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NBC’s Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte discuss Brad Keselowski’s comments about Watkins Glen

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Brad Keselowski discusses his crash at Watkins Glen, saying that he understands that there are acceptable risks in racing but advises that there should be a change in the area where he crashed.

Former NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski raised safety concerns about road courses in general and Turn 1 at Watkins Glen in particular a few days after he walked away from a crash in testing there.

Keselowski lost his brakes and crashed nearly head-on into tire barriers Tuesday during a test session.

Friday at Pocono, Keselowski said: “I’m not comfortable with tracks that have run-offs that lead to very harsh angles and that’s certainly the situation that (Watkins Glen) has and always has had it. Road courses remain the most dangerous tracks in motorsports for good reason because of that. We know that going in. Some place has to be safest and some place has to be the most dangerous. A lot of times we end up talking about Daytona and Talladega, they don’t ever worry me as much as road courses do, I can promise you that.’'

NBC analysts Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte discussed what Keselowski had to say.

“What I like about Brad is he’s willing to express himself, he isn’t afraid to talk about a subject that is controversial, sort of speak,’' Burton said. “I think that’s what our sport needs. That is a problematic corner. It just is. When you’re going down the straightaway and looking at a face of the wall, that has the potential for problems.

“Now I will say this, they haven’t ignored it. Watkins Glen has done a lot of work.’'

Said Letarte: “They are uncomfortable comments, and I think that’s what is needed in sports. That’s how the bar gets moved, especially on the safety side.

“When you look at Watkins Glen International, I think the road courses are the most difficult tracks to safely design and to safely change the walls.’'

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