NASCAR Playoffs post-mortem: Bidding farewell to Blaney, Keselowski, Larson, Bowman
By Nick Tylwalk
Brad Keselowski
High point of 2018: Brad K.’s high point was pretty obvious and lasted for three weeks. Any frustration he was feeling during the spring and summer melted away on Labor Day, when Keselowski won the Southern 500. For an encore, he won at Indy and took the playoff opener at Vegas to boot. Just like that, he threatened to turn the Big 3 into the Big 4.
Low point of 2018: Except that euphoria didn’t last. Keselowski carried no momentum into the Round of 12 thanks to a 31st-place finish at the ROVAL, and a 27th at Talladega after running out of gas late essentially sealed his playoff fate. Special honorable mention to a four-race stretch in the summer when the “Blue Deuce” came home 32nd or worse three times.
Better luck next year? The 2 team had plenty of speed but was the most wildly erratic car in the Team Penske stable, leading to a season with humbling lows and one dizzying high. Still, it was better than Keselowski likely expected since he was adamant the Fords would be at a disadvantage in 2018. He’s grumbled a little about the incoming 2019 rules package, but smart money says he’ll be right back in the playoff mix without too much trouble.