KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Brad Keselowski’s 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season somehow got worse.
But it wasn’t a slow car or a lack of pace that plagued him in Sunday’s (May 11) Advent Health 400 at Kansas Speedway. Instead, he had one of the fastest cars, and he had driven all the way up to second in the final stage after starting the day in 36th.
With just two lead lap finishes, a best finish of 11th and four crash DNFs in his first 11 starts of the year, it looked like Kansas was finally going to be the weekend where Keselowski and the No. 6 team put together a complete race. Even a win and playoff spot were on the table, as he was starting to run down Chase Elliott for the lead.
But alas, none of it was meant to be. Keselowski blew a tire in turn 1 on lap 195, and what looked to be a potential win instead turned into a 37th-place finish and his third consecutive crash DNF.
“We blew a tire entering turn 1 and just got in the fence,” Keselowski said of the crash. “Not really [a warning]. Just one big boom.”
The crash dropped Keselowski to 33rd in points, only ahead of Cody Ware and rookies Riley Herbst and Shane van Gisbergen among full-time drivers.
“Lot of things not coming together, and that’s how the sport goes,” Keselowski said. “You ride the wave, and we’re on the bad side of the wave, but we’re going to push hard to get to the right side of it.”
Despite the crash, rotten luck and poor finishes to start the year, there’s still a silver lining in that Keselowski and the No. 6 are beginning to find speed. And while the finishes aren’t there yet, the team is starting to figure things out after an offseason of change.
“We put ourselves in a position like that, you win races, and I felt like this was a pretty significant overhaul of the No. 6 team from where we were last year,” Keselowski said. “There are some pieces that are starting to click. Maybe not getting the result but showing the potential to get the result. Today was a step forward for us, even though the finishing order is not going to show it.”
As for Keselowski himself, he’s ready to move on and put full focus on the next points-paying race.
“Go win the Coke 600; that’s where my emotions are,” Keselowski said. “Bring cars and speed like this to the Coke 600. Let’s go win it.”
Stephen Stumpf is the NASCAR Content Director for Frontstretch and is a three-year veteran of the site. His weekly column is “Stat Sheet,” and he formerly wrote "4 Burning Questions" for three years. He also writes commentaries, contributes to podcasts, edits articles and is frequently at the track for on-site coverage.
Find Stephen on Twitter @stephen_stumpf