuff like this. At this race track where the bottom (lane) is preferred.
“I don’t know. I’m just upset. That’s a heartbreaker. We did everything right today. I mean, was in prime position to win and just didn’t work out for us. Just got unlucky.”
Still, Blaney’s third place run continued a sizzling summer for the driver of the No. 12 Ford and the entire Penske organization.
Blaney has five top-10 finishes – including a win last week at Pocono – in his last six races and sits fifth in the series standings. All three Penske drivers have won a race in the last eight weeks.
A win Sunday – at the iconic track owned by his team owner Roger Penske – would have been even better.
“I don’t know what to be mad about. Mad at losing this race because I thought we were in the perfect position,” Blaney said. “Once I lost control of the race, obviously, I would have been on the bottom (lane), but I thought (Keselowski) would run out in the restart zone or down the back, I don’t know.
“Stinks to lose in that way. I hate we don’t get to celebrate with Mr. Penske and everyone at Penske here. That stings a lot.”
