Brad Keselowski eliminated from NASCAR playoffs, round of 12 set

Four NASCAR Cup Series drivers saw their chance at the championship title lost Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway. Brad Keselowski, Ty Gibbs, Harrison Burton and Martin Truex Jr. all dropped out after the final race of the first round of the playoffs. Daniel Suarez was the last driver to advance on points.

Keselowski started 23rd and finished 26th, three laps behind race winner Kyle Larson.

“Just a long night,” Keselowski told Performance Racing Network's Brett McMillan after the race. “We just didn't have the pace. No wear for the race, the tires didn't fall off and we didn't have the pace.”

The driver of the No. 6 Ford finished third at the spring race at Bristol earlier this season and has three wins, four top-fives and three top-10s on the concrete oval track, but his car just wasn't up to the task in the opening round of the NASCAR playoffs.

“We want to run better,” Keselowski told FOX Sports' Bob Pockrass. “We want to win races, we want to go deep in the playoffs and get to the final four and all that. Anything less is obviously disappointing. We'll come back and push harder next year.”

Although he is no longer able to compete for the NASCAR championship for the rest of the season, Keselowski said his team will continue to do its best and hopefully get some wins.

Larson leads the field into the quarterfinals. Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Daniel Saurez, Alex Bowman and Chase Briscoe join Larson to complete the 12 drivers battling for the championship. NASCAR's Round of 12 begins Sunday, Sept. 29, with the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.