Brad Keselowski goes 2-in-a row after winning Friday night’s Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Speedway!

photo credit: Al Bello/Getty Images

“We made the right moves today,” Keselowski said. “We had the car to beat.”

Keselowski dominated the race leading a total of 189 laps, but had to fight for the win when it came down to a green-white-checkered finish. Paul Menard blew a tire with six laps to go which brought out the final caution of the night and set up over-time that added an additional 2 laps to the scheduled 250-lap distance. Keselowski gave up the lead to pit for four tires and restarted 4th. It proved to be no problem for the #22 as Keselowski was able to get to the front and overtake Greg Biffle within two laps.

“If we lost this race, and I didn’t take tires, I’d be so mad,” Keselowski said. “We came down pit road and got those tires and made the right move on Greg on the last lap, and it all worked out.”

“The 22 was coming like gangbusters,” runner-up Greg Biffle said. “I held him off as long as I could.”

It’s the first win for Keselowski at Richmond International Raceway and second consecutive series win after last week’s victory at Talladega Superspeedway. After the ‘Dega race, the #22 failed post-race inspection and NASCAR confiscated the left front spring and right front shock from the #22 Dodge. Keselowski was subsequently docked 50 Nationwide Series driver points. The violation shaved his point lead from 60 to just 10 points over 2nd place driver, Kevin Harvick.

Jamie McMurray finished third in the #88 driving for JR Motorsports. “We didn’t qualify very well, but once the race started, things got better,” McMurray said. “My guys did a great job in the pits. When the 12 (Justin Allgaier) spun his tires, I got a jump. On that restart, I had so much build up on my left side tires, I just couldn’t carry the speed I needed.”

Polesitter Kyle Busch opted to stay out on the race track instead of pit for tires. Of the 15 drivers on the lead lap, just two stayed on the track and didn’t pit on the last -- Kyle Busch and Justin Allgaier. Busch held on for a 4th place finish, while Allgaier fell back to a 15th place finish.

“We didn’t have the car tonight,” Busch said. “We just didn’t have anything for the 22 tonight. He was stellar.”

Carl Edwards finished fifth followed by Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Reed Sorenson, Brendan Gaughan and Matt Kenseth completed the top-10. 16 drivers finished on the lead lap.

For the (unofficial) race results, click here (nascar.com).

There were 7 cautions for 45 laps and 4 lead changes among 3 drivers: K. Busch 1-58; Brad Keselowski 59-246; K. Busch 247-250; G. Biffle 251; Brad Keselowski 252

Brad Keselowski extended his points lead to 59 points over 2nd place driver, Kevin Harvick.