TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2014 SPORTS Keselowski keeps title hopes alive at Talladega TALLADEGA: Brad Keselowski packed a punch on the track, the only place that mattered after a controver- sial week. Pushed around in the garage, he came out fighting like a champion at Talladega Superspeedway, where his win Sunday staved off elimination and pushed him into the third round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. “There’s a part of me that’s come to accept that this isn’t going to be easy,” Keselowski said, referring to both his week and his career. Fined $50,000 by NASCAR this week for his post- race meltdown at Charlotte, Keselowski’s professional- ism had been under attack and his season was slip- LAS VEGAS: Ben Martin kisses the trophy after winning the Shriners Hospitals for ping away. He reported for work at Talladega, where Children Open golf tournament Sunday. — AP he had to win to remain in title-contention. It was no easy task as Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were in the same must-win position, and Martin wins first PGA hadn’t been knocked around all week the way Keselowski was for losing his cool at Charlotte. “I’ll take the 50 grand and the win this week, Tour title in Las Vegas wouldn’t you?” Keselowski team owner Roger Penske said. The owner and driver can just take the fine out of LAS VEGAS: Ben Martin made a 45-foot eagle had to make as many (birdies) as possible as the winner’s check of $288,361. putt to regain the lead and finished with a 20- quickly as possible.” But Penske, winner of the IndyCar title this year foot birdie putt for a 3-under 68 and his first Russell Knox, who played in the final with Will Power, strongly defended the driver who PGA Tour victory Sunday in the Shriners group with Martin, took a double bogey on gave him his first career Cup title two seasons ago. Hospital for Children Open. No. 9 to fall back. He made three straight “These guys are jealous of the job he’s done this Martin played his final four holes at the birdies late in the round, and then made a year,” Penske said. “He’s won six races. He’s made poles. TPC Summerlin in 4-under par, though no tough par putt on the 18th for a 70 to finish He’s been up front. Nobody likes to see a guy win like shot was more important than the eagle. alone in third. that. “I want him to get mad. I don’t want him to take TALLADEGA: Brad Keselowski celebrates after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto it. We talked about it (last week). I said, ‘Brad, put it in Kevin Streelman ran off five birdies in a six- Defending champion Webb Simpson (68), race. —AP hole stretch to overtake Martin for the lead, Brooks Koepka (68) and Jimmy Walker (69) the rearview mirror.’” So it was widely noted that it was Kenseth on But she made a poor move that knocked her out of and Streelman hit a wedge into 5 feet on the tied for fourth, four shots behind. Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick, the winners of the first two races in the second round, also advanced to Keselowski’s bumper on the final lap Sunday, when the pack, and she dropped through the field. “I got 18th hole. Martin, who led by as many as four Martin had a four-shot lead after 10 holes Kenseth essentially aided Keselowski’s win. either hung out to dry, or I made a bad move,” she shots on the back nine, hit a 6-iron over the when he pulled his tee shot behind a tree and the third three-race round along with Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin and He was able to find the humor in it, but said any- said. “I don’t know what I should have done different.” water to the back of the green on the par-5 dropped a shot at the 11th, and Streelman Kenseth. The field will be cut to four after the ninth one questioning it was overthinking. “You have to do She settled for a 19th-place finish. 16th. His eagle putt broke back to the left began his run of his birdies. Martin finally race. Points are reset after each round, and the title what’s best for your best finish,” Kenseth said, noting SURPRISING ELIMINATION: Being in the wrong over the final few feet and dropped in the cup answered with a drive that hopped onto the will be decided by finishing order in the Nov. 16 finale that following Harvick would have knocked him out of place at the wrong time cost Kyle Busch his champi- to put Martin back in the lead. Moments later, green at the par-4 15th that set up a two-putt at Homestead. After the race, NASCAR said Newman’s traffic. “I knew my path to the best finish was going to onship hopes. He was hit by Austin Dillon from behind Streelman missed his short birdie attempt. birdie, and then he made good on his second car failed inspection because it was too low on both be at the bottom (of the track). That’s where I felt I had during an accident early in the race that sent Busch to Martin two-putted for par on the 17th, straight eagle attempt. sides of the back of his Chevrolet. Penalties will likely to put my car for my best chance at the best finish.” the garage to repair his car. He had entered the race and then rolled in a birdie putt he didn’t need It was a quick turnaround for Martin, who be issued Tuesday, but that infraction typically is PATRICK LEADS: Danica Patrick had the potential ranked second in the standings, but his 40th-place fin- for a two-shot victory. The 27-year-old from opened the PGA Tour season last week at the docked 15 points. Newman holds a 27-point lead over for a big finish at Talladega, where she led seven laps ish dropped him to 10th and out of the Chase. South Carolina won in his 56th career start. Frys.com Open with rounds of 78-79 to miss Kasey Kahne, who was eliminated Sunday. late in the race and won the battle off pit road after a “I thought we were in a decent spot coming into “It was an awesome way to finish,” Martin the cut. He took the lead in Las Vegas with a The much-anticipated championship battle round of pit stops. the race and rode around in the back,” crew chief Dave said. “I didn’t feel like I had much going all 62 in the third round to take a two-shot lead between Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports took She was in good shape to race for the win until a Rogers said. “Kyle got checked up for the wreck and day. Four under on my last four to cap my first into the final round. a major hit. Penske got both Keselowski and Logano caution set up a restart with nine scheduled laps had everything saved up, but he got run over from win was just awesome.” Martin finished at 20- Martin said he tried not to look at leader- into the third round, but Hendrick had three of its four remaining. She got a pep talk from her spotter before behind. There is no safe place here. The truth is that if under 264 and returns to the Masters, this boards even though “my heart was beating drivers eliminated today. Only Gordon advanced. the field went green, “You gotta believe in yourself you’re out there on the race track at Talladega or time as a pro. He played Augusta National in out of my chest.” “I tried to keep plugging “Great teams, great drivers, great friends. I hate to here. I know you can do this, gotta prove it to all these Daytona, you have a pretty good chance that you’re other guys.” going to get in a wreck, and today was our day.” — AP 2010 as the US Amateur runner-up. along and let it happen,” he said. see them not in there,” Gordon said about Johnson, Streelman set a PGA Tour record in June Streelman didn’t look at leaderboards Earnhardt and Kahne. when he closed with seven straight birdies to either, although he couldn’t ignore the one Here’s how other drivers fared at Talladega: win the Travelers Championship. He was behind the 18th green. He heard the cheers NEW CHAMPION: NASCAR will have a new cham- Carter, Sonny Bill named pion this year following the elimination of six-time headed down that path again with a string of from the 16th green as he was lining up his and defending champion Johnson. birdies until he missed his last putt on the low birdie putt on the 18th, not realizing at the A poor race at Kansas put him in a deep hole in the in All Blacks tour squad side of the hole. He closed with a 65. time it was Martin making eagle. “I saw I was 1 second segment that he couldn’t climb from. Johnson “I tried not to look at the leaderboard,” up on the 18th green, and then I saw I was 1 took a moment to watch Keselowski’s post-race cele- WELLINGTON: Injured flyhalf Dan Carter did next year with Aaron Cruden and Beauden Barrett, Streelman said.