NASCAR: Brad Keselowski wins Friday night’s Xfinity Series race at Kentucky

Win to Brad Keselowski.

Assist to David Starr.

With eight of 200 laps remaining, Starr – running four laps off the pace – held up then-leader Erik Jones enough to allow Keselowski to get around Jones and take the lead.

Despite a heroic effort on the final lap by Jones, Keselowski held on for the victory in Friday night’s Kentucky 300 at Kentucky Speedway.

The victory is the 33rd of Keselowski’s Xfinity Series career and first of the 2015 season.

Kyle Busch finished third, Daniel Suarez was fourth and Elliott Sadler was fifth.

Turning point

During a late-race caution, Keselowski took two new tires on a pit stop on Lap 166 and was the first off pit road. Erik Jones, who also took two tires, powered past Keselowski on the restart on Lap 170 to take the lead and began to build a big lead.

Three who mattered

Brad Keselowski: It seems strange that this is Keselowski’s first Xfinity Series win of the season. He’s fast whenever he’s in Team Penske’s No. 22 Ford.

Erik Jones: He continues to show why he is on the fast track to the Sprint Cup Series.

Daniel Suarez: Suarez continues to impress in his first full NASCAR season.

Observation

▪ A loose wheel really hurt Ty Dillon’s efforts in Friday night’s race. Even after a crew chief change two weeks ago, there is some work Dillon’s Richard Childress Racing team needs to get sorted out to compete for the championship.

They said it

“I got both cones. I got a bonus there.” – Race winner Brad Keselowski on knocking out the orange cones during his victory burnout.

N@SCAR

Three tweets from Friday night’s race:

This story was originally published July 10, 2015 at 10:21 PM with the headline "NASCAR: Brad Keselowski wins Friday night’s Xfinity Series race at Kentucky."