CUP: Keselowski Shows Way In Happy Hour

Sprint Cup

CUP: Keselowski Shows Way In Happy Hour

Brad Keselowski finished second in the Sprint All-Star Race last week...

Tom Jensen | Posted May 26, 2012 Concord, NC

Brad Keselowski's win at Pocono last August helped propel the Penske Racing driver into the Chase. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Brad Keselowski nearly won last week’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star race and he served notice he’ll be tough again in the Coca-Cola 600 tomorrow night.

Keselowski, who finished second to Jimmie Johnson in the all-star event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, paced Saturday afternoon’s final Happy Hour practice at CMS. The Michigan native lapped the 1.5-mile track at 183.692 miles per hour, putting his No. 2 Penske Racing Dodge Charger on top of the speed charts.

With 600 long miles ahead, Keselowski chose to run just five laps early on before parking his car for the duration of the one-hour session.

“We had two really good runs in the All-Star race and the truck race, finishing second in both of ‘em,” Keselowski said. “I’d like to get one spot more in both races this weekend with the Nationwide and the Cup car. I think we’ve got a pretty good shot at it.”

Second-fast behind Keselowski was Carl Edwards, who turned a lap of 183.349 mph in his No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford.

Tied for third-fastest during Happy Hour were all-star winner Jimmie Johnson and his former Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin, both of whom had best laps of 183.231 mph. Joey Logano completed the top five in the first of the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas.

Tony Stewart was sixth, followed by Matt Kenseth, AJ Allmendinger, Kurt Busch and Jeff Burton.

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100.

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