Brad Keselowski - Official Thread

Brad K posted a blog entry about his Dale Jr. tribute paint scheme that he is running at Talladega this week. He tells the backstory of his first big break in Nascar, and Dale's role in the opportunity. I enjoy a lot of Brad's blog posts... YMMV.

"... The next week, we went to Bristol, Tennessee, and Dale, Jr. decided to run the race. He did it with his family team, DEI, but since he didn’t do it on a constant basis and they didn’t have any points, they had to park on the backside of the garage.

We wound up parking right next to each other. You have to remember, he was Dale Jr., and I was this struggling driver, so I didn’t want to bother him. I’m not that kind of guy — it just didn’t feel right. The funny thing was that he got out, walked over, and talked to me a little bit while we were practicing, which I thought was great. He was just down to earth. I was running really well again, and the first thing he said was that he liked the way I was driving. He said I reminded him, at least at that track, of how his dad used to drive it.

I thought that was really cool.

He also told me, “Man I’d like to see you get an opportunity. It would be great. I wish I knew of one.” And then we kind of just moved on. It was one of those kind of “nice to meet you” situations...." ( Link to Brad's blog )

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I thought Blaney was really fast also, won the second stage and they were all working well together. They had Brads in car camera on full time in a Nascar tweet thread, watched him come from the back to the front in the closing laps. Very interesting to see him continue to find gaps and find drivers to push up into better positions. Drove a clean race for Dega.
 
Ford 222 said:
Very pleased with the result. Good call to get radio fixed and tires. But he got SOOO lucky during those 2 wrecks.
Click to expand...

In racing. usually the better you are, the luckier you get. Brad might well have won anyway. Getting most of your competition wiped out just made it easier. Newman DID make him earn it though.
 
Nothing against Brad and his plate prowess but most of the competition was in the garage when he took the checkers.
 
One Ford philosophy pays off for Keselowski at Talladega
If five Toyotas could dominate Daytona, when Ford flexed its muscles with Roush-Yates power under the hood, the Blue Oval Brigade just might be unstoppable in the Alabama 500
Not only did Ford win all four restrictor-plate races in 2017, but Ford drivers also have combined to win the last seven races at Daytona and Talladega and nine of the last 12 events at those two tracks.

“That's a big number,” Keselowski told Motorsport.com. “You know, I think in other things that happened, we got beaten and kind of embarrassed at Daytona in 2016 for the 500, and I think we all felt like at that point we hadn't done enough homework and that we needed to get back to work, and in a lot of ways that's exactly what we did. So you know, that was definitely hitting right between the eyes.
https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/nascar-ford-keselowski-talladega-966426/
 
StandOnIt said:
One Ford philosophy pays off for Keselowski at Talladega
If five Toyotas could dominate Daytona, when Ford flexed its muscles with Roush-Yates power under the hood, the Blue Oval Brigade just might be unstoppable in the Alabama 500
Not only did Ford win all four restrictor-plate races in 2017, but Ford drivers also have combined to win the last seven races at Daytona and Talladega and nine of the last 12 events at those two tracks.

“That's a big number,” Keselowski told Motorsport.com. “You know, I think in other things that happened, we got beaten and kind of embarrassed at Daytona in 2016 for the 500, and I think we all felt like at that point we hadn't done enough homework and that we needed to get back to work, and in a lot of ways that's exactly what we did. So you know, that was definitely hitting right between the eyes.
https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/nascar-ford-keselowski-talladega-966426/
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That's all well and good but if you want to contend for a title better figure out how to be fast on the mile and a halves.
 
Certainly not a A-Lister... LOL. But an article I found interesting nonetheless.

THE KESELOWSKI CONNECTION
By Matt Crossman

Brad Keselowski doesn’t know where he’s going. Driving a golf cart as his wife, Paige, rides shotgun, he pulls out of the motorcoach lot at Chicagoland Speedway and tries to pick a destination, the only problem being he doesn’t have one...

Keselowski is looking for a campsite, but he’s also on a quest for something much deeper than that: an authentic connection with fans. Many encounters between drivers and fans can lack deep interaction. Take, for example, the ubiquitous rushed autograph given by a driver hustling through the garage. The driver is trying to walk and sign at the same time; if he or she even sees the face of the person for whom he or she is signing, the driver often does not get a good enough look to remember that person 30 seconds later...

After he cracks open the beer Fischer gave him, Keselowski grabs a case of Miller Lite from his golf cart and hands it to Fischer. “You got one of the best trade deals ever,” he says, and they clink their cans together and take swigs.

That moment, as much as any on this night, encapsulates why Keselowski does this: It’s simply two men drinking a cold one together … and it’s much more than that. It’s hard to think of a more memorable interaction for Fischer than giving Keselowski a beer. And for Keselowski, what could be more real than accepting such a gift? “I get to say I got to drink with Brad,” Fischer says a few days later. “I don’t know how many other guys got to drink with their favorite driver.”

Keselowski mentions (or tries to) that he grew up in Michigan and introduces (or tries to) Paige, and Fischer’s delightful reaction is, essentially, “Duh — I’m a fan. I know where you’re from and who your wife is.” Keselowski and Fischer talk about racing, fishing, college football and whether it’s more expensive to raise sons or daughters. This is typical, and it’s what Keselowski wants out of these visits. As fleeting as rushed autographs can be, he believes conversations like this are equally meaningful. He gets at least as much out of them as his fans, if not more.

“Being a race car driver, especially before I got married and had Scarlett, can be a really empty experience, where you’re defined completely by your performance,” he says. “I don’t care how good you are, there are going to be some really bad days in this sport. That’s just the way it is. That’s super, super empty. It’s really tough, not just for me, but for everyone. When I do things like this, it makes the bad weekends on the track not feel so empty.”
( Link to the full article )
 
LewTheShoe said:
Certainly not a A-Lister... LOL. But an article I found interesting nonetheless.

THE KESELOWSKI CONNECTION
By Matt Crossman

Brad Keselowski doesn’t know where he’s going. Driving a golf cart as his wife, Paige, rides shotgun, he pulls out of the motorcoach lot at Chicagoland Speedway and tries to pick a destination, the only problem being he doesn’t have one...

Keselowski is looking for a campsite, but he’s also on a quest for something much deeper than that: an authentic connection with fans. Many encounters between drivers and fans can lack deep interaction. Take, for example, the ubiquitous rushed autograph given by a driver hustling through the garage. The driver is trying to walk and sign at the same time; if he or she even sees the face of the person for whom he or she is signing, the driver often does not get a good enough look to remember that person 30 seconds later...

After he cracks open the beer Fischer gave him, Keselowski grabs a case of Miller Lite from his golf cart and hands it to Fischer. “You got one of the best trade deals ever,” he says, and they clink their cans together and take swigs.

That moment, as much as any on this night, encapsulates why Keselowski does this: It’s simply two men drinking a cold one together … and it’s much more than that. It’s hard to think of a more memorable interaction for Fischer than giving Keselowski a beer. And for Keselowski, what could be more real than accepting such a gift? “I get to say I got to drink with Brad,” Fischer says a few days later. “I don’t know how many other guys got to drink with their favorite driver.”

Keselowski mentions (or tries to) that he grew up in Michigan and introduces (or tries to) Paige, and Fischer’s delightful reaction is, essentially, “Duh — I’m a fan. I know where you’re from and who your wife is.” Keselowski and Fischer talk about racing, fishing, college football and whether it’s more expensive to raise sons or daughters. This is typical, and it’s what Keselowski wants out of these visits. As fleeting as rushed autographs can be, he believes conversations like this are equally meaningful. He gets at least as much out of them as his fans, if not more.

“Being a race car driver, especially before I got married and had Scarlett, can be a really empty experience, where you’re defined completely by your performance,” he says. “I don’t care how good you are, there are going to be some really bad days in this sport. That’s just the way it is. That’s super, super empty. It’s really tough, not just for me, but for everyone. When I do things like this, it makes the bad weekends on the track not feel so empty.”
( Link to the full article )
Click to expand...
Saw that on NASCAR.com earlier today. I also heard Blaney talk on his podcast about him and Chase riding around an infield (forgot which track) looking for a game of cornhole. We need more drivers that truly care about and want to interact with their fans on a personal level. Its great to see some drivers taking the time to have experiences with fans that they'll never forget and get to tell their kids/grandkids about that time they met their favorite or even a driver at the track.
 
Back in the 80's when I started watching Nascar, drivers worked at being fan friendly. Stories about Richard Petty bare this out. I attended a Daytona 500 with a group of about 15 other Canadian fans. After the race, Jeff Bodine joined us for a party and the next day the whole right side of his car #5 was delivered to my friends place to be brought back for mounting in his Nascar gaming room. I noticed a trend a few years later, drivers were no longer being fan friendly, they were simply private people promoting their sponsors and many didn't seem to happy about it.
I got the impression they wanted a helicopter to pick them up at their trailer and take them to their jet for a quick ride home. Then I noticed that many of the drivers seemed to be just coasting around, not taking chances and wanting to get the race over with. Those same drivers who are part of the 25 million + club are at the point of retiring.
The new young drivers are still trying to make a name for themselves and IMO are doing a better job of racing for the win. I hope with this sponsor shortage and cut back on drivers
salary contracts, the purse becomes a bigger part of their salary and will make winning or finishing up front more important.
 
Team Penske said:
Back in the 80's when I started watching Nascar, drivers worked at being fan friendly. Stories about Richard Petty bare this out. I attended a Daytona 500 with a group of about 15 other Canadian fans. After the race, Jeff Bodine joined us for a party and the next day the whole right side of his car #5 was delivered to my friends place to be brought back for mounting in his Nascar gaming room. I noticed a trend a few years later, drivers were no longer being fan friendly, they were simply private people promoting their sponsors and many didn't seem to happy about it.
I got the impression they wanted a helicopter to pick them up at their trailer and take them to their jet for a quick ride home. Then I noticed that many of the drivers seemed to be just coasting around, not taking chances and wanting to get the race over with. Those same drivers who are part of the 25 million + club are at the point of retiring.
The new young drivers are still trying to make a name for themselves and IMO are doing a better job of racing for the win. I hope with this sponsor shortage and cut back on drivers
salary contracts, the purse becomes a bigger part of their salary and will make winning or finishing up front more important.
Click to expand...

Money not being involved, older drivers with a few of the greats being an exception, depending on their careers have had many close calls with wrecks and injuries over a long span of time, and they aren't as excited with the prospect of hanging it out there. A younger driver hasn't been there..yet. Dial up Jeff Burton's career for one of the many examples.
 
The most dangerous time for Jeff Burton was when he got Jeff Gordon mad. :p
 
LewTheShoe said:
Certainly not a A-Lister... LOL. But an article I found interesting nonetheless.

THE KESELOWSKI CONNECTION
By Matt Crossman

Brad Keselowski doesn’t know where he’s going. Driving a golf cart as his wife, Paige, rides shotgun, he pulls out of the motorcoach lot at Chicagoland Speedway and tries to pick a destination, the only problem being he doesn’t have one...

Keselowski is looking for a campsite, but he’s also on a quest for something much deeper than that: an authentic connection with fans. Many encounters between drivers and fans can lack deep interaction. Take, for example, the ubiquitous rushed autograph given by a driver hustling through the garage. The driver is trying to walk and sign at the same time; if he or she even sees the face of the person for whom he or she is signing, the driver often does not get a good enough look to remember that person 30 seconds later...

After he cracks open the beer Fischer gave him, Keselowski grabs a case of Miller Lite from his golf cart and hands it to Fischer. “You got one of the best trade deals ever,” he says, and they clink their cans together and take swigs.

That moment, as much as any on this night, encapsulates why Keselowski does this: It’s simply two men drinking a cold one together … and it’s much more than that. It’s hard to think of a more memorable interaction for Fischer than giving Keselowski a beer. And for Keselowski, what could be more real than accepting such a gift? “I get to say I got to drink with Brad,” Fischer says a few days later. “I don’t know how many other guys got to drink with their favorite driver.”

Keselowski mentions (or tries to) that he grew up in Michigan and introduces (or tries to) Paige, and Fischer’s delightful reaction is, essentially, “Duh — I’m a fan. I know where you’re from and who your wife is.” Keselowski and Fischer talk about racing, fishing, college football and whether it’s more expensive to raise sons or daughters. This is typical, and it’s what Keselowski wants out of these visits. As fleeting as rushed autographs can be, he believes conversations like this are equally meaningful. He gets at least as much out of them as his fans, if not more.

“Being a race car driver, especially before I got married and had Scarlett, can be a really empty experience, where you’re defined completely by your performance,” he says. “I don’t care how good you are, there are going to be some really bad days in this sport. That’s just the way it is. That’s super, super empty. It’s really tough, not just for me, but for everyone. When I do things like this, it makes the bad weekends on the track not feel so empty.”
( Link to the full article )
Click to expand...

I never heard of drivers doing THIS routinely. There are stories of all the popular drivers doing great things for the fans but this is becoming Brad’s deal. Of course I’m sure some do things without broadcasting it over social media and if so that’s great. But you always hear these stories of guys doing something and trying to keep it anonymous but they are rarely substantiated.
 
While both Ford drivers have been tabbed to drive the No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing Mustang in 2018, the fellow freshman truckers received a more tangible show of appreciation for their efforts this season.

Although Brad Keselowski elected to shutter his racing operation following the 2017 Camping World Truck Series season, on Friday he gifted each driver with the F150s from their respective inaugural wins.

 
Will Brad Keselowski be a next-generation NASCAR Cup owner?
“Absolutely. It’s 100 percent my dream,” Keselowski told Motorsport.com. “There’s a lot of things that have to happen to make that a possibility—including the support of a manufacturer and the health of the sport being at a high point. But it’s my intention to get to that position in the long-term future.”
https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/nascar-brad-keselowski-car-owner-985537/
 
StandOnIt said:
While both Ford drivers have been tabbed to drive the No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing Mustang in 2018, the fellow freshman truckers received a more tangible show of appreciation for their efforts this season.

Although Brad Keselowski elected to shutter his racing operation following the 2017 Camping World Truck Series season, on Friday he gifted each driver with the F150s from their respective inaugural wins.

Click to expand...


Pure class.
 
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Nice to see that. I don't think very many people realized that there wasn't a fight, and their probably wasn't going to be a fight until Harvick plowed his way into the deal.
 
I was a bit pissed when I read driver comments. It seems Nascar wants more speed and doesn't care if there is no racing. :mad:
 
Brad was inspired by Ray Lewis.
That alone is a life time supply of stupid.
 
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