Brad Keselowski grabbed his 36th NASCAR Cup Series victory, securing the Goodyear 400 at Darlington, marking his first win in 110 races and 1,113 days. The win was not only his first one piloting the #6 car for RFK Racing but also the first for the number 6 car in nearly 13 seasons.
Advertisement
His return at one of NASCAR’s most challenging circuits was particularly memorable, celebrated alongside his wife and daughters who joined him in pushing the car from Victory Lane amidst a cascade of confetti.
Reflecting on the moment, Keselowski expressed the deep emotional impact of the experience, noting, “When I won Darlington with my family there, it was profoundly moving — it still gives me chills thinking about it.”
“Once you become a father, one of the things that nobody can really tell you — or at least they didn’t tell me or I wasn’t listening — is the impact of your success and being able to see it through the eyes of your own children and to know that it commands some level of respect and validation from them for years to come and hopefully through their whole entire life,” he continued.
Further adding, he said, “As a father, you want your kids to think you’re a badass, and to see that actually happen is pretty cool.”
In the race, Ty Gibbs secured the second spot, closely followed by Josh Berry in third. Denny Hamlin clinched fourth place, while Chase Briscoe completed the top five.
How did Keselowski snatch the win from Buescher, Reddick, and Gibbs?
Keselowski captured the Goodyear 400 win by capitalizing on a fierce duel between his RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher and Tyler Reddick, who were the race’s front-runners at that time. The clash between the two drivers led to big contact, leaving both the #17 and #45 with flat tires.
It allowed the RFK Racing driver, then in third place, to surge ahead into the lead with fewer than ten laps remaining. Reddick later owned up to the mishap, conceding in his post-race comments with Buescher, “I know. I (screwed) up-I’m sorry.”
As the race neared its end, the RFK Racing co-owner found himself having to fend off a strong challenge from Ty Gibbs, who began to close what had been nearly a 2-second gap.
However, Keselowski regained his composure and managed to widen his lead once again in the final laps, crossing the finish line ahead of the Joe Gibbs Racing contender by 1.214 seconds.
