New driver at JR Motorsports wants to make most of it
By David Caraviello, NASCAR.COM
Brad Keselowski is quickly moving up the NASCAR ladder. Earlier this month, Germain Racing tapped him to fill in for the suspended Ted Musgrave for a Craftsman Truck Series event at Memphis Motorsports Park, and the lanky 23-year-old won the pole and led 62 laps. That led to a phone call from Dale Earnhardt Jr., and the biggest break of his career.
Earnhardt hired Keselowski to drive the JR Motorsports No. 88 Busch car for three races, a stint that began with last Saturday's event at Chicagoland Speedway. The kid didn't disappoint, bringing the car home in 14th and in one piece, something the team owner places an emphasis on. He has a shot at finishing the season in the Navy car if Earnhardt sees enough progress in his next two starts.
Keselowski, a native of Rochester Hills, Mich., grew up around race shops. His father Bob competed in the Truck Series for five years, winning an event at Richmond International Raceway in 1997, and making the Daytona 500 in 1994. His uncle Ron made 68 Cup starts in the 1970s, finishing a career-best fifth twice at Michigan Speedway.
The younger Keselowski started with a family-owned team, moving from Quarter Midgets to stock cars and eventually the Craftsman Truck Series. He started this season with Keith Coleman Racing in the Busch Series, making 14 starts before the team suspended operations.
Junior's new driver
Brad Keselowski signed a three-race deal to drive for JR Motorsports in the Busch Series.
Complete story, click here
Q: So, what's it like when Junior calls and offers you a job?
Keselowski: It's pretty cool to get an opportunity in a funded Busch team. To have a sponsor behind you like the Navy and a manufacturer behind you like Chevrolet is awesome. You just really can't say how important it is to have the proper backing behind you to run well.
Q: Did you and Earnhardt have a previous relationship? Isn't there a story about the two of you being pitted next to each other at a Busch race in Bristol?
Keselowski: Yeah, we did pit next to each other at a race there in Bristol. We've raced online together a little bit, so that didn't hurt. You know, I've been racing in the Busch Series a little bit before, and had some strong runs, too. I don't think that hurt anything.
Q: I hear you're bunking at Junior's guest house, and you two have similar background with a family history in racing. How have you hit it off?
Keselowski: I think fairly well. We're on the same page as far as expectations and all that goes. He knows I came from a deal where my family owned the race vehicles and all that, and I understand the whole bring-it-home-at-the-end-of-the-day part. I think we're all on the same page as far as that goes. So yeah, I think we've hit it off fairly well.
Q: What kind of opportunity is this?
Keselowski: It's a huge opportunity, probably the biggest one I've had. I got my first opportunity in a funded truck two weeks ago at Memphis and was able to make the most out of that, and that's my same goal here, to be ale to make the most out of this opportunity. It's definitely the best Busch car I've ever driven.
Q: Is this a three-race tryout for something bigger? How do you view it?
Keselowski: At some point you think of it as an audition, yes. I'm trying to just think about what I can do to make the most of this week, and come next week, I'll think about what I can do to make the most of that, and so on and so forth. Wherever that leads from there will be what it is. It's really too early to say what's going to happen.
Q: Your dad and uncle were both racecar drivers. Was there ever any question that this was what you were going to do?
Keselowski: No, not really. I've already spent the college fund. I'd better make this deal work, because I don't know anything else.
By David Caraviello, NASCAR.COM
Brad Keselowski is quickly moving up the NASCAR ladder. Earlier this month, Germain Racing tapped him to fill in for the suspended Ted Musgrave for a Craftsman Truck Series event at Memphis Motorsports Park, and the lanky 23-year-old won the pole and led 62 laps. That led to a phone call from Dale Earnhardt Jr., and the biggest break of his career.
Earnhardt hired Keselowski to drive the JR Motorsports No. 88 Busch car for three races, a stint that began with last Saturday's event at Chicagoland Speedway. The kid didn't disappoint, bringing the car home in 14th and in one piece, something the team owner places an emphasis on. He has a shot at finishing the season in the Navy car if Earnhardt sees enough progress in his next two starts.
Keselowski, a native of Rochester Hills, Mich., grew up around race shops. His father Bob competed in the Truck Series for five years, winning an event at Richmond International Raceway in 1997, and making the Daytona 500 in 1994. His uncle Ron made 68 Cup starts in the 1970s, finishing a career-best fifth twice at Michigan Speedway.
The younger Keselowski started with a family-owned team, moving from Quarter Midgets to stock cars and eventually the Craftsman Truck Series. He started this season with Keith Coleman Racing in the Busch Series, making 14 starts before the team suspended operations.
Junior's new driver
Brad Keselowski signed a three-race deal to drive for JR Motorsports in the Busch Series.
Complete story, click here
Q: So, what's it like when Junior calls and offers you a job?
Keselowski: It's pretty cool to get an opportunity in a funded Busch team. To have a sponsor behind you like the Navy and a manufacturer behind you like Chevrolet is awesome. You just really can't say how important it is to have the proper backing behind you to run well.
Q: Did you and Earnhardt have a previous relationship? Isn't there a story about the two of you being pitted next to each other at a Busch race in Bristol?
Keselowski: Yeah, we did pit next to each other at a race there in Bristol. We've raced online together a little bit, so that didn't hurt. You know, I've been racing in the Busch Series a little bit before, and had some strong runs, too. I don't think that hurt anything.
Q: I hear you're bunking at Junior's guest house, and you two have similar background with a family history in racing. How have you hit it off?
Keselowski: I think fairly well. We're on the same page as far as expectations and all that goes. He knows I came from a deal where my family owned the race vehicles and all that, and I understand the whole bring-it-home-at-the-end-of-the-day part. I think we're all on the same page as far as that goes. So yeah, I think we've hit it off fairly well.
Q: What kind of opportunity is this?
Keselowski: It's a huge opportunity, probably the biggest one I've had. I got my first opportunity in a funded truck two weeks ago at Memphis and was able to make the most out of that, and that's my same goal here, to be ale to make the most out of this opportunity. It's definitely the best Busch car I've ever driven.
Q: Is this a three-race tryout for something bigger? How do you view it?
Keselowski: At some point you think of it as an audition, yes. I'm trying to just think about what I can do to make the most of this week, and come next week, I'll think about what I can do to make the most of that, and so on and so forth. Wherever that leads from there will be what it is. It's really too early to say what's going to happen.
Q: Your dad and uncle were both racecar drivers. Was there ever any question that this was what you were going to do?
Keselowski: No, not really. I've already spent the college fund. I'd better make this deal work, because I don't know anything else.
