Keselowski's 'death march' 2018 NASCAR Cup season 'frustrating'
Penske's Brad Keselowski says his 2018 NASCAR Cup series campaign has been "frustrating" due to a lack of pace or making errors when quick enough to win a race
Keselowski won his first Cup race of 2018 at Darlington last weekend ahead of team-mate Joey Logano.
The 2018 season has been largely dominated by the 'big three' of Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr, who combined have won 18 of 25 races so far.
Keselowski has managed four podiums this year and has been caught up in key clashes such as the early pile-up in the Daytona 500.
"It's been a heck of a year," said 2012 Cup champion Keselowski.
"It's been really frustrating because we haven't had the speed we've had over the last few seasons and then the races where I feel like we've had the speed, I completely screwed them up.
"I felt like before we had the speed to win Daytona and Talladega, and that's probably about it, and I messed both those races up.
"I made one bad move in the draft, got cycled back, and then the wreck happened.
"And then both the Daytonas, I made the wrong move, one where I just was too nice to someone and another when I just didn't anticipate somebody else's bad move.
"Those were failures on my part, and so that's really frustrating."
Keselowski admitted his previous downturn in form made him concerned he might not win again.
"You just never know when you're going to get a winning race car again," he said. "You enter every weekend thinking that.
"We had a car capable of winning [at Darlington last Sunday], we executed, we made the most of it, and I'm so thrilled for that because I know those moments are not a guarantee.
"Moments like today are just so refreshing.
"They recharge your batteries so much because the season is such a death march, especially when things aren't going well, and this is a complete battery recharge for myself and for our team."
Previous article
Kahne to miss NASCAR Cup Indy race after Darlington heat exhaustion
Next article
Kasey Kahne's NASCAR illness absence could be extended
About this article
| Series | NASCAR |
| Drivers | Brad Keselowski |
| Author | Tom Errington |
Why a British prospect is trying to make it in NASCAR
There has never been a full-time British driver in the NASCAR Cup. But Alex Sedgwick, who is rising through the stock car ranks, wants that to change and could be a trailblazer for European talents to reach the top echelons of the NASCAR ladder
How Earnhardt’s death changed American motorsport
It's 20 years since legendary driver Dale Earnhardt Sr died at the Daytona 500, but the legacy of his crash continues today through the pioneering safety work done by NASCAR
The NASCAR subplots to keep an eye on in 2021
This weekend's Daytona 500 kickstarts a NASCAR Cup season that promises plenty of intrigue courtesy of new owners and a refreshed calendar. Here's what you need to know ahead of the new season
How a second-chance NASCAR ace is rebuilding his career
From a disgraced NASCAR exile, Kyle Larson has been given a shot at redemption by the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports squad. Replacing seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is no easy billing, but Larson has every intention of repaying the team's faith
Autosport's top 5 NASCAR machines
The American stock car scene is more famous for its close racing and occasional punch-ups, but there have been some fantastic machines too. As part of Autosport's 70th anniversary celebrations in 2020, we picked out five of its best
Why NASCAR's latest second-generation champion is just getting started
Chase Elliott's late charge to the 2020 NASCAR Cup title defied predictions that it would be a Kevin Harvick versus Denny Hamlin showdown. While the two veterans are showing no signs of slowing down, Elliott's triumph was a window into NASCAR's future
Why Johnson’s playoff failure won’t tarnish his legacy
The last season of a retiring NASCAR great has shown promise, and may have resulted in another playoff push without small issues outside his control. 2020 won't be the year Jimmie Johnson would have wanted, but it won't be what he is remembered for
Why a Le Mans winner is heading into the “unknown world” of NASCAR
Comparing Porsche's 919 HYBRID LMP1 to NASCAR is motorsport's equivalent of apples and oranges, but this weekend one of Weissach's top works aces will pit his skills against the regulars and revive the tradition of the 'road-course ringer'
