Keselowski’s Bristol Bump Doesn’t Pan Out On Final Lap

Brad Keselowski (6) chases Christopher Bell on the final lap of Saturday night's Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. (Jacob Seelman/Motorsports Hotspot photo)

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Brad Keselowski felt every inch of his 51-race NASCAR Cup Series winless streak breathing down his neck during the closing laps of a chaotic Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

But while his ultimate runner-up finish Saturday night was one of his strongest performances of the year, it ended with the sting of “what could have been.”

The night was defined by tire wear, strategy, and late-race drama. Goodyear brought a softer right-side tire to the concrete coliseum, hoping to increase degradation.

Combined with cooler track temperatures dipping into the 60s, the result was exactly that: drivers sliding early, losing grip, and forced to pit more frequently than usual.

Keselowski, who started 18th, thrived in the chaos. Patiently working his way forward, he and the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford became a steady presence near the front as the race wound into its second half.

By the final stage, Keselowski looked like a serious contender. He led three separate times for a total of 33 laps, showing the kind of speed and composure that had often eluded his team earlier in the season.

With each cycle of green-flag pit stops, the Michigan veteran kept finding himself in the mix, putting the RFK team he co-owns in position for another win on one of NASCAR’s most iconic short tracks.

The defining moment came on the final restart. Lining up alongside Christopher Bell with four laps to go, Keselowski gambled by choosing the outside lane.

As the green flag waved, Bell surged ahead, while Keselowski spun the tires slightly and fought to maintain momentum before clawing his way into second.

Desperate to reel in the leader, Keselowski used the chrome horn into turn three on the final lap, nudging Bell in a classic Bristol bump-and-run attempt. Bell, however, held his ground and drove to his first victory in 22 races.

Keselowski could only stand on pit road after the race, denied a return to victory lane once again.

“That’s just the story of our season,” Keselowski said. “Just a 50-50 shot on the restart and I got the lane that couldn’t launch. We had a great car, great strategy, and put ourselves in position to – if not win, at least have a really, really solid day.

“On that last restart we just rolled the dice and didn’t get anything good.”

Still, the night offered plenty of positives. Bristol showed that RFK Racing’s No. 6 team has the speed and strategy to contend with the best. Navigating through heavy traffic, handling tire fall off, and staying in the fight until the very end all point to a group moving in the right direction.

“The track cooled off just enough for the tires to start marbling up,” Keselowski noted. “As the tires started to cord, we had to pivot our strategy, but ultimately it [largely] played out in our favor.”

For Keselowski, Bristol will be remembered as a near-miss. But it was also a statement that he and RFK Racing still can turn heads regardless of their playoff status.

If they can bottle the speed and tenacity the 2012 Cup Series champion showed under the lights at Bristol, that elusive win to break the drought may not be far away.

The Cup Series field heads next to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, with broadcast coverage of the Mobil 1 301 set for Sunday, Sept. 21 at 2 p.m. ET on USA, the Performance Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.