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Keselowski, officials meet before Sunday's race

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Lee Spencer

Lee Spencer is the senior NASCAR writer for FOXSports.com. She has provided award-winning coverage of auto racing over the last 15 years. Spencer has lent her expertise to both television and radio and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM Radio and the Performance Racing Network.

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Updated Nov 15, 2009 6:36 PM ET
     
 

AVONDALE, Ariz.

Brad Keselowski got to meet NASCAR Chairman Brian France Sunday but probably not the way he wanted to.

Put 'em up

Fights This isn't the first time a couple of drivers decided to do battle on (and off) the track. Check out the best feuds in NASCAR history.
A day after his feud with Denny Hamlin reignited, the 25-year-old driver met with France and other NASCAR officials. The Sunday morning meeting lasted just more than 20 minutes. The message from the officials was simple. "Without just talking about things that were talked about privately, I think the biggest message — because I don't want you guys to speculate (on it) — was just trying to pick and choose who you want to be your friends and enemies in the sport and making sure that I understood that process and what it takes to make it at this level, and how you're going to need friends down the line, and make sure you don't alienate everybody, but at the same time to not give up on being a hard charger," Keselowski said. "I think that was the basic tone of the conversation. I'm just trying to figure out what it takes to be successful at this level, and I certainly don't feel like I have all the answers, but I'm doing the best I can and welcome any advice I can get." The incident that led to the meeting with NASCAR began at Saturday's Nationwide race in Phoenix when Hamlin ran into the back of Keselowski's car as they were battling for a top-five position. Keselowski retaliated by bumping Hamlin and spinning him out late in the event. "I haven't put any thought into it. As soon as the (Nationwide Series) race ended, I was already concentrating on today's race," Keselowski said. "To put thought into it is to justify it. My focus is to run up front. I'm not going to engage in other distractions."
For his part, Hamlin vowed vengeance. "I'm just happy that I signed up for next week's Nationwide race, and you know in turn, there's a lot of guys that owe him," Hamlin said. "There's a lot of guys that have a lot of chips that they're going to cash in. I'm just going to be the first to the pay window.'' This isn't the first time the two drivers have clashed on track. It all began last year at Charlotte and has reignited twice more this season. Both drivers are running in Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race.
Tagged: Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski

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