Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Keselowski Makes It a Penske Sweep at Indianapolis
Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 7 years ago on
September 10, 2018

Share

INDIANAPOLIS — Brad Keselowski snatched victory from Denny Hamlin in the final laps of the Brickyard 400 on Monday to give Roger Penske a sweep this year at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Will Power won the Indianapolis 500 in May for Team Penske’s 17th victory in that event. Despite all the organizational success at Indy, no Penske driver had been able to win NASCAR’s Brickyard 400.
Keselowski, an afterthought most of this season, used fresher tires and timely late cautions to put Penske in victory lane. Keselowski has now won two consecutive races headed into NASCAR’s playoffs. The victories are big ones, too: the Southern 500 last week and now the Brickyard 400, two of NASCAR’s crown jewel events.

Reversal of Fortune for Keselowski

“Last year, I lost this race almost the exact same way. To bring it home this way, after messing up last year, is just incredible,” Keselowski said. “We were hoping this would be No. 500 and the Brickyard, but that’s all right.”
Penske certainly won’t be complaining about getting win No. 499 on the same historic 2.5-mile oval where he has won a record 17 Indianapolis 500 crowns.
Penske’s first win 25 Cup tries at his favorite racing venue came on one of the rare days he wasn’t actually attending in the pits for the rain-delayed race.
But Penske now joins Chip Ganassi as the only owners to win the Indy double in the same season. Will Power captured his first 500 win in May, while Dario Franchitti and Jamie McMurray both won at the Brickyard in 2010 for Ganassi.
Keselowski and his No. 2 crew climbed the Indianapolis fence to celebrate, a move made famous by Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves, a three-time Indianapolis 500 winner.
Kyle Busch, meanwhile, claimed the NASCAR regular-season title and claim the top-seeded playoff spot.

Late Cautions Helped Keselowski

Keselowski wasn’t a factor until two late cautions gave the 2012 series champion a chance to use fresher tires to chase down Hamlin. The race went green with three laps to go and Clint Bowyer, in second, spun his tires. Keselowski darted around Bowyer into second, then caught Hamlin. The two cars touched a handful of times as they raced for the lead, and Keselowski finally surged ahead with a little more than one lap remaining.
He won by 0.904 seconds over Erik Jones. Hamlin was third 1.703 seconds behind. The victory was the first for Ford at Indianapolis since 1999.

Rain Forced Race to Monday

Steady rain for three days in Indianapolis washed out all activity surrounding NASCAR’s regular-season finale and Monday was a doubleheader with the Xfinity Series, won by Justin Allgaier, followed by the Brickyard. At stake was a wild-card slot in the 16-driver playoff field, available only to a first-time winner this season.

Photo of Kyle Busch's car in the pits
NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) stops in front of driver Joey Logano (22) for tires and fuel during the  Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Monday, Sept. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Jamie McMurray gave it a late go and challenged Bowyer for position on a restart with 12 laps remaining. McMurray couldn’t get past Bowyer, and Keselowski used the opportunity to pick off another spot and put himself in position to make a run.
Hamlin was frustrated by an accident between Landon Cassill and Jeffery Earnhardt with seven laps remaining that gave Keselowski a shot at the win.
“Cautions killed us at the end,” Hamlin said.

Johnson, Bowman Nail Final Playoff Spots

Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman claimed the final two open spots in the playoff field. The other drivers competing for the championship: Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, Bowyer, Kyle Larson, Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Jones, Austin Dillon, Aric Almirola, and Keselowski.
The playoffs begin next Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Dodgers Overcome Early Deficit for Victory Over the Pirates

DON'T MISS

Suspected US Airstrike Hits Yemen Migrant Centre; Houthi TV Says 68 Killed

DON'T MISS

Norway Establishes Diplomatic Relations With State of Palestine

DON'T MISS

Kim Kardashian Jewel Heist Trial Starts in Paris

DON'T MISS

NBA Playoff Guide: Who Plays When, How to Watch, What the Odds Are

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Ejected, Killed in High-Speed Wreck Following Pursuit

DON'T MISS

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Naomi Kaylynn Acker

DON'T MISS

Conclave to Elect a New Pope Will Start on May 7 as Cardinals Get to Know One Another

DON'T MISS

California Faces Automaker Backlash Over 2035 Gas Car Ban

DON'T MISS

Wall Street Mixed in Start to Busy Week for Earnings, Data

UP NEXT

NBA Playoff Guide: Who Plays When, How to Watch, What the Odds Are

UP NEXT

Is It Bad to Chew Gum All Day?

UP NEXT

Shedeur Sanders’ Long Wait Ends When Browns Take Him in the 5th Round of the NFL Draft

UP NEXT

Shedeur Sanders Is Still Waiting for a Call as the NFL Draft Enters the Final Day

UP NEXT

Paul Skenes Strikes Out 9, Wins Duel With Yamamoto in Pirates’ Victory Over Dodgers

UP NEXT

Eovaldi Outlasts Verlander as Rangers Beat Giants

UP NEXT

Rams Take Oregon Tight End Terrance Ferguson in Second Round After Trading Out of First

UP NEXT

Shedeur Sanders Snubbed in NFL Draft’s Round 1 but Leads List of Top Available Players for Day 2

UP NEXT

Chargers Choose North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton in Effort to Boost Offense

UP NEXT

49ers Draft Georgia Edge Rusher Mykel Williams With the No. 11 Pick in the NFL Draft

Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

Kim Kardashian Jewel Heist Trial Starts in Paris

22 minutes ago

NBA Playoff Guide: Who Plays When, How to Watch, What the Odds Are

28 minutes ago

Fresno Man Ejected, Killed in High-Speed Wreck Following Pursuit

35 minutes ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Naomi Kaylynn Acker

50 minutes ago

Conclave to Elect a New Pope Will Start on May 7 as Cardinals Get to Know One Another

58 minutes ago

California Faces Automaker Backlash Over 2035 Gas Car Ban

1 hour ago

Wall Street Mixed in Start to Busy Week for Earnings, Data

1 hour ago

Will California Meet Newsom’s 2035 EV Deadline? It Won’t Even Hit the 2026 Target 

1 day ago

Trump Says Putin May Not Want Peace and May Need to Be ‘Dealt With Differently’

2 days ago

Is It Bad to Chew Gum All Day?

2 days ago

Dodgers Overcome Early Deficit for Victory Over the Pirates

LOS ANGELES — Andy Pages hit a home run, drove in a career-high four runs and tied a career best with four hits as the Los Angeles Dodgers r...

2 minutes ago

2 minutes ago

Dodgers Overcome Early Deficit for Victory Over the Pirates

Injured African migrants lie on hospital beds after a strike hit a detention centre hosting African migrants, in Saada, Yemen April 28, 2025. (REUTERS/Naif Rahma)
6 minutes ago

Suspected US Airstrike Hits Yemen Migrant Centre; Houthi TV Says 68 Killed

Norway officially established diplomatic relations with the State of Palestine on Thursday, April 24, 2025, strengthening its support for Palestinian independence amid Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza. (Shutterstock)
13 minutes ago

Norway Establishes Diplomatic Relations With State of Palestine

Kim Kardashian arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscars party after the 97th Academy Awards, in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., March 2, 2025. (REUTERS/Danny Moloshok/File Photo)
22 minutes ago

Kim Kardashian Jewel Heist Trial Starts in Paris

Indiana Pacers' Myles Turner (33) reacts after dunking over Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo during the second half of Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP/Jeffrey Phelps)
28 minutes ago

NBA Playoff Guide: Who Plays When, How to Watch, What the Odds Are

fresno
35 minutes ago

Fresno Man Ejected, Killed in High-Speed Wreck Following Pursuit

Naomi Kaylynn Acker is Valley Crime Stoppers' Most Wanted Person of the Day for April 28, 2025. (Valley Crimes Stoppers)
50 minutes ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Naomi Kaylynn Acker

St Peter's Basilica is seen in the background as a cardinal arrives for a college of cardinals' meeting, at the Vatican, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
58 minutes ago

Conclave to Elect a New Pope Will Start on May 7 as Cardinals Get to Know One Another

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend