Brad Keselowski

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Brad Keselowski : biography

February 12, 1984 –

Brad Keselowski ended up in third spot behind rivals Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch in the final NNS standings.

2010–present: Penske years

2010

In 2010, Keselowski joined Penske Racing running the No. 12 Dodge Charger in the Sprint Cup Series and the No. 22 Discount Tire car in the Nationwide Series. In Atlanta, on lap 41, he tapped Carl Edwards on a restart and Edwards went up to the wall to collect Joey Logano. Later, Keselowski appeared to be headed toward a top-10 finish at Atlanta with three laps to go when Edwards, apparently in retaliation for this accident and still mad at Keselowski for their previous incidents in 2009 including the finish at Talladega, spun Keselowski. Keselowski’s car caught air and despite the roof flaps working his car overturned, hitting the front-stretch wall roof-first in an accident that resembled the Talladega finish of the previous year. His new teammate Kurt Busch ended up winning the race. Edwards was parked by NASCAR and Keselowski climbed out mostly unscathed.

Keselowski scored his first 2010 Nationwide win at Talladega on April 25, after crashing out of the Sprint Cup race earlier in the day, and then went on to win five more races at Richmond, Nashville, Michigan, and Charlotte. At Gateway International Raceway in 2010 Brad Keselowski fought rival Carl Edwards again in the closing stages of the Nationwide Race. On the final lap Keselowski bumped Edwards, apparently retaliation for Edwards bumping the #22 earlier in the race. Keselowski briefly took the lead, but gave the position back and falling in behind Edwards. The two ran side-by-side through turns two and three before Edwards ran high in turn 4 and then made a hard left into the right quarter panel of the #22, tuning him hard into the wall at the finish line and causing an 11 car wreck. Keselowski’s car came down in front of the field and was hit hard by the car of Shelby Howard. Keselowski climbed out of his car with a grimace on his face and mostly unscathed, though one driver was sent to the hospital with rib injuries. With his team and in victory lane Edwards was loudly booed as he bragged publicly that the crash was not an accident. Keselowski was infuriated and told a reporter that Edwards just wrecked him for no reason, saying, "I am sure Edwards will say sorry or think about how cool he is in his mind but that is not reality." That week NASCAR put Edwards on probation for his actions, fined him $25,000, and deducted 60 points from him in the Nationwide Series point standings. NASCAR also placed Keselowski on probation. Both drivers were then told by NASCAR to either calm down the rivalry or face indefinite suspension from the sport.

At Bristol in the NNS race Brad Keselowski was the center of controversy because he got some contact with NNS rival Kyle Busch. In turn 3 with 33 laps left, Keselowski seemingly intentionally bumped Kyle to pass by. However in the next turn Kyle Busch retaliated, sending Keselowski spinning in circles finishing in 14th place. Kyle Busch ended up winning the race and in reply to the crash Keselowski insulted him the next morning during introductions before the Cup race. Both drivers were given a warning by NASCAR the next week. In 2012 Keselowski and Kyle Busch announced that they settled their bitter blood.

The next week at Montreal, Brad Keselowski redeemed himself from Bristol. Keselowski had his greatest finish at the track in 4th spot. He was in 6th spot on the restart but Robby Gordon ran out of gas on the restart letting Keselowski battle Paul Menard for 4th place. Eventually as Boris Said and Max Papis had a close amazing finish for the win, Keselowski had a similar finish with Paul Menard with Keselowski holding off Menard for 4th spot.

With crew chief Paul Wolfe all year, Keselowski won his first ever NASCAR Nationwide Series title, collecting 6 wins, five poles, 26 top 5s, and 29 top 10s along the way. His 26 top 5s beat Kyle Busch’s record of 25 top 5s set in 2009.

In the Sprint Cup it was a different story. Keselowski finished 25th in the final Sprint Cup standings and recorded one pole, no wins, 0 top 5s, and 2 top 10s.