Brad Keselowski leads Ford challengers at Iowa – RFK Racing Photo
BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 Solomon Plumbing Ford Mustang Dark Horse –
“We had so many yellows in stage three that it got the 24 and the 19
where they could make it on fuel pitting way outside the window. We just
couldn’t get back by them. Got back by a lot of guys. Restarted 24th
there I think after we pitted. Got all the way back up to third but that
was as far as I could get. Great run for both of our RFK cars.
Obviously, we want to win but we’re in contention, that’s for sure.
We will keep putting solid runs on the board and I think this will come
to us. We have some pretty strong Ford Mustangs right now. Blaney was
really fast there at the end. He had a little bit newer tires and he was
running us down. I feel like I was going to get the 19 but Blaney was
going to pass me. It was a solid day, we just needed a few more things
to go our way.”
RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Wabash Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “I just
restarted a little further back than those guys and it took me longer to
get in a decent spot. Honestly, it sort of surprised me just how hard
those guys tanked at the end and my car kept chugging along. I ran Brad
down but everyone is so free it is hard to pass anybody. You are scared
of spinning out and you are creeping around the bottom but it was a fun
race. I am really proud of our group for sticking with it. I appreciate
Wabash and Ford and Menards for doing what they do. Really good showing
and just keep going. It has been a good last few weeks for us. I think
the speed is there, just have to keep putting these races together. We
had a good shot to win today but it just didn’t work out. The
strategies just got really weird with all those cautions. We were on the
back end of it and it just kind of cycled me behind. We were covered
really nicely. Really proud of the 12 group.”
RYAN PREECE, No. 60 Mohawk Northeast Inc. Ford Mustang Dark Horse –
“I am super proud of everyone at RFK for making solid adjustments. We
had a little bit of luck there when that caution came out and allowed us
to take another shot at it. So, thanks for RFK. Thanks to Mohawk
Northeast and everybody with this Ford Mustang. I thought if we had a
bunch of restarts we were going to be okay because we were so, so good
in that third lane. But it just seemed that long run, that last run,
wasn’t the best thing for us. On that restart when we were able to get
to third, I thought we were going to have a shot at it. It seemed we
could close in on the 19 and the 24 a little bit and then I just got
loose. When Brad was catching me I thought ‘what is the best thing to
do for a teammate and for the company?’ and wanted to give him the
opportunity even if it was at a deficit for us. Ultimately, I look
forward to Watkins Glen, Richmond and Daytona. All three of us [RFK Ford
Mustangs] can still get in [to the Playoffs]. It is going to take a lot
of perseverance and a lot of luck but we have fast race cars and we can
get the job done.”