NASCAR, like any other racing series, is ultimately all about results. It doesn’t matter how brilliantly someone drives, without wins and championships to back it up, they risk being lost to history. That’s the cruel nature of the sport, one that Brad Keselowski leaned into ahead of Sunday’s Cup Series race in Atlanta.
The RFK Racingowner detailed a key aspect about the nature of the sport. The reality is that good results don’t always mean the driver did their part well. And bad results don’t mean a driver is less skilled. Keselowski detailed that there are multiple factors that go into determining the end result of a race.
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Racing is a team sport in which engineers, pit crew, and other clusters play a role as important as the driver. The driver’s job is to make sure that he does his part well.
Keselowski said, “There are a lot of factors, whether it be things that happen on the racetrack or things that happen before the race ever started, with the way their team put the car together.
“There are a lot of factors you can’t control, and what really makes a great driver to me is someone who controls their part at a high level,” he added.
A driver could finish 20th and leave fans unimpressed. Yet the reality might be that he had a car only capable of 30th, and drove it forward through sheer skill. On the other hand, a driver who finishes fifth might earn widespread praise, even if it isn’t fully deserved because the car itself was dominant and capable of winning.
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Do NASCAR drivers feel bad for their competitors?
At times, a driver could have had a great car, done everything right during the race, and still not be able to win or achieve a good result. Keselowskiwas asked if it was possible for a competitive professional to feel bad for competitors in such scenarios. He admitted that it was completely plausible and that even he has felt so on many occasions.
“I have had races where I felt bad for people who had done everything right, and it just doesn’t come together,” he said. “I can’t speak for everybody else, but yeah. You’re running, and you’ll see someone who is doing a great job, and it all falls apart for them, and you’re like, ‘Man, I hope that’s not me.”
Keselowski also explained that the longer a driver stays in this game, the more likely he is to feel empathy for other drivers. Hopefully, he won’t have anyone feeling such emotion for him at the end of the race at Atlanta.
The post Brad Keselowski Reflects on Why NASCAR’s Results Don’t Always Tell the Full Story appeared first on The SportsRush.
