From Rochester Hills, MI and son to Bob Keselowski, Brad Keselowski is
a truly one of a kind driver. His attitude and never give up attitude is
something that has gotten him to where he is today. Brad is many peoples
favorite driver and to many he is their favorite person to hate. Brad has been
driving a NASCAR since 2004 and since then has won 51 NASCAR Races, and NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series Title in 2012 and a NASCAR Xfinity Series Title.
Brad made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in 2008 in the
Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway driving for Hendrick Motorsports where he
would finish in 19th position. His first win would come at NASCAR’s
largest track, Talladega, in 2009. On the last lap Brad was pushing Carl
Edwards to what would look as Carl’s first win at a restrictor plate track but
as they were coming to the line Brad went beneath Carl. Brad was underneath
Carl as he came back down and Brad caught Carl’s left rear sending his car
flying into the catch fence. Brad would win his first NASCAR race surrounded
with hate from the NASCAR Fans. The Nickname “Bad Brad” would brew and has stuck
with him since that accident.
In 2012 Brad Keselowski broke his ankle in a
testing crash at Road Atlanta. The following weekend Brad would win Pocono. At
Watkins Glen, After spinning Kyle Busch around, it would set Brad up with the
Aussie Marcos Ambrose to have toe to toe race to the Checker. This finish was
one of the best ever at a Road course.
Both ran through the grass both gave it their all but Marcos Ambrose would come
out on top and Brad would finish second but its one of those finishes that one,
will never be forgotten and two gained Brad many new fans. Brad would end 2012 defeating the number 48
for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title.So far in 2015 Brad has one win at Auto Club, 4 top five’s, and 12 top ten’s.
Brad made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in 2006 with Keith
Coleman Racing driving the no. 23. His first race was at Fontana (Now Auto
Club) where he finished 37th. Brad would drive for this team until
July in 2007 when the team ceased operations. At the end of 2007 Brad was
called by team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr to replace Shane Huffman in the no. 88
for JR Motorsports. In 2008 Brad would become the full time driver of the no.88
sponsored by the US Navy. Nashville was where Brad got his first career win and
then a couple weekends later in another Tennessee town called Bristol, Brad
would get his second career win, a race I was in attendance for.
Brad was
slated to drive the no. 5 for Hendrick Motorsports in the Cup Series but after
Mark Martin announced he would drive that car Brad’s opportunity would go away.
Despite his relationship with Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Hendrick Motorsports,
the team did not have a car for him to drive full time as each of their four
regular teams had established drivers under contract. Keselowski began looking
elsewhere and left the Chevrolet camp to drive a Dodge for Team Penske. Brad
would stay with the 88 for another year before he would leave for Team Penkse.
Brad would go on to win numerous races with Team Penske and also win a couple
Owners Championships with drivers like A.J Almindinger, Joey Logano, Michael
McDowell, etc.
In 2004, Brad Keselowski would make his NASCAR Camping World
Truck Series debut for the Family Race team of K-Automotive Motorsports. Brad
made his debut at Martinsville starting 26th and finishing 33rd!
Brad’s best finish was at Mansfield of a 16th. In 2005 Keselowski
began competing in the Truck Series full-time in 2005 with backing from SUBcrews.com
and Samson Stone. He started the season with a 7th place finish driving
for K- Automotive Motorsports in the Florida Dodge Dealers 250 at Daytona,
which was his only top-ten finish of the year. He would end up finishing 21st
in points. He ran the first two races of 2006 for K-Automotive before a lack of
sponsorship caused the team to temporarily suspend operations. Keselowski then
drove the No. 02 Chevrolet at Kentucky and Memphis, filling in for the injured
Kelly Sutton, and drove the No. 63 Ford F-150 for MB Motorsports at Bristol and
in the season finale, the Ford 200 at Homestead. Since that season Brad hasn’t competed
in a full season because of prior concerns. In 2007 Brad opened his own NASCAR
Camping World Truck series team called Brad Keselowski Racing. Believe it or
not Brad Keselowski had never won a NASCAR Camping World Truck series race
until 2014 at Bristol. Brad would take advantage from Kyle Busch scraping the
Wall and having to pit to win the UNOH 200. A special win in a series that had
meant so much to his family.
Brad is Definitly a one of a kind driver and a lock for a future Hall Of Famer! But dont count him out just yet! Brad isn't done yet. He'll prove to you that he is driven 2 win. (Koelle, 2015)
Brad's Sprint Cup Stats
Year Races Wins Top 5 Top 10 Poles
2008 2 0 0 0 0
2009 15 1 1 4 0
2010 36 0 0 2 1
2011 36 3 10 14 1
2012 36 5 13 23 0 *CHAMPION*
2013 36 1 9 16 1
2014 36 6 17 20 5
2015 20 1 4 12 0 *AS OF POCONO AUG.*
8 Yrs. 217 17 54 91 8 TOTAL
Brad's Xfinity Series Stats
Year Races Wins Top 5 Top 10 Poles
2006 7 0 0 0 0
2007 27 0 0 5 0
2008 35 2 11 20 1
2009 35 4 22 28 2
2010 35 6 26 29 5
2011 29 5 14 21 4
2012 21 3 11 14 1
2013 16 7 10 10 1
2014 11 5 10 11 5
2015 5 1 4 5 0 *AS OF IOWA AUG.*
9 221 33 108 143 19 TOTAL
Brad's Camping World Truck Series Stats
Year Races Wins Top 5 Top 10 Poles
2004 8 0 0 0 0
2005 25 0 0 1 0
2006 6 0 0 0 0
2007 3 0 0 0 1
2008 1 0 0 1 0
2009 1 0 0 0 0
2010 4 0 1 2 0
2011 0 0 0 0 0
2012 6 0 3 4 0
2013 5 0 2 3 0
2014 3 1 3 3 0
2015 4 0 1 1 0 *AS OF POCONO AUG.*
11 66 1 10 15 1 TOTAL
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