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Adam Saal

Bill Klingbeil

SRT Motorsports - Nationwide Recap - Talladega

May 4, 2012, TALLADEGA, Ala. -

DODGE DRIVERS IN POSITION TO CHALLENGE FOR WIN AT ‘DEGA

But Late Race Mishap Collects Keselowski; Hornish Finishes On Flat Tire

TALLADEGA, Ala. (Saturday, May 5, 2012) – It’s Talladega. It’s expected.

It happened to the teams Saturday in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the 2.66-mile, high-banked track. saw his chances of winning the race end when he was involved in a 10-car mishap during the first attempt at a green-white-checkered finish. A tire going flat on the final lap was the culprit for Sam Hornish Jr.

Hornish was running fourth in the No. 12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge Challenger for the final restart. In the shuffle for position, contact with another car apparently cut the right front tire.

“It wasn’t the worst day ever, but not what we wanted,” he said. “I got hit in the rear and got into the 87 () on the restart. It cut the right front tire; it didn’t cut it down, but it started going flat. Coming off four, the tire went flat. The No. 2 () was pushing me, which I appreciate, but at that time I didn’t need it. I was trying to get out from in front of him but the car wouldn’t turn.”

Hornish finished 12th but as he slowed after taking the checkered flag, he was hit from behind by and sent into the outside wall. The move by Patrick apparently was in retaliation for being pushed high when Hornish was experiencing his tire issue.

“We got right-reared by the 7 car,” Hornish said. “I don’t know what she had in her head, but she decided to right- rear us, wreck the car after the race was over. That’s really frustrating.”

Keselowski and Hornish ran at the back of the field most of the race in an effort to elude the “big one” that has become the norm at . It worked. They kept their Dodge Challengers clean and avoided the mishaps that produced five cautions through the first 113 of the scheduled 117-lap distance. Those extra five laps it took to complete the race proved costly to the two Penske drivers.

Keselowski and Hornish, in a tandem draft, mounted their charge forward with just over 10 laps remaining and made it all the way to the front of the field to challenge for the lead. As they attempted to switch positions, then leader disrupted the process and separated the No. 12 and No. 22. The two Dodge drivers were on their own for the rest of the race.

“We did some good racing there at the end and put ourselves in position to have a shot at winning the race,” said Keselowski. “It just wasn’t meant to be. I feel pretty good about everything we did today. It just wasn’t enough. Running fourth on the restart, I felt really good working with Kyle (Busch). I thought we both had as good a shot as anybody to win the race. The 43 () jammed it in there and the next thing you know, we’re wrecked. It’s just one of them deals.”

The race had 37 lead changes among 198 leaders with Hornish leading once for two laps. The race had seven cautions for 27 laps and a red flag of 19 minutes following the 10-car mishap that brought out the final caution.

Race Results NASCAR Nationwide Series Aaron’s 312 Talladega Superspeedway May 5, 2012 1. 2. Kyle Busch 3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 4. 5. Jr. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Elliott Sadler 12. SAM HORNISH JR. 20. BRAD KESELOWSKI

NASCAR Nationwide Series Point Standings (After 8 of 33 events) 1. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 325 2. Elliott Sadler -5 3. -35 4. SAM HORNISH JR. -60 5. Cole Whitt -77 6. Michael Annett -84 7. Justin Allgaier -97 8. -123 9. -124 10. Joe Nemechek -136

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