NASCAR exec: Level playing field, Keselowski posturing

Predictably, NASCAR does not agree with Brad K’s assessment of how the manufacturers stack up against each other right now.

Brad Keselowski thinks that the Toyota drivers have an unfair advantage right now in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. NASCAR begs to differ.

The former Cup Series champ is looking for his second title but has been vocal about how he feels Ford is at a competitive disadvantage compared to Toyota as the NASCAR Playoffs unfold. That led to a memorable Twitter exchange that drew in Kyle Busch, among others.

But as far as NASCAR is concerned, there’s no problem. NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell made that clear on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio earlier this week (via NASCAR.com).

"“Certainly our job is to put a level playing field out there. We’ve got a process that each of the (manufacturers) goes through and kind of witnesses. We believe they are on a level playing field.“I look at it as a little bit of posturing. Brad certainly ran well this weekend. At the end of the day, you’ve had that car all year long. It’s the playoffs, and you have to go out there and deliver.”"

O’Donnell’s comments are interesting because while they quickly enforce the expected company line that all three manufacturers are at the same level, they also challenge Keselowski to go out an perform, noting that he ran well in the first playoff race.

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But do they really address Keselowski’s concerns? Saying “you’ve had that car all year long” doesn’t mean much if the Fords don’t have the speed that the Toyotas do.

The stats don’t really bear the No. 2 driver’s concerns out over the course of the entire season. Chevy drivers have actually led the way in total victories with 10, compared to nine for Toyota and eight for Ford. That’s about as close as you can possibly get.

Where things get to be a little more skewed is when you look at stage wins. Toyota drivers have been dominant in terms of running up front in earlier segments of races, racking up 36 stage wins this season compared to 12 for Ford and just seven for Chevy. Viewed through that lens, it seems like Toyotas get out front early and everyone else has to scramble to beat them at the end, though in reality that hasn’t always been the case.

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It is, however, a fact that Toyotas have been more ascendant during the summer. From Kentucky in July through last weekend at Chicagoland, a span of 10 races, there were four times Toyotas won both stages and then the race, and only one race (Michigan) where all three manufacturers were represented among the stage winners.

The NASCAR.com piece notes that just this past week, Chevy, Ford and Toyota each had at least one driver lead 40 laps or more. Truex obviously looks like the man to beat right now for the Championship, but there’s not a ton of evidence to suggest it’s simply because he’s driving a Toyota. Keselowski is probably frustrated, but maybe he’ll need to admit it’s just because his team is behind and not because someone handed an edge to his competitors.

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