Team Penske did the Ford brand proud in the recent STP 500 NASCAR race at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. The 2012 Sprint Cup champion, Brad Keselowski, came close to taking the first-place berth but came up barely short against his erstwhile rival Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing. NASCAR fans will probably remember Hamlin chasing Keselowski around the garage in his car last year at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Keselowski, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite car – a monumentally beefed-up Ford Fusion – trailed Hamlin for the last 15 laps of the STP 500, followed closely by teammate and fellow Ford Fusion driver Joey Logano. In an interview following the race, Keselowski was asked about his thoughts leading up to the final lap on how he could squeeze out a win. Admitting that he could have tried wrecking Hamlin, Keselowski stated that he “felt like I raced [Hamlin] the way I wanted to be raced” and that he did “everything I could other than wreck him.” Calling Keselowski’s finish “the high road,” Hamlin commended his opponent’s performance and spoke to the value of building up respect with one’s competitors.
It may not have been a first-place win, but Keselowski’s performance at Martinsville was his best yet, and the rest of the season is looking bright. We’ll be watching for the Fusion marked #2 in future races, as should all of you. While a Ford Fusion from Randall Reed’s Prestige Ford won’t have the “850ish horsepower” that Keselowski’s car is listed as delivering on his website, you’ll still love the way this sedan drives. Visit our dealership in Garland, TX and test drive a new Ford Fusion today!