At Pocono Raceway during a crucial race in 2025, Brad Keselowski and his #6 team faced a significant setback after a costly pit road mistake that altered their competitive position. On lap 55, as the caution flag emerged and pit road was officially closed, Keselowski chose to pit for fresh tires, unaware of the situation’s severity. This error caused NASCAR officials to penalize him by placing him at the rear of the field, transforming what could have been a strong points day into a disappointing finish just inside the top 10. Keselowski’s misstep followed an earlier speeding penalty at Nashville, marking a challenging period for the driver and his team.
Interestingly, fellow drivers Denny Hamlin and Carson Hocevar were present during the incident, pretending to head toward the pit lane in an effort to deceive Keselowski. Hocevar openly admitted his role in the ruse, acknowledging,
“Yeah, I know. I wanted to bait him. I didn’t want him to have him realize the mistake.”
—Carson Hocevar, NASCAR Driver
Denny Hamlin Discusses Brad Keselowski’s Decision During the Pit Closure
Denny Hamlin has since weighed in on Keselowski’s error, sharing insights that highlight the responsibility drivers bear when pit road is closed. Hamlin pointed out the importance of drivers reading track signals and not relying solely on crew messages. He remarked,
The pace car has really bright lights on the back of it and when it’s closed, they are red and they are flashing. I thought he was trying to bait one of us into going to Pit Lane. But I knew the whole time it was closed, obviously.
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver
Hamlin further explained the dual responsibility involved, stating,
Your team’s job is to relay pit-road open or closed, but you’ve got to look at them. They give me two points of reference. The pace car… flashing red… it never flashes anything but red. It’s on the driver.
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver
Keselowski himself accepted accountability for the mistake, admitting,
I didn’t check the crew chief and the spotter, and that’s my fault,
indicating that despite crew communication, the driver is ultimately responsible for noticing the red pit-road light under caution.
Hamlin also expressed his surprise that Keselowski might have been attempting a trick, noting,
I thought he was trying to bait one of us and then he steers off and catches us, Hahaha, tricked you guys. And that time I steer down there like I’m going. I knew that whole time it was closed, obviously. I see these bright lights flashing red, so I’m like, surely six is gonna swerve off. Nope, he’s not. I’m like, What the hell is going on?
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver
The Role of Hocevar’s Deception in the Pit Road Incident
Carson Hocevar had clear motivation to disrupt Keselowski’s race efforts, as fewer competitors improve playoff chances. By feigning a pit stop attempt alongside Hamlin, Hocevar successfully baited the experienced Keselowski into a rushed and poorly timed pit entry. This rookie-like error was particularly surprising given Keselowski’s veteran status in RFK Racing. Hamlin emphasized the driver‘s responsibility again, saying,
He’s right behind the pace car, and it’s flashing red, and it never flashed anything but red, so it’s on the driver.
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver
Jeremy Bullins Explains the Pit Strategy Breakdown at Pocono
Jeremy Bullins, Keselowski’s crew chief, provided an inside look into how the situation unfolded during an interview on SiriusXM radio. He candidly described the miscommunications that led to the penalty, acknowledging that despite the team’s experience, the convergence of timing and assumptions caused the routine pit decision to backfire.
Bullins noted,
So when I’m talking to Brad, I kind of took for granted that TJ can see the light and hear NASCAR… it just wound up being a miscommunication. He thought he heard it was open. I never heard anything.
—Jeremy Bullins, Crew Chief
He also explained that pit road remained closed for three laps after the yellow flag, a critical nuance under NASCAR’s rules where the race officials signal pit road closure immediately with flashing red lights. Bullins had called for fresh tires to capitalize on clean air while leading, a common and strategic move. However, spotter assumptions and the poor timing of the caution signal caused confusion.
Taking responsibility for the error, Bullins said,
At that point you’re waiting on NASCAR to tell you have a penalty… it seems unfortunate we had a great day going really put us in a bad spot. But it’s something we can clean up on our end… TJ and I checking off with each other because… we can’t let that happen.
—Jeremy Bullins, Crew Chief
How This Incident Affects Keselowski’s Playoff Prospects
This pit road mistake represents a serious setback for Keselowski’s ambitions to secure a spot in the playoffs. With each error, the challenge becomes more pronounced as rivals gain ground. The incident at Pocono also highlights the fragility of communication in high-stakes racing environments, where split-second decisions dictate outcomes. Keselowski’s experience contrasts with the rookie error nature of the mistake, underlining the tension and urgency surrounding his performance in the season.