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NWS: Keselowski capitalises for Michigan win

Hometown boy Brad Keselowski took advantage of a pitched battle between Kyle Busch and polesitter Brian Vickers — one that continued after Saturday's Carfax 250 Nationwide Series race — to win for the third time in 2009.

With Busch and Vickers battling on the bottom of the track, Keselowski took advantage of the outside line to pass both drivers on the final lap, with Vickers finishing second and Busch third in a race that stretched Busch's lead in the series standings to 339 points over Carl Edwards.

“I saw 'em bobble in (turns) three and four there at the one-to-go, and I had 'em,” said Keselowski, who grew up in Rochester Hills, Mich. “I knew it. I knew I could get to the outside and kill the #32 (Vickers). I wasn't sure about the #18 (Busch) — I don't know what happened to him.

“Oh, my God, I won at home! I'm speechless. I can't believe it. I'm terrible here, and to win here is a major accomplishment. … It's so cool to win in front of your home fans, and I thank all of them that came out tonight.”

Vickers led Busch into turn three on the next-to-last lap and slipped in the corner. Busch drove to the inside, and Vickers side-drafted the #18 Toyota and forced him down onto the apron as the cars roared out of turn four. With momentum to the outside, Keselowski made it three-wide as the cars took the white flag for the final lap.

Keselowski crossed the finish line 0.199 seconds ahead of Vickers, with Busch a close third. David Ragan and Kevin Harvick finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Busch took issue with the way Vickers had raced him on the final two laps and confronted him on pit road after the race.

“Oh, man, I am so sorry — I forgot it was the Kyle Busch show,” Vickers said sarcastically, after climbing from his car. “Hell, I thought we were racing for a win. … I thought it was my job to hold him off. Apparently not. He came over to the car after we came in and knocked the fender in, which was unnecessary, and then started crying like a little baby.

“I asked him if he'd give me a minute to get out, and we could talk about it like men. If he wanted to fight, that was fine with me. When I got out, he ran off. It's a shame that it went down like that. We were racing hard. I thought it was a good race. Congratulations to the #88 (Keselowski). He snuck around both of us. I didn't see him coming.”

Busch thought Vickers should have given him room and let the two strongest cars battle for the win.

“It's so frustrating that you can't have a guy race you clean,” Busch said. “He was on our right rear quarter panel all the way down the front straightaway and gave the win to the #88 car. He slowed us down so much — he had no idea the #88 car was coming, and the #88 just drove right by both of us on the outside, because Brian Vickers was trying to slow both of us down. Just stupid.

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Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 88 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, celebrates after winning Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Carfax 250 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Brad Keselowski, driver of the #88 Delphi Chevrolet addresses the media about Nationwide`s Dash 4 Cash before the Kroger `On Track For Cure` 250 race at the Memphis Motorsports Park. With Saturday`s win, Keselowski won $75,000, claiming all $150,000 available in the title sponsor`s initiative [Pic credit: John Sommers II/Getty Images]
Brad Keselowski on pit road   [pic credit: NASCAR/Getty]
Kelly Bires, NASCAR Nationwide Series [pic credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images]
Brad Keselowski celebrates his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory at Talladega in 2009 [pic credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images]
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