Kez gives Matt some championship advice.

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FenderBumper

The "good old days" ??
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http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASC...-Keselowski-Struck-by-Chad-Knaus-Comment.aspx

PHOENIX, Ariz. - Brad Keselowski admits that Chad Knaus’ comment about Matt Kenseth being a “more formidable’’ title foe struck him.
“Maybe the emphasis should be put on respecting what Matt has done and not disrespecting where I’m at,’’ Keselowski said Thursday night at the Penske Racing Museum.
Knaus made his comment after Jimmie Johnson won last weekend’s race at Texas. Knaus said that Kenseth “is a little more controlled. He's a little more mature. He's been in the sport for a long time. I think he's just a little more even keel, so that makes him a little more challenging to get off kilter.’’
Maybe so, but Keselowski said he believes his ploy against Johnson contributed to that team’s problems at Phoenix International Raceway a year ago, allowing Keselowski to take the points lead on the way to his first Sprint Cup title. Keselowski entered that race seven points behind - the same margin Kenseth trails Johnson heading to Phoenix this weekend.
Keselowski took the points lead at Phoenix last year after Johnson blew a right front tire and hit the wall about 75 laps from the finish. Johnson placed 32nd, while Keselowski was sixth, giving him a 20-point lead going into the season finale.
Keselowski said a key was that he ran hard against Johnson even in practice during the Chase.
“I had a lot of fun with it,’’ Keselowski said of pressuring Johnson in practice at Phoenix last year. “In the race, he drove the car too hard until it blew out a tire. You could look at it and say that was a tire failure or whatever. Those in the garage, who know how the cars work, know it was reaching too hard and the failure that was caused from that. That’s that group’s weakness.’’
Keselowski’s point is that Johnson’s team has relied on superior speed to beat people not by running them hard.
“For them, I wouldn’t want to have to race somebody that is going to race me hard because that is not their wheelhouse and I think that was one of our strengths last year,’’ Keselowski said. “If I was going to give Matt a piece of advice, I’d say use the (heck) out of him every time you can. Run (Johnson) hard because that’s his weakness.’’
Is Kenseth too nice to do that?
“I’ve seen Matt race pretty hard,’’ Keselowski said. “He seems to have a different relationship with Jimmie than some of the other guys I’ve seen him race hard with, so it’s not fair for me answer.’’
 
Interesting take on things but Kenseth has to do what he does best and if that's not good enough, then congratulations to the #48 team.
 
I think Matt needs to push JJ into making mistakes, as he did last year. Once the #2 team got the OK to utilize the trick rear end, the championship became more about the drivers than the cars. JJ tried xtra hard to rattle Brad, but it backfired when he failed. Whenever JJ was trailing in points, the team took risks and sometimes made mistakes. Going to fuel mileage so early at Dover could have costs a ton of points if a yellow had come out. Over driving at Phoenix when Brad took the lead cost them the championship.

Even when Brad got JJ distracted by his blending early after a pit stop got JJ off his game. I think Matt will do exactly the same thing, because many drivers in the garage saw JJ and the 48 as vulnerable for the first time in years. A few said as much in later interviews.
 
I just don't know that one can reliably depend on the other guy to make catastophic mistakes. IMO, Kenseth needs to qualify/start strong and finish ahead of #48 and the only way to guarantee that is to win.

I think I see where you're coming from but I just don't see Kenseth as the type to throw someone else off their game without messing his own up as well. It's just not his strength.
 
#17D500winner said:
I just don't know that one can reliably depend on the other guy to make catastophic mistakes. IMO, Kenseth needs to qualify/start strong and finish ahead of #48 and the only way to guarantee that is to win.
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Replace Kenseth with Johnson & #48 with #20 and that is exactly Johnson's plan. The only way to break his plan is to steal it from him. The only way for Kenseth to win it all IS to win it all in these last 2.

Btw I get what Brad is saying. JJ does falter when raced hard & can't keep up. Him & Jeff Gordon at Texas comes to mind. So does his battles with Kurt Busch and Brad K. Even JJ at Martinsville 2 weeks ago. I wonder if Matt is up to that challenge
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Replace Kenseth with Johnson & #48 with #20 and that is exactly Johnson's plan. The only way to break his plan is to steal it from him. The only way for Kenseth to win it all IS to win it all in these last 2.

Btw I get what Brad is saying. JJ does falter when raced hard & can't keep up. Him & Jeff Gordon at Texas comes to mind. So does his battles with Kurt Busch and Brad K. Even JJ at Martinsville 2 weeks ago. I wonder if Matt is up to that challenge
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Good question.

I have no doubt that Kenseth will race him hard if he has to, I just don't know about him being the aggressor.

Personally, I'd like to know if the the #20 team can beat the #48 bunch by outracing them and not by depending on part(s) failures, blown tires or a bad pitroad call.

I guess we're about to find out :)
 
You know, it would be deliciously ironic (and hella funny) if Kez tries to play mind games with Johnson during the race and end up taking himself and Kenseth out of the race. If that happens, I would laugh my ass off for days!
 
Brad taking credit for JJ's blown tire at Phoenix last year. lol :rolleyes:
 
Greg said:
Just get in the car and the run the damn race to the best of your abilities.
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It seem like Brad is trying to be relevant by constantly talking about someone that actually is relevant. lol
 
Brad's starting to piss me off, why doe's he give a d@mn anyways. He had a strong title run last year but now he's starting to sound like a sore loser, you had your fun last season now STFU, Matt won the last Winston Cup on the strength of 1 victory, I think he knows what to do...
 
Anybody buys this?

Brad didn't have squat to do with Johnson's misfortunes the last two races. Hendrick as a whole has always had tire issues more often than not. Whenever those guys have problems it almost always has to do with a tire going down so Brad taking credit for this is hilarious.
 
Caption this?



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Where'd you get those C-posts? They're a joke compared to ours.
 
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I hope someone wrecks Brad K in Phoenix, just because I'm starting to get annoyed with that little turd.
 
This is a perfect example of an instance where I mostly disagree with Brad.

I understand him feeling disrespected by Chad's little sneak diss, but he's taken his shots at the 48 team too. I also feel where he's coming from as far as racing Jimmie hard. But to take it to that next level and claim that he caused Jimmie's tire failure at Phoenix? Seriously? At best, that's a very bold statement - at worst, it's simply arrogance.
 
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