Keselowski started the year by finishing 36th after getting wrecked while leading the Daytona 500. He rebounded next week at Las Vegas, finishing 7th. At Auto Club, he got his first top-5 finish of the season by finishing 5th. Keselowski got his first win of the season in the Coca-Cola 600 when he held off Jimmie Johnson in overtime for his maiden 600 victory. The next week at Bristol, while he was running third, leaders Chase Elliott and Logano wrecked, allowing for Keselowski to get his second win of the season. During the summer, although he had fewer wins than other drivers like Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin, he ran second in the standings in what he called "silently one of the best seasons of my career."