Many have questioned Brad Keselowski's decision to race both at Pocono Raceway and Iowa Speedway this weekend. Saturday night, it was Keselowski's competitors that were wishing he had sat out this weekend's Nationwide race.
Keselowski overcame a pit road penalty and brief overheating issues to win the US Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway.
“When you have a team like this, Penske Racing, the Discount Tire team, they just didn’t give up,” Keselowski said. “And they kept working on it and fighting back. I knew it was going to be about that last restart and being really aggressive ... and it was. But that’s what it’s going to take to win these races.”
Keselowski led on the final restart with 22 to go and didn't look back, beating his teammate Sam Hornish Jr. to the line by 0.536 seconds. Brian Vickers trailed the Penske duo with Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson rounding out the top five.
This is the second time Penske Racing has swept the top two positions this season. Joey Logano led the 1-2 sweep at Chicagoland, with Hornish Jr. taking the runner-up spot.
Wow what a day! Thank you everyone @penskeracing & @TeamBKR for sweeping the day
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) August 4, 2013
Heck yeah @penskeracing 1-2 again Congrats guys
— Joey Logano (@joeylogano) August 4, 2013
Hell yeah BK!! Own the day! Gotta be proud of that. Thanks for the @penskeracing 1-2 @SamHornish. @keselowski @TeamBKR @RyanBlaney22
— Tim Cindric (@TimCindric) August 4, 2013
Penske Racing wasn't the only team celebrating Saturday night.
Ryan Gifford, driving the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing entry, scored a ninth place finish in his Nationwide debut. 24-year-old Gifford currently sits fourth in the K&N East Series Championship after a win at Richmond International Raceway.
Wow.. when you dig deep, sometimes you even suprise yourself! Thanks so much everyone! #p9 #blessed #fb
— GIFFY! (@ryangifford2) August 4, 2013
Awesome job @ryangifford2!!! 9th the first time you've ever sat in a @NASCAR_NNS car...making the most of opportunities is how u get there!
— Clint Bowyer (@ClintBowyer) August 4, 2013
Well had a good car until the last set of tires just to tight at the end frustrating but will keep digging good job to @ryangifford2
— Austin Dillon (@austindillon3) August 4, 2013
