DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Brad Keselowski climbed out of his battered race car at the end of last year’s Daytona 500, yanked off one glove and threw it at the smoking heap of steel and sheet metal. He did the same with the other glove before pulling off his helmet, grabbing it by the chin strap and tossing another heater toward the mangled mess that had come to rest between the final two turns.
This one hurt for reasons Keselowski didn’t initially reveal. The 2012 Cup Series champion had told his ailing father before traveling to Daytona Beach that he was going to win NASCAR’s season-opening race for him.
“I thought about him the whole plane ride home and how close I was,” Keselowski said.
