NASCAR meets with Keselowski after USA TODAY cover story

dpkimmel2001

dpkimmel2001

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Interesting.

Brad Keselowski got the attention of NASCAR's executives after sharing his thoughts in an in-depth cover story Friday

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR executives met Friday with Brad Keselowski after the defending Sprint Cup Series champion outlined the challenges facing the sport in a Sports cover story in Friday's USA TODAY.

NASCAR Chief Communications Officer Brett Jewkes said Keselowski wasn't penalized nor was facing further punishment. Jewkes said the meeting wasn't directly a result of the USA TODAY story, but it was discussed. NASCAR generally had been seeking more dialogue with its champion, according to Jewkes, and Friday provided the opportunity.

"Brad has opinions, some informed and some less informed," Jewkes said. "The meeting was to improve the latter."

The Penske Racing driver met with NASCAR chairman Brian France and International Speedway Corp. CEO Lesa France Kennedy.

Keselowski tweeted afterward, "Spent some time with the Lesa and Brian from the NASCAR team after yesterday's article, the passion we all share for our sport is amazing!"
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Read the full story here.
 
I think anyone who read the article knows where nascar's concerns would be. Brad laid out something I've been railing against for years, and that's the conflict between the interests of the sport vs the interests of ISC, and the interest of nascar inc. vs teams. I was thinking Brad would be in hot water when he talked about how nascar taking sponsor $'s away from teams to line their own pockets.

If Kez can stay on top, he'll be a bigger thorn in nascars ass than Earnhardt ever was.
 
"Brad has opinions, some informed and some less informed," Jewkes said. "The meeting was to improve the latter."
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I would be willing to bet that Tony, Kyle and Kurt could make that speech word for word.

Listen (insert driver name here), you need us a lot more than we need you. Either start seeing things our way or take the highway. ;)
 
Bobw said:
I hope so. It's time someone spoke their mind and started standing up to them.
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Kez keeps saying he wants to lead the sport to a better place, but one of his comments made me think a little deeper. He said something like 'Maybe I'm not that guy, but someone has to do it', and it made me remember something he's been saying since coming to cup. Tony, Jeff, JJ and a few others should be more willing to lead, but they aren't. They have it made, so they don't want to rock the boat.

I have a feeling Brad is simply trying to prod these guys into action, even if it's just to criticize him. By bringing the difficult subjects out in the open, those guys may be forced to address them in public, or look like damn pussies who are afraid of nascar. One thing is for sure, Brad isn't afraid to stir things up, and nascar inc. needs to be shaken vigorously.
 
Smoke14 said:
I would be willing to bet that Tony, Kyle and Kurt could make that speech word for word.

Listen (insert driver name here), you need us a lot more than we need you. Either start seeing things our way or take the highway. ;)
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It won't work with Brad. He'll bide his time until he has a strong enough voice to force the issues. I could see him standing his ground and jumping in an Indycar for a year or 2 if nascar gets too heavy handed. He isn't always right, but the guy is as stubborn as mule.
 
I've always liked how Brad races but I still never really cared for him but with that article he won me over with some of his comments. I won't ever be buying his merch but I won't mind seeing him win anymore.

Things need to be stirred up in NASCAR and I want to see it happen.
 
StewartHaas-Gibbs Racing said:
I've always liked how Brad races but I still never really cared for him but with that article he won me over with some of his comments. I won't ever be buying his merch but I won't mind seeing him win anymore.

Things need to be stirred up in NASCAR and I want to see it happen.
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I've been a fan of his for years, but there are times where it gets difficult for sure. His Dinger comments pissed me off so much, Brad and I had some words on twitter. I ended the argument with 'I hope there is someone you trust who can explain this to you'. Now, I can't take the credit, but it wasn't long before he moved his sister Dawn into his house and settled down a little and then started reeling off top 10's and top 5's.
 
FenderBumper said:
It won't work with Brad. He'll bide his time until he has a strong enough voice to force the issues. I could see him standing his ground and jumping in an Indycar for a year or 2 if nascar gets too heavy handed. He isn't always right, but the guy is as stubborn as mule.
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I think you are kidding yourself. If he continues to misbehave, he will end up with a positive drug screen. ;)
 
Some people need to learn the hard way and Brad is one of those people. As mentioned, NASCAR doesn't need him and if he doesn't like the way NASCAR runs their business he is always free to leave and make his living elsewhere.

Maybe he could hook up with the racing business experts on this board and start a new racing series.:)
 
Matthew2470 said:
Some people need to learn the hard way and Brad is one of those people. As mentioned, NASCAR doesn't need him and if he doesn't like the way NASCAR runs their business he is always free to leave and make his living elsewhere.

Maybe he could hook up with the racing business experts on this board and start a new racing series.
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I for one am glad the sheep have such a fine spokesman as you, Matt. :)
 
Brad has nascar in a little bit of a box. nascar has done away with secret fines, and they have stated drivers are free to speak out unless they disparage the sport. nascar can choose to be sneaky and make the entire Penske organization pay for Brad being outspoken, but they will risk crossing swords with a highly respected billionaire who thinks the world of Brad. If a super clean owner like Roger suddenly starts recieving penalities because nascar is playing games with the inspection process, the good old boys will pay a heavy price when he publicly calls nascar crooked.

This is going to be an interesting dance to watch over the next few years. There's a ton of money at stake, the bulk of which goes to track owners, and France family won't give any of it up easily. If nascar is going to grow, they will have to. I take Brads tweet that "their passion for this sport is awesome" as a way of saying some emotions were running very high in that meeting.
 
Bobw said:
A "Kez" was needed following the loss of Sr.
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Jeff was too laid back, and Tony was too selfish. Tony may have evolved into the guy to lead, but nascar was hell bent on becoming a church hat champagne series and shut him down.
 
Wouldn't it be hilarious, and very telling, if the whole meeting was centered on the salesman cut being 8%, not 10%?
 
Only driver I can think of that could have stepped up at the time would have been crusty,,but he p***yed out.

France family is the closest thing to the Mafia since the Mafia.
 
TexasRaceLady said:
One thing Brad mentioned was NASCAR having the habit of siphoning off car sponsors to be "official" whatever of NASCAR. Over the years I've heard many owners and drivers complain about this. It is not a new complaint. And I agree with them.
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Sprint vs AllTel, Goodyear vs Hoosier are prime examples. The 'official' whatever goes to the highest bidder.
 
LOL @ "the meeting was to improve the latter."

Typical keselowski with typical Nascar response so I'll just move along :)
 
I am not surprised, Nascar wants there bad boys to submissive. Unfortunately they have femininized too many.
 
Brad Keselowski “Vision” got him called to a NASCAR meeting.


Brad Keselowski is a very thoughtful champion. I read is “Vision” by Nate Ryan in the USA Today and I tweeted it was GREAT. It seems NASCAR thought Brad had some things wrong and called him to a meeting with both Brian France and Lesa Kennedy France.

If you are interested in what Brad had to say about NASCAR and how to improve it.

Go to www.LuvRacin.com Click on Brad’s Vision

Let us know what you think about what Brad said.

I think we need a strong NASCAR leading out sport and Brad has some ideas that need to be listened to.

LuvRacinRog


LuvRacin.com is The Heart of Local Racing

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For racing news and photos from your state Click on your state.
 
Nascar and ISC are family owned businesses. If I owned them I, just like all of you, would do what I thought best for my businesses, let me make and figure out my own mistakes and tell everybody else to piss up a rope.
 
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