Keselowski wins at Martinsville first time in a career

Brad Keselowski wins the STP 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway, scoring his first win in a career at the oldest NASCAR’s track. It was also the first win for Ford at Martinsville’s 0.526-mile short track since October 2002.

The victory was Keselowski’s 23rd in the Cup Series and the second this season. The #2 Ford Fusion took the checkered flag with 1.806 seconds advantage ahead of Kyle Busch‘s #18 Toyota. Throughout the 500-lap race, Keselowski led for 116 laps while Busch was in the lead for 274 laps. Chase Elliott, who was in the lead for 20 laps, finished in the third place.

Plenty of action at NASCAR’s oldest track

Fourteen cautions in a 500-lap race

Fourteen cautions for 95 laps proved that Martinsville’s race was full of action. During one of those cautions, on lap 72, Keselowski get a speeding penalty which sent him to the rear of the field, but pit strategy – staying out under yellow on Lap 109 – got him back to the front.

Keselowski’s Team Penske teammate Joey Logano also overcame both a pit road penalty and a cut tire that put him two laps down to finish fourth. Austin Dillon finished fifth. Martin Truex Jr. won the first stage and finished 16th at the end. The Stage 2 winner was Chase Elliott.