Keselowski wins Chase opener after three-wide pass for the lead

Brad Keselowski bolted through the middle and passed Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick in a single corner to the take over the lead in what was the winning pass today. It marks Brad's fifth win of the year and the 15th of his career. He also won the Chase opener back in 2012, the same year he won the championship.

With the victory, Keselowski automatically advances to next round of the Chase. He started back in the 25th position and suffered a loose wheel during a pit stop with 80 laps to go, but still managed to recover.

"What a day," Keselowski said. "Man, I'm still pumped."

I don't really know what happened. I just just got to the lead

Keselowski talking about risky pass for the lead

Jeff Gordon finished second after an epic battle with Kyle Larson, who came home third. After a restart with 18 laps remaining in the 267-lap race, Larson and Harvick battled side-by-side for the lead, but Keselowski got between them, making it three wide, and taking the top spot for himself.

"I don't really know what happened. I just just got to the lead," Keselowski said. "I just had my head down doing all I could do."

Larson, though, knew exactly what happened.

"The 2 was back there, and he stuck it in the middle between the two of us," Larson said.

Joey Logano's engine blew just as he crossed the finish line, so he was still able to finish fourth. Kevin Harvick fell to fifth after leading late. They were followed by Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, and Matt Kenseth.

"We led a bunch of laps and finished top-five, so not bad," Harvick said.

Carl Edwards, A.J. Allmendinger, Greg Biffle, and Aric Almirola are currently the four drivers in the elimination spots.

The Chase now heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a flat one-miler in New England.