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Brad Keselowski 2018 season recap
By Pat DeCola | Published: December 17, 2018 11
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
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Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
While Brad Keselowski's 2018 postseason run didn't last as long as he wanted it to, a three-win Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series campaign is still a success. Take a look back at the Team Penske driver's latest season.
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After crashing out of the season opening Daytona 500, Keselowski quickly rebounded at Atlanta the following week. The 2012 champ led 38 laps en route to a runner-up finish.
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Daniel Shirey | Getty Images
Wading his way through some up-and-down finishes the first few months, Keselowski began to string some consistency together in the late spring/early summer. The Michigan native notched his only front-row start of the season at his home track in June, starting second and finishing sixth.
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While Keselowski still has yet to land in Victory Lane in his home state, the Penske driver got dang close in August at Michigan with a runner-up finish.
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Two races after his success at Michigan, Kes broke through for his first win of the season at Darlington Raceway. He led 24 laps to take his No. 2 Rusty Wallace Throwback Ford to Victory Lane on one of the most prized weekends in NASCAR of the year.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
A week (and a day) later, Keselowski added a second straight crown jewel race to his resume, taking home his first-career Brickyard 400 win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- a day late after rain washed out Sunday.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
Keselowski proved to be no fluke the following week, taking the NASCAR Playoffs opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The win put him in a rare category of drivers with three consecutive 2018 wins with Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
As good as Kes' Round of 16 started, it ended inauspiciously with a crash in the debut of the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course that left him with a 31st-place finish.
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Matt Sullivan | Getty Images
Things got worse from there, as his misfortune continued in the Round of 12. After finishes of 14th and 27th at Dover and Talladega, respectively, Keselowski was then in must-win territory at Kansas for the finale. As you might've guessed by now, he didn't win ... and was eliminated.
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Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images
Looking to finish the season strong, Keselowski did just that. Putting together a solid Round of 8 with an average finish of 6.33 -- including a Phoenix runner-up and 32-plus laps led in each race -- it makes one wonder what could've been had he advanced.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
Keselowski's final points standing left him eighth overall -- his second-worst showing since missing the playoffs outright in 2013 -- but had plenty of high points. He'll look to steal the crown from his Penske teammate and 2018 champ Joey Logano as they each strive for their second title in 2019.