Keselowski takes over ‘Chase’ lead

DOVER, Del.—Brad Keselowski had fuel to spare for a couple of victory burnouts.
Those few splashes of gas left down the stretch were just enough for a checkered flag—and a sign Keselowski is a championship favourite.

With other contenders battling fuel woes and limping toward pit road, Keselowski had enough gas in the No. 2 Dodge to win yesterday at Dover International Speedway for his second victory in three weeks.
Keselowksi’s stout start to the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship allowed him to swipe the points lead from Jimmie Johnson.
Keselowski holds a five-point lead over Johnson as the “Chase” shifts to Talladega Superspeedway.
Keselowski, who won the “Chase” opener at Chicagoland, deftly has avoided the famed Big Ones that strike the Alabama track to win twice there in seven career starts.
He held off a late push from runner-up Jeff Gordon yesterday to match Denny Hamlin for the season victory lead with five.
Johnson and Hamlin each led a chunk of laps on the mile concrete oval, but failed to stretch their fuel to the end. Johnson, who has seven career wins at Dover, was ordered to back off the gas and salvaged a fourth-place finish.
Hamlin pitted with 10 laps left, opening the door for Keselowski, and denying him his first win at the “Monster Mile.”
Hamlin faded to eighth after starting from the pole.
“By no means do I feel like we’re the favourite,” Keselowski stressed.
“Certainly, we’re not the underdog.”