“We ran out with about two (laps) to go,” he said. “Somehow we limped it around and stay ahead of Carl (Edwards) and bring it home. This is something I’m not going to forget.
“It’s a pretty helpless feeling being out of gas with guys behind you. But there’s nothing you can do bout it, and freaking out ain’t going to help anything.”
Matt Kenseth grabbed the lead with six laps remaining but soon pitted for fuel to hand the top spot back to Keselowski, who had just enough gas in reserve to edge Edwards by .175 seconds in the closest victory margin for the 400-mile race. Keselowski’s tank eventually ran dry and he needed a tow truck to get to victory lane.
Ryan Newman was third, followed by Kurt Busch and then Tony Stewart in fifth in his final Kentucky race. The three-time series champion is retiring after this season.
Keselowski led three times for a total of 75 laps on his way to his second straight win and series-best fourth of the season that clinched a spot in the Chase for the championship.
Kevin Harvick, the pole-sitter, led for a race-high 128 laps and finished ninth.
Keselowski guided his Ford past Harvick’s Chevy on lap 201 after the race record-tying 11th caution. The race then stayed green to the end.
Accidents were the story early on. Some notable names were collected, including Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano and rookie Chase Elliott