NEWS & NOTES
HOMECOMING: This weekend, Brad Keselowski returns to his home track of Michigan International Speedway. Keselowski was raised in Rochester Hills, Mich., located about 100 miles from the track. Before making his way to the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide series, Keselowski cut his racing teeth running local tracks in quarter-midgets and late-model stock cars.
FIRST TIME AT MICHIGAN: Keselowski will attempt to make his first Michigan start in the Sprint Cup Series this weekend driving the No. 25 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. The 25-year-old driver has made two previous Nationwide Series starts at the two-mile racetrack and most recently scored an 11th-place finish there last August after starting 22nd.
THIS SEASON: Keselowski, who is splitting time this season qualifying Sprint Cup Chevrolets for Hendrick Motorsports and Phoenix Racing, has recorded one win, one top-five finish and three top-10s in seven Cup attempts. In his last outing with Hendrick Motorsports, Keselowski started 29th and climbed his way into the top 10 by Lap 240 at Chicagoland Speedway. But with 15 laps left in the 267-lap affair, Keselowski was racing for position when he made contact with another competitor. He finished 32nd.
DOUBLE DUTY FOR GODADDY: In addition to the No. 25 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, Keselowski will drive the No. 88 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet for JR Motorsports during Saturday’s Nationwide Series event. Keselowski is ranked third in that series.
HEADING TO THE BIG HOUSE: On Thursday, Keselowski will head to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor to watch the Wolverines football camp. The Michigan native also stopped by his favorite school’s football camp last year.
TWO MORE: Keselowski will attempt to qualify Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 25 Chevy two more times this Cup season: at Kansas Speedway on Oct. 4 and Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Oct. 17.
CHASSIS CHOICE: Crew chief Tony Eury Jr. has chosen Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 25-537 for this weekend’s event at Chicagoland Speedway. This is the same car that Keselowski raced to a seventh-place finish at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in May.
HENDRICK AT MICHIGAN: Hendrick Motorsports, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, has scored five wins, 35 top-five finishes, 66 top-10s and has led 1,710 laps at Michigan. Mark Martin drove the No. 5 Chevrolet to score Hendrick Motorsports’ fifth win at the two-mile oval on June 14.
QUOTES
BRAD KESELOWSKI, DRIVER, NO. 25 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET (ON COMING HOME TO MICHIGAN.): “I’m so excited to come back home to the Michigan area and have the opportunity to race at this track. I’ve been able to be at home this week and spend time with my family, which is always good. To race in front of my hometown fans, though, is so exciting for me, and I would love nothing more than to give them a good finish. We had such a strong car at my last race with Hendrick Motorsports at Chicago, and I really think we can do it again. (Crew chief) Tony (Eury) Jr. made some great calls in the pits, and I’m really excited to be able to work with him again.”
KESELOWSKI (ON GETTING TO GO TO WOLVERINES FOOTBALL CAMP.): “I am so pumped to again be able to go to football camp up at the University of Michigan. I have been a fan of the Wolverines for as long as I can remember, and so I’ll kind of be like a kid in a candy store when I get there. I’m hoping to be able to chat with some of the players as well as coach (Rich) Rodriguez which will definitely be a cool thing. This is going to be a good year for the team and seeing them get ready for the season will be a thrill for me for sure.”
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