NASCAR Richmond 2014: Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseh clash over late block

While Joey Logano celebrated in Victory Lane Saturday night and Marcos Ambrose and Casey Mears had a confrontation in the garage, Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth disagreed on what constitutes clean, hard racing.

Keselowski was upset that Kenseth didn’t give him more room as the two battled for the win with a handful of laps remaining in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Kenseth was leading Keselowski when he moved up the track to stunt Keselowski’s momentum.

Kenseth explained he was merely defending his position and trying to win the race, and that he was doing so fairly.

“We were racing for the win and I thought the track was wide enough with how high people were running all the time,” Kenseth said. “I had to drive in there and try to give (Keselowski) the slide-job.

“Obviously, I could have given him a little more room. But he had a lane all the way to the straightaway there and just racing hard.”

Logano would pass both drivers and go on to win his second race of the season. Keselowski slid back to finish fourth, Kenseth fifth.

“I had a shot at winning and I felt like he ran me off the track,” Keselowski told FOX. “You race to win, and he was definitely racing to win.

“But you hope that when somebody races to win that they at least win the race if they’re going to wreck you or run you off the racetrack. It was just a mind-boggling move to me. But I made sure I got him back and made sure my teammate could win.”

On the cool-down lap Keselowski brake-checked Kenseth causing contact between the two. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and AJ Allmendinger also sustained some damage to their cars. The theatrics continued on pit road when Keselowski stormed to Kenseth’s car gesturing and throwing his gloves in frustration.

“It’s really disappointing we had to tear up all our cars afterwards,” Kenseth said. “By wrecking my car he wrecked the 88 (Earnhardt) and a couple other ones. I never think that’s very cool.”

Going forward, Keselowski said he will race Kenseth in a similar manner.

“You’ve just got to put that in the bank and remember it.”

Earnhardt, an innocent victim in the post-race scrum, had a simple message for all involved.

“The No. 2 (Keselowski) was mad at the No. 20 (Kenseth) and he slammed on brakes after the checkered and the No. 47 (Allmendinger) ran into the No. 20 and I ran into the No. 20,” Earnhardt said. “I don’t know what that was all about. You know, get over it.”