Brad Keselowski fought hard to get his second win of the 2021 season but missed out on the top spot in the final few laps at Kansas.
He finished behind the winner Kyle Busch and runner-up Kevin Harvick. While Busch might have won the race, it was Kyle Larson who dominated the event almost all the while. leading the most number of laps, only to lose his standings after the final restart.
Kyle Larson’s failed plan to the Cup win at Kansas Speedway
Nonetheless, Larson has been the best driver on a 1.5-mile track in the 2021 season. Keselowski admits that he is behind Busch and Larson in such tracks, he believes that he is not far behind.
“No, the 5 (Larson) and 18 (Busch) have been really strong on the mile-and-a-halfs consistently,” he said. “I don’t think where we’re they are, but like I said, we’re right behind them there at the edge of the top 5.”
His Team Penske teammate, Ryan Blaney, too has a commendable record on such tracks. However, Keselowski thinks that the team as a whole can improve on the 1.5-mile tracks.
“Blaney had that really strong race in Atlanta, and we kind of hoped that would bode well for us on the mile-and-a-halfs, but I would say we’re as a collective just a step behind Team Penske to those guys on the mile-and-a-halfs.
“And probably on the short tracks, we’re right there with them.”