August 3, 2020 | By Lee Spencer

Keselowski to continue NASCAR career with Team Penske

Coming off one of the most dominant drives of his career on Sunday at New Hampshire Speedway, Brad Keselowski announced he was close to extending his tenure in the No. 2 Ford at Team Penske.

On Monday, the team made it official. 

The 36-year-old third-generation racer, who joined the organization in 2010 and delivered Roger Penske’s first Cup and Xfinity titles, will continue to lead the flagship NASCAR team.

“We are pleased that Brad will continue to be a part of our organization,” Penske said in a release. “Brad not only demonstrates talent and skill on the track, but his leadership away from it and his dedication to our partners have had a huge impact in making our organization one of the best in NASCAR. 

“I am proud that we will be able to able to keep the continuity we have with Brad, Ryan and Joey and look forward to competing for more wins and championships together.”

Keselowski has scored at least one victory each and qualified for every Playoff since 2011 inclusive, with the exception of 2013. On Sunday, he collected his third win of the season and 32nd Cup victory under the Penske banner. In 2019, Keselowski reached a milestone, as he surpassed Mark Donohue as the Team Penske driver with the most victories when he scored his 60th win between the Cup and Xfinity Series. 

“I have been racing for Team Penske for the vast majority of my NASCAR career, and to continue to represent Roger Penske, our partners and his organization is exactly where I want to be,” Keselowski said in the release. “We’ve accomplished a lot of things together over the years, including winning both the Cup and Xfinity Championships, the Brickyard 400, the Southern 500 and the Coca-Cola 600.

“Now, my goal is to win the Daytona 500, another championship and continue to build Team Penske into the best NASCAR team in the garage area.”

Keselowski is well on his way of achieving that goal. For the fifth consecutive season, Keselowski has scored at least three wins—and there are still 16 races left to decide the championship. 

Given the confidence he gained from Sunday’s run at Loudon, it would be difficult to count Keselowski out. His reunion with his former Xfinity Series crew chief, Jeremy Bullins, has reinvigorated the 2012 Cup champion.

“It’s been good,” Keselowski said. “I’ve had a good career, and I thought we needed a kick in the ass, and Jeremy and this whole team has been a kick in the butt for me to make me a little bit better and push me to find another level, and we’re doing that so far.
 
“I’m just really thankful. I’m in a great spot here and hungry for more wins. I think this is my fifth straight year with three wins, but I don’t want to stop here. I want us to keep going, and I know this team can do it. I’m driven.” 

When Team Penske swapped crew chiefs at the start of the 2020 season, Bullins was determined to build a program where Keselowski would prosper.

"I think you just go back to all the success we had in the Xfinity car," Bullins said on Sunday. "I think we won 14 races or so with that car. It's a lot of fun to work with him. You know there aren't very many tracks that you're not going to go to that you don't have a chance to win the race. That's the ideal situation. This is a performance business. A lot of ways, every year is a contract year. The pressure's always there to be successful and to compete.  But that's what we live for, that's what we want to do.

"When we got paired up in January, I told him, Our job is to give you what you need to be successful. I'm going to need your help with what that is, but we'll make that happen. So far so good. I think obviously it's going really well. Hopefully, we can keep it all together."