Brad Keselowski scores Atlanta win after late Kevin Harvick mistake

Mar 5, 2017; Hampton, GA, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski (2) takes turn four ahead of NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (42) during the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Brad Keselowski won Sunday's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in improbable fashion on a day when it looked like no one was going to be able to touch Kevin Harvick.

Harvick absolutely dominated the race, starting from the pole and leading nearly every lap until a pit-road speeding penalty with 13 laps to go took him from the lead to 35th as the last car on the lead lap.

After Harvick's costly mistake, Kyle Larson inherited the lead in his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Ford -- but he appeared to make his own mistake shortly thereafter, drifting up to take the high line on a day when the bottom seemed to have been working for him. Keselowski got underneath Larson in his No. 2 Team Penske Ford with seven laps to go and never looked back.

It was the fifth time in last six years Harvick has led the most laps at Atlanta -- and each time he has failed to win.

The only time Harvick lost the lead all day until his unfathomable pit-road speeding penalty came during a mid-race pit cycle when Keselowski grabbed the point for a handful of laps.

But even then, Harvick was lightning fast in his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford once his crew chief, Rodney Childers, had four fresh tires put on it. He was 10 seconds behind Keselowski when he cycled back onto the track at one point, and it took him just 10 laps to run Keselowski down and retake the lead.

Harvick started from the pole and led 293 of the first 312 laps.

He appeared to be running away with the day until a battery issue for Austin Dillon brought out a rare caution with 16 laps remaining and set up a restart that at least gave some of Harvick's competitors one last shot at him.

After a round of pit stops, Harvick was lining up as the apparent leader on the inside of the front row for the ensuing restart, with Larson on his outside. Matt Kenseth lined up behind Harvick on the inside of Row 2, with Brad Keselowski on the outside.