Brad to the Bone: Keselowski Wins STP 400 at Kansas Speedway

| Written by: Rob Tiongson @ The Podium Finish

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For the second consecutive week, fuel mileage dictated the outcome of the latest NASCAR Sprint Cup race, with Sunday's STP 400 at Kansas Speedway playing host to the game known as "Who had more gas?"

Once again, Dale Earnhardt Jr. found himself in position to capture the checkered flag to end his long, three-year winless streak.

However, he had to settle for a runner-up finish in his No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevy, an easier pill to swallow compared to last weekend's last-lap debacle at Charlotte.

Instead, it was another racer with a somewhat long losing streak who finally saw the light of Victory Lane under the scorching Kansas heat.

That driver was Brad Keselowski, who drove his No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger to the winner's circle, which could serve as an important stepping stone for a playoff push come September.

Parlaying the fuel mileage game with crew chief Paul Wolfe, the 27-year-old Keselowski led the final nine laps, conserving enough gas to beat Earnhardt Jr. to the stripe for his first victory since the spring Talladega race in 2009.

In what has been a trying season for the Penske and Dodge racing organization, the pride of Rochester Hills, MI relished his win.

"It's because of the bad finishes and the struggles that we had to get here that I really appreciate this win," Keselowski said per AP Sports Writer Luke Meredith's article. "We're in good shape. A few more wins like this and we can make the Chase."

Keselowski's victory boosted him from 25th to 21st in the points standings, which might come into play during the summer stretch which begins next Sunday at Pocono Raceway.

Under NASCAR's new Chase format, two drivers with victories who's outside the top-10 but sits in the top-20 in the points standings will earn a playoff berth for the title.

In short, drivers like Keselowski have adopted a "go for broke" strategy which could pay off in the fall.

For now, it's all about being in position for victories and getting maximum performances every race, which the No. 2 team has been doing since Kurt Busch's tirade last month.

Pole sitter Kurt Busch placed ninth, who seemed pleased with his team's performance and his teammate's victory.

"I was all smiles," Busch said. "I felt the groove again, to lead the race. It was great. It was solid. There was always something in the back of my mind that we weren't going to win, but I am proud Brad Keselowski did."

As for second-place finisher Earnhardt Jr., he was somewhat disappointed in coming up short again due to fuel mileage.

"Anytime you win a fuel mileage race you've done something as a driver," Earnhardt said. "We don't know what we're doing really trying to save gas or how much we're saving. But (Keselowski) had a hand in it."

Nevertheless, Earnhardt's strong finish continued the resurgence of Hendrick Motorsports' intermediate track program, as Jeff Gordon climbed from his 22nd starting position to place fourth, while Jimmie Johnson came home seventh after starting 31st.

Rounding out the top-10 race finishers were Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Gordon, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Johnson, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, and Greg Biffle.

Gordon and his No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevy team essentially made good on their promise to "go for broke" for the final months of the regular season with their first top-five finish since a third at Talladega.

"We were just trying to maintain second and see what the pit strategy was going to be," Gordon said per an AP Sports report. "We played it to the best we possibly could.

"If I hadn't been quite so free, I might have been able to get third. But all-in-all, a great top-five (finish) and a great day (for us)."

Prior to the running of the STP 400, perennial car owner Richard Childress and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch were summoned to the NASCAR hauler due to a reported incident that took place following Saturday's O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 trucks race.

It was reported that Childress took exception to Busch making contact with his truck racer Joey Coulter following the race, putting him in a headlock before landing some punches on the Las Vegas native driver.

Childress was allowed to stay on the track for Sunday's race but essentially was restricted to certain points of the speedway.

Meanwhile, NASCAR officials cleared Kyle Busch of any wrong doing in Saturday's incident, who hadn't violated his probation that was enforced following his incident with Richard Childress Racing driver Kevin Harvick following the Showtime Southern 500 at Darlington last month.

Busch placed 12th, who took his finish in stride, saying, "It was a solid day. Qualified up front and ran decent much of the race."

Next Sunday, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will hit up the long, 2-mile triangle-shaped speedway known as Pocono Raceway, as Denny Hamlin looks to defend his 2010 victory with another win at the famed "roval."

Taking over the TV coverage from FOX Sports will be TNT, who will cover the next six races on the tube as well as through NASCAR.com with their Race Buddy program for additional telemetry and camera views all race long.

Here's a look at the top-10 points standings, with team, manufacture, and wins listed in parentheses: