Quick diagnosis of problem key to keeping No. 2 on track to victory
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JOLIET, Ill. -- If you made a mistake at work, would you admit it and get it corrected, or just hope that the boss didn't notice and everything eventually would be OK?
A member of Brad Keselowski's pit crew was faced with such a decision in the heat of Sunday's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup opener at Chicagoland Speedway, and the outcome proved to be a pivotal moment in the No. 2's run to Victory Lane.
After a pit stop under caution on Lap 182 of 267, Hunter Masling, a tire changer on the No. 2 team felt like he didn't get the tire on tight enough. Instead of burying that information, he let it be known and crew chief Paul Wolfe was faced with his own decision: bring the No. 2 back in to get it corrected or risk running with a loose wheel.
So the No. 2 was brought back to pit road, giving up a prime second-place position in the process.
"We had an issue on pit road, got us a little bit behind," Wolfe said. "But it was good that the issue we had, we came down and fixed it before we went back green."
"The changer felt like he didn't get 'em tight. I think that was key, that he stood up and said, 'I feel like we're going to have a loose wheel here.' To come in and fix that under yellow was much less of a penalty than if we got going green and had a vibration."
Keselowski restarted back in the pack, but it turned out to be worth it to avoid further problems. Keselowski, who was in 15th place on Lap 195, gradually made up ground and got in position for the win.
By Lap 240 he was in fourth place and ready to make a move. And the two restarts toward the end of the race gave him the perfect opportunity to establish his dominance.
"There were times in the race where I felt like we were the best car, then times where I felt like we were off a bit," Wolfe said. "Overall I knew if we got our adjustments right at the end, we still had a shot at it.
"The way the caution fell there at the end we were fortunate to get a good break there that gained us a few more spots ... and lined us up with the leaders. (Brad) did a great job on that restart. I'd seen our strength there all day."
Rebounding from the loose-tire mishap proved to be the second comeback for Keselowski on a day when had to start 25 because the lineup was set by practice speeds when Friday's qualifying session was rained out.
The only Chase driver with a worse starting position than Keselowski was his Team Penske teammate Joey Logano, who was 28th. It was an ironic twist for a team that had qualified so well throughout the season, but Keselowski had the car to move through the field.
"I knew once we got to fourth with 30 or 40 to go, it was going to be about executing restarts," Keselowski said. "The last one, once we had gotten the lead, we just put it all together, and that was very, very special."
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