NASCAR CUP SERIES: BUSCHY MCBUSCH RACE 400

May 2, 2021

Brad Keselowski

Press Conference

Kansas Speedway

An Interview with:

THE MODERATOR: Brad, walk us through your run here today at Kansas Speedway from your perspective.

BRAD KESELOWSKI: Yeah, it was a decent day. We weren't the strongest car, but we were solid top 5 most of the race. Just kind of flirting with that on these mile-and-a-halfs. I don't think we're dominant by any means but we're right there and trying to find a little bit more to punch through to get to Victory Lane.

Q. Was there anything else you could have done differently on that final restart with those fresher tires?

BRAD KESELOWSKI: No, not really. I was buried too much. Each restart was just so chaotic. Kevin had the newest tires and the yellows came out and pretty much nullified the advantage that I had and handed it back to the guys behind us. Just kind of stuck there.

Q. It appears to be you guys, your team has found a groove now where every week you show up you've got a chance. From the outside looking in it feels that way. Do you feel that way from the inside out?

BRAD KESELOWSKI: Yeah, I've felt that way all along this year. I feel like we haven't had many bad races speed-wise, but we've been kind of fringe top 5 a lot this year and haven't really showcased race-winning speed outside of obviously being able to run well at Talladega.

I think maybe Richmond we were close there, but Vegas we were kind of that second- to fifth-place car, and I think you look at Daytona we ran pretty well, but kind of still in that second to fifth-place car range. Just haven't had that breakthrough of dominant speed, and if we can put that with some execution on our good weeks, then we'll be in good shape, but this week I felt like we executed fairly well and just needed a little bit more speed to be able to bring it home.

Q. How do you look at 10 different winners in the first 11 races?

BRAD KESELOWSKI: It's interesting. I would not have predicted that at all. I wish I had an explanation for it. I really don't. I wish it wasn't the case because I'd rather it just be us winning all the time, but it is interesting for the fans and very compelling right now.

Q. Just wondering your opinion, if you have one, on the tire sitting there that caused the caution. It was there 15 laps. They elected to let the pit cycle through, then they throw the caution, but then that ends up punting a lot more cautions that changed the outcome of the race. Are you okay with that as a driver, that call there?

BRAD KESELOWSKI: Yeah, I don't know really if there's a better solution. If there was a better solution maybe I wouldn't be, but I don't have one. I can tell you that.

Somebody is always going to be upset on them deals, and it's kind of pick your poison.

Q. Do you feel you're on par with kind of where Larson and Kyle Busch are at on these mile-and-a-halfs, ore?

BRAD KESELOWSKI: No, the 5 and 18 have been really strong on the mile-and-a-halfs consistently. I don't think where we're they are, but like I said, we're right behind them there at the edge of the top 5. I would put probably the 11 in that group, as well, as being really strong. Blaney had that really strong race in Atlanta, and we kind of hoped that would bode well for us on the mile-and-a-halfs, but I would say we're as a collective just a step behind Team Penske to those guys on the mile-and-a-halfs, and probably on the short tracks we're right there with them.

Q. Brad, you've got a decent amount of stage points. Are you satisfied with how the race went and its outcome?

BRAD KESELOWSKI: Yeah, I try to be grateful, but satisfied is not a good word. Satisfied would be winning. But grateful that the day could have been a lot worse and grateful for my team and the effort they've put in to put us in a position to have a day like today where, like I said, we scored a lot of points and we go home with not a trophy but another top 5 with quite a few laps led and quite a few stage points scored.

THE MODERATOR: Brad, thank you so much for taking the time to join us today, and good luck next week at Darlington.