- Brad Keselowski 2009 Sprint Cup Schedule in the #25
Las Vegas - 3/1
Texas - 4/5
Darlington - 5/9
Dover - 5/31
Chicago - 7/11
Michigan - 8/16
Kansas - 10/4
Charlotte - 10/17
Brad Keselowski 2009 Sprint Cup Schedule in the #09 Chevy
Daytona - 2/15, DNQ
Talladega - 4/26, WON
New Hampshire - 6/28, 6th
Daytona - 7/4, 24th
Richmond - 9/12, 9th
Talladega - 11/1
Hendrick misses Homestead race UPDATE: A family emergency will keep team owner Rick Hendrick from celebrating a record-tying ninth Sprint Cup championship for Hendrick Motorsports on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Hendrick's 29-year-old niece Alesha Gainey, the daughter of John Hendrick who was killed in the 2004 plane crash near Martinsville Speedway, is undergoing an emergency liver transplant in North Carolina. "Rick obviously wishes he could be here . . . [but] Rick's priority at this point is to support his family at this crucial time," Hendrick Motorsports general managers Marshall Carlson said.(ESPN)(11-22-2009)
UPDATE: As much as Rick Hendrick wanted to be a part of Jimmie Johnson's record-breaking run on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, his family's needs were more important. Instead of watching Johnson win his fourth straight Sprint Cup title, Hendrick was at hospital in North Carolina as his 29-year-old niece, Alesha Gainey, underwent a liver transplant. Gainey is the daughter of Hendrick's brother, John, who, along with two other daughters, was killed in a 2004 Hendrick Motorsports plane crash on the way to Martinsville Speedway. Hendrick said the surgery went well and Gainey, although not completely out of the woods, is in stable condition and recovering in intensive care.(ESPN)(11-24-2009)
One track left with no win for Hendrick: Homestead-Miami Speedway is the only racetrack on the current Sprint Cup schedule where Hendrick Motorsports has not won a race. The organization, which will wrap up its 25th anniversary season this weekend, has recorded eight top-five finishes and 16 top-10s in 10 Cup events (39 starts) there (HMS). It is also the only race track that #24-Jeff Gordon has not won a Sprint Cup race and for #48-Jimmie Johnson, Homestead is one of six race tracks on the Cup circuit he has not won at [the others being Watkins Glen, Infineon Raceway, Chicago, Michigan and Bristol.(11-19-2009)
Delphi continues relationship with Hendrick Motorsports: Delphi announced that it will continue its associate sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports during the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. The announcement was made at a press conference held at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas. Delphi will be the primary sponsor for two Sprint Cup races with driver Mark Martin in the #5 Delphi/GoDaddy.com Chevy. The race details will be announced in the near future. Additionally, Delphi will be an associate sponsor of all Hendrick Motorsports 2010 Sprint Cup entries. Delphi will continue to be featured on the uniforms of all Hendrick Motorsports drivers for the 2010 season, including four-time Sprint Cup champion #24-Jeff Gordon, three-time defending Sprint Cup champion #48-Jimmie Johnson, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. and #5-Mark Martin. "Our long-standing relationship with Delphi has been fantastic," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "The association has been incredibly important to our company from both a quality and technology standpoint, and we look forward to having Delphi continue as a key partner for the 2010 season."(HMS)(11-3-2009)
Keselowski in the #12 at Texas? UPDATE: Brad Keselowski will begin driving a Penske Racing Dodge in the Sprint Cup series starting this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Keselowski will take over for David Stremme in the #12 Dodge, multiple sources have told FOXSports.com.Keselowski, who finished eighth in Sunday's Amp Energy 500 and is currently third in Nationwide Series points, was announced as Roger Penske's latest addition on Sept. 1.(FoxSports)(11-2-2009)
UPDATE: Brad Keselowski will compete for Penske Racing in the final three NASCAR Cup Series races of the 2009 season. Keselowski will drive the #12 Penske Dodge in the upcoming races at Texas (Nov. 8), Phoenix (Nov. 15) and Homestead (Nov. 22). Over the final three Cup Series events of 2009, Keselowski will step in for David Stremme and work with the Penske Dodge team in the car that will become his full-time ride next season. "Penske Racing wants to give Brad an opportunity to work with the team and get to know the race car as we prepare for the 2010 season," said Roger Penske. "These three races will provide a good base for both Brad and the team as we head into next year. Penske Racing also thanks David Stremme for his contributions to the team this year. We wish David the very best moving forward."(Penske Racing PR)(11-2-2009)
Final race in the #25 Chevy from Keselowski: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports, attempted and qualified for Saturday's NASCAR Banking 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Keselowski will make his final scheduled attempt to qualify the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy. In six Cup starts with Hendrick Motorsports, Keselowski has scored one top-10 finish -- seventh at Darlington Raceway -- and a career-best qualifying position of third at Kansas Speedway. In addition to the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy, Keselowski will drive the #88 Chevy this weekend in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, making his 100th career Nationwide Series start. Crew chief Tony Eury Jr. has chosen Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 25-537 for this weekend's event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. This is the same car Keselowski raced to a seventh-place finish at Darlington earlier this season.(HMS)(10-16-2009)
NASCAR clarifies warning to Brad Keselowski at Kansas: NASCAR officials clarified their intent in warning Hendrick Motorsports’ #25-Brad Keselowski during last week’s race at Kansas Speedway. NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Friday afternoon that Keselowski was not warned because of contact with a competitor in the Chase For The Sprint Cup; the warning was one that NASCAR often gives to competitors when it feels contact is unnecessary. Keselowski had contact with #42-Juan Pablo Montoya during the race, drawing the attention of NASCAR. At the time, NASCAR said that Keselowski was told to be “aware and cognizant of who he was racing against at this particular point in the race.” Friday, Pemberton clarified what NASCAR meant and that it did not refer to racing against drivers in the championship hunt. “We warn drivers all the time,” Pemberton said prior to qualifying at Auto Club Speedway in California. “It wasn’t a Chase warning whatsoever. The previous week we warned the 14 [of Tony Stewart] and somebody else about beating on each other, too. When we see things going on around the race track that could affect the outcome of innocent bystanders, drivers who don’t have a fight, we’ll take and call a driver out on. That’s basically what we did.”(SceneDaily)(10-10-2009)
Keselowski back in the #25 at Kansas: Brad Keselowski will attempt to make his first Sprint Cup Series start at Kansas Speedway this weekend driving the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports. The 25-year-old earned a sixth-place finish there in the September 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series event, his only previous start at the 1.5-mile racetrack. In his most recent outing with Hendrick Motorsports, Keselowski started 12th and finished 24th. Keselowski will make his final attempt to qualify Hendrick Motorsports' #25 Chevy this season on Oct. 17 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.(HMS PR)(9-29-2009)
Eury Jr. plans to stay at Hendrick: Tony Eury Jr. said Saturday he plans to remain under the Hendrick Motorsports banner. Eury, who is currently in the second season of a five-year contract with HMS, certainly has plenty of options — even staying in the role he had Saturday night assisting with the #5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series. JRM will field two cars in the NNS — the Nos. 88 and 5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Saturday that Kelly Bires is verbally committed to replace Brad Keselowski, while a variety of drivers (including Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman and Michael McDowell) will pilot the #5. When asked if Eury had visited Richard Childress Racing recently to discuss a potential job, he just laughed. "Who said I wasn't up there just to tour the museum?" Eury replied. Eury has spent the last three months since he resigned from his role as crew chief of the #88 Cup car completing a long awaited "honey-do" list. Professionally, he's been working on the development of the new car for the Nationwide Series. He still enjoys the occasional taste of being a crew chief with the #25 Cup car, but adding a full-time deal would preclude him for doing many things that he loves. And what about Eury joining Keselowski at Penske Racing next year, a possibility reported Saturday by The Charlotte Oberserver? "I'm happy at Hendrick Motorsports," Eury said. "We wish Brad well. We hope he finishes fifth — behind the four Hendrick cars."(FoxSports)(9-7-2009)
Tom Cruise to narrate Hendrick Documentry Film: "TOGETHER: The Hendrick Motorsports Story," NASCAR Media Group's documentary-style film chronicling the history of the eight-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship team, will air Sunday, Oct. 11 at 1:30pm/et on ABC prior to the network's Pepsi 500 race coverage from [Auto Club Speedway] Fontana, CA. Narrated by three-time Academy Award nominee Tom Cruise and presented by Pepsi, "TOGETHER" employs exclusive interviews, never-before-seen archival footage, thrilling racing sequences and rare family photography to detail the personal relationships and emotional events that have shaped one of NASCAR's most decorated organizations. The official "TOGETHER" trailer is available at www.refresheverything.com/hendrick. The Web site will feature regular updates of content from the film and provide fans the opportunity to upload video messages about their favorite Hendrick Motorsports moments. Select fan-generated clips will be shown during the Oct. 11 broadcast on ABC. The full-length version of "TOGETHER" with bonus material will be released Oct. 31 on DVD, and it will become NASCAR Media Group's first officially licensed title available on Blu-ray Disc. A portion of Hendrick Motorsports' proceeds from those sales will benefit the Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte, N.C. Cruise, an auto racing enthusiast who starred in the 1990 NASCAR-themed motion picture "Days of Thunder," completed the narration work for "TOGETHER: The Hendrick Motorsports Story" in Los Angeles last month. The script was co-written by Emmy Award winners Shawn Truax and Ray Didinger. Film director Rory Karpf has spearheaded such projects as the Dale Earnhardt biopic "DALE," now the best-selling sports DVD in history, and the critically acclaimed "Ride of Their Lives." The NASCAR Media Group production team responsible for "TOGETHER: The Hendrick Motorsports Story" earned back-to-back Sports Emmy Awards in 2006 and 2007 for "Beyond the Wheel" and "Quest for the Cup."(HMS)(9-2-2009)
Keselowski officially signs with Penske for 2010: Penske Racing announced that Brad Keselowski will compete for the team full-time, beginning with the 2010 NASCAR season. Keselowski, a 25-year-old native of Rochester Hills, Mich., will drive the #12 Penske Dodge in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next season. He will also run a full-season schedule in the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series, where he will compete for a championship with the team. "We are very excited to welcome Brad to the Penske Racing family," said Roger Penske. "Brad has shown terrific success on track the past several years and has quickly established himself as one of the top young stars in racing. He comes from an impressive family background in motorsports. He is a proven winner and a welcome addition to our team."
A third-generation driver, Keselowski has won at every level in which he has competed. He is currently ranked third in the Nationwide Series standings with three wins to his credit in 2009, including a dramatic victory in August at his home track at Michigan International Speedway. Keselowski also scored his first Cup Series win earlier this year at Talladega Superspeedway and he has produced three top-10 finishes in just eight Cup Series starts this season.
"Penske Racing is one of the top teams in all of motorsports and I am honored to join Roger Penske's organization and compete for wins with his Cup and Nationwide Series teams," said Keselowski. "This is a great opportunity for me to continue competing in the Nationwide Series and to run my first full season in the Cup Series with a strong and experienced team."(Penske Racing), no word on Stremme's plans for 2010.(9-1-2009)
Keselowski says announcement will come soon: Brad Keselowski remained noncommittal this weekend at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on his future in NASCAR, though he did say an announcement on his plans will come "shortly." Keselowski, a full-time Nationwide Series driver for JR Motorsports and a part-time Sprint Cup driver for Hendrick Motorsports and Phoenix Racing, is rumored to be joining Penske Racing in 2010 - perhaps running both series full time for the team. Keselowski has said he wanted to drive full time in both series, and those plans remain in place. "I'm confident that I will run full time in both series next season," he said. If he joins Penske, he could be a teammate to Justin Allgaier in the Nationwide Series. Allgaier said Saturday he told Penske officials he didn't want to know about the team's plans until they were official.(SceneDaily)(8-31-2009)
Keselowski says he won't return to JR Motorsports: Brad Keselowski declined to comment on reports he'll drive in the Sprint Cup Series for Penske Racing next year, but he did indicate Thursday to Sporting News he won't be back in JR Motorsports' Nationwide car next season. Asked whether he expected to return to JRM, Keselowski said, "At this time, no," during a boat tour of the Old Port in Montreal. Kelly Bires reportedly is the leading candidate to replace Keselowski in the #88 JRM Chevy. "I heard that, too," Keselowski said when asked about the possibility of Bires driving for JRM. "It's hard to tell. I know they've talked to a number of drivers, and I wish them the best on whoever gets in there, and I expect big things from them, as I'm sure the team does. "I look forward to seeing somebody get the opportunity that I got." Keselowski's departure from JRM lends credence to reports, which surfaced last week at Bristol, that he'll join Penske Racing [with the #12 team]. Team co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. has said if Keselowski were to drive a car make other than Chevy in the Cup Series, that would preclude him for driving for JRM's Nationwide program.(Sporting News/NASCAR.com)(8-27-2009)
Penske still courting Keseloski? Reports surfaced last week in Bristol that Brad Keselowski was set to replace #12-David Stremme in the three-car Penske Racing Sprint Cup stable next year. ESPN reported on its race telecast Stremme was informing people in the garage area he was out of the ride and looking for employment next season. However Stremme insists he never made those statements and that no one from the network bothered to ask him directly about his future. Stremme told Sirius NASCAR Radio's The Morning Drive he "feels good about his future and will discuss his plans when the time allows." Keselowski and his current Sprint Cup and Nationwide team owners Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have also declined to comment on what lies ahead for the Michigan driver.(CBS Sports)(8-27-2009)
Dale Jr. looking for Brad K's replacement: JR Motorsports President Kelley Earnhardt confirmed that Kelly Bires is on the list of possible replacements for Brad Keselowski should the company and the driver part ways. Many in the garage have called Bires, who turns 25 Tuesday, the front-runner for the #88 Nationwide Series ride.(FoxSports)(8-24-2009)
Sources: Keselowski to Penske in 2010 UPDATE 2: Brad Keselowski will drive for Penske Racing in 2010, sources told ESPN.com on Friday. Keselowski would not discuss his future plans. "I'm really not prepared to address any of the rumors about next year," he said. "I'm here to race the Nationwide car and win with it tonight and I am not going to let anything get in the way." Keselowski turned down an offer from Roger Penske last year to drive the #12 Dodge, and the ride instead went to David Stremme. Keselowski's current team, JR Motorsports, does not drive in the Sprint Cup Series and co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. has no plans to move that team up to NASCAR's top level. Keselowski had hoped to replace Mark Martin next year in the #5 Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports, but Martin decided to keep the seat in 2010. Rick Hendrick on Friday declined to comment on Keselowski's future, and Earnhardt canceled an afternoon media availability.(ESPN.com)(8-21-2009)
UPDATE: According to two published reports and additional sources, Brad Keselowski is to replace David Stremme as driver of the #12 car. A grinning Keselowski was coy when asked about the reports. "Ah, well, you know, I'm really not in a position to talk about any of that stuff right now. That's probably my biggest response. And I'm really not prepared to address any of the rumors about next year right now. I'm here to race the Nationwide car and I'm not going to let anything get in the way of that or distract me from that," Keselowski said. Asked if he was still a free agent, Keselowski smiled widely and added: "Everybody's free. We live in a free country, so, yeah, I'm still free." Jonathan Gibson, vice president of marketing for Penske Racing, said he could neither confirm nor deny the reports. But what he said appeared to speak volumes. "It's no secret we've been talking with Brad. Roger Penske has a history of having great drivers [in the employment of Penske Racing]. Brad Keselowski is a great driver," Gibson said. As part of the agreement, Keselowski presumably will cease to drive a Nationwide car for Jr. Motorsports at the end of this season as well.(8-21-2009)(NASCAR.com)
UPDATE 2: NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick does not plan to let Brad Keselowski stray far from his organization. Keselowski is believed to be headed to Penske Racing next season, in part because Hendrick Motorsports has no room in the lineup to promote him to the Sprint Cup Series. But the team owner says wherever Keselowski ends up, "he'll always be close enough for me to bring him back."
Keselowski is the hottest prospect right now in NASCAR, but wants to move up from the Nationwide Series to the premier Cup level. He wanted to stay with a team affiliated with Hendrick, but there is no scenario for 2010 that would work. Keselowski turned down the #12 for Penske last season. David Stremme got the ride.(Associated Press)(8-23-2009)
Keselowski meets with Penske? UPDATE: other options?: Monday, an anonymous tipster spotted driver Brad Kesolowski meeting with Roger Penske [at thier Mooresville shop?]. The 'tipsters' report: "was doing business at Penske this morning and saw Brad Kesolowski go into the building with a man who appeared to be his agent, the car was still there three hours later when i left.(jalopnik.com)(8-18-2009)
UPDATE: Brad Keselowski says there's a scenario that could keep him affiliated with Hendrick Motorsports in 2010 that nobody knows of. Turns out Phoenix Racing isn't his only option with HMS ties. Here are some possibilities:
Richard Petty Motorsports: Most of the speculation has RPM leaving Dodge for Toyota, but multiple sources said RPM has had discussions with HMS and Richard Childress Racing should they switch to General Motors. An HMS official, however, assured us that talks with RPM haven't gotten serious.
Furniture Row Racing: Furniture Row Racing could expand to two teams -- #78-Regan Smith will be in one car -- with Keselowski. But it's a huge risk for Keselowski to join a team that can't run a full schedule this season.(ESPN Insider)(8-19-2009)
Keselowski to attempt Michigan: This weekend, #25-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. Keselowski will attempt to make his first Michigan start in the Sprint Cup Series this weekend driving the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports. Keselowski, who is splitting time this season qualifying Sprint Cup Chevys for Hendrick Motorsports and Phoenix Racing [#09], has recorded one win, one top-five finish and three top-10s in seven Cup attempts. 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. Keselowski will attempt to qualify Hendrick Motorsports' #25 Chevy two more times this Cup season: at Kansas on Oct. 4 and Lowe's Motor Speedway on Oct. 17. 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 in May.(HMS)(8-12-2009)
- Few options left for Keselowski: Brad Keselowski may only have one option if he wants to drive full-time in a Hendrick Motorsports-supported Sprint Cup car in 2010: Phoenix Racing [#09 Chevy]. #14-Tony Stewart told reporters on Wednesday in Texas that it was doubtful Stewart-Haas Racing will expand to three teams next season. Plus, sources said Stewart had no interest in Keselowski, anyway. #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently said it was doubtful his Nationwide Series team supported by HMS would expand to Cup. Red Bull general manager Jay Frye, on the chance that his organization moves to General Motors with Hendrick support, said he is not looking at expansion. That leaves Phoenix Racing, which is running 10 races with Keselowski in cars with HMS motors and chassis this season [and the rest of the season in Dodges]. They already teamed for a win at Talladega Superspeedway earlier this year. Keselowski says he has about six options, but most of those are now outside of HMS. One appears to be moving to Penske Racing, but that would throw a wrinkle in his plans to stay in Earnhardt's Nationwide program that runs Chevrolets. Penske runs Dodges and it's not likely the driver will be allowed to compete for two manufacturers.(ESPN Insider)(8-7-2009)
- Keselowski to Penske next year? UPDATE 4 Red Bull denied: For the second straight season, Brad Keselowski is the top candidate for the #12 Penske Racing Dodge. David Stremme has experienced a couple of miserable weeks at the racetrack and is currently 32nd in the point standings. Keselowski said on Friday he does not have a deal signed for next year. Certainly for a self-proclaimed "Eastsider," partnering with fellow Detroit-based Roger Penske would be an honor. Keselowski was offered the #12 ride last year after Ryan Newman announced he was leaving the ride to join Stewart-Haas Racing.(Fox Sports)(7-11-2009)
UPDATE: Brad Keselowski's racing team for 2010 is still undecided. The 25-year-old Keselowski hoped a recent meeting with team owner Rick Hendrick would answer some questions about where he'd be racing next season. Keselowski wants a full-time ride next year, and he's optimistic he can stay affiliated with Hendrick Motorsports. He discussed several possibilities with Hendrick, though no final decision was reached. "I have some preferences, but I haven't gotten very far with them," Keselowski said. "I'm not really close on anything." No matter where he ends up, Keselowski felt he would have a full-time ride next season. "I feel pretty confident that's the way it's heading," he said. "It would have to be a big problem to come up for that not to happen."(Associated Press)(7-12-2009)
UPDATE 2: #88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. said there's "only a 10 percent chance" he'll move his JR Motorsports team from the Nationwide to the Cup series next year. "I basically just wanted to put feelers out there and see what kind of interest there was from sponsors," he said. "I would have to drive the car myself (to get a sponsor) and I'm going to be working for Rick for the next couple of years, at least."(Indianapolis Star)
UPDATE 3: Brad Keselowski wasn't kidding when he said he had "options" for next season. In addition to being close to re-signing a deal with JR Motorsports to run in the Nationwide Series, the latest buzz has Keselowski paired with Red Bull Racing. If Keselowski indeed stays with JRM, the only scenario that would work on the Cup side would be with a Chevy team. Maybe Red Bull is closer to inking a Chevy deal. Rick Hendrick said on Saturday that HMS has the resources to include Red Bull in its engine program.(FoxSports)(7-13-2009)
UPDATE 4: been told by sources that no one at Red Bull Racing has talked to Keselowski about driving for the team in 2010.(7-15-2009)
- Eury Jr. to serve as Keselowski's crew chief this weekend: This weekend will mark the first time that #25-Brad Keselowski will work with crew chief Tony Eury Jr. Prior to this weekend, Keselowski worked with Lance McGrew, and the pair scored a team-high finish of seventh at Darlington Raceway. In the Nationwide Series, Keselowski works with Eury's father, crew chief Tony Eury Sr.(Hendrick PR)(7-9-2009)
UPDATE: His race day results with #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a steady decline, crew chief Tony Eury Jr. lost confidence in his setups and strategies. He quit talking with Earnhardt on the radio because every brief conversation was dissected by critical fans and media. Earnhardt can feel the weight of NASCAR and its fans on him at times as the sport's most popular driver. And when he failed, it was his cousin and loyal crew chief who often took the often unfair hit. When team owner Rick Hendrick pulled the plug on the unproductive relationship in late May, Eury was ready to move on. "At some point in time you have to weigh it and say, 'Is it worth it?'" Eury said. "And it wasn't." Eury was back at the track Thursday for the first time since the longtime duo were separated with Earnhardt in the midst of one of the worst starts of his career. He'll be crew chief for #25-Brad Keselowski's Hendrick Motorsports team for Saturday night's race at Chicagoland Speedway - a less pressure-packed position than working with Earnhardt. Eury was excited, relaxed and talked about racing with "nothing to lose" this weekend, a sharp difference from his final races with Earnhardt.(Associated Press)(7-10-2009)
- Keselowski to talk to Hendrick about Cup move UPDATE: Rick Hendrick said he plans to meet with Nationwide Series driver Brad Keselowski this week to discuss his plans for moving up to Sprint Cup in 2010. Hendrick mentioned two possible options for Keselowski -- a third car at Stewart-Haas Racing, which is affiliated with Hendrick Motorsports, or a chance to stay at JR Motorsports if Dale Earnhardt Jr. decides to move his Nationwide team to Cup next year. "We're looking at different options with some of our external situations with other teams," Hendrick said Sunday at Infineon Raceway. "I told Brad that I want him to have the best opportunity. If we can't give it to him, then I want him to have the best." Keselowski told reporters at that event that he would love to drive a third Stewart-Haas car next year. Tony Stewart said Friday a third car for his team is a possibility for 2010. Stewart's team is a satellite operation with Hendrick Motorsports, leasing engines from Hendrick. Hendrick also said Earnhardt Jr. is considering moving his Nationwide operation to Cup in 2010. Either way, Keselowski would stay in the Hendrick family, so to speak, if he signed with Stewart-Haas Racing or stayed at JR Motorsports. "Brad wants to do something that is somehow associated with our company," Hendrick said. "We're working on it and hopefully in the next few weeks we'll have something sorted out. He'll be running Cup [in 2010]. Whether he'll be running them all or whether he'll be running 75% of them or what, I don't know."(ESPN)(6-22-2009)
UPDATE: As scheduled, Dale Earnhardt’s Jr.’s Nationwide Series driver Brad Keselowski spent some time this weekend talking with team owner Rick Hendrick, probing the two could possibly work together on the Sprint Cup Series next season. Keselowski felt it was a positive meeting. “It went pretty well and we talked about a number of different subjects. He’s a neat guy to be around and I always enjoy talking with him.” Keselowski admitted, though, they couldn’t talk a whole lot about specifics. “It just takes time. This is not an easy process. The rope is being pulled but you know everyone wants it to pull faster. We’re weighing all the options and waiting for things to fall into place and there are certain things that are out of both of our control. Obviously, the economy is a large piece of it, sponsorship fits into there. We’re happy working together and we’re going to continue to work together, but don’t really have a clear cut plan forward other than to continue to review our options and get back together.(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(6-26-2009)
- New crew chief for Dale Jr.: Hendrick Motorsports today named Lance McGrew as interim crew chief of the #88 Sprint Cup Series team of driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. beginning with the June 7 event at Pocono Raceway. Team manager Brian Whitesell will lead the team this weekend at Dover. "Our performance hasn't been where it should be," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "It's impossible to pin that on any one factor, but a change is the right decision at this point. We have a plan in place, and we're going to move forward with it." Whitesell and Rex Stump, Hendrick Motorsports' lead chassis engineer, have been assigned to support McGrew on a full-time basis. Whitesell, who won two of seven races as Jeff Gordon's interim crew chief in 1999, will join McGrew and team engineer Tom Stewart on the #88 pit box to assist with race strategy. "We're going to put our full resources toward improving the situation and winning races," Hendrick said. "It's going to be a collective effort that includes all of our drivers, all of our crew chiefs and all of our engineers. Everyone in our company will be involved on some level." Tony Eury Jr. will move from the crew chief position into a key role with Hendrick Motorsports' research and development group. Eury posted one victory, one pole position, 19 top-10 finishes and 11 top-fives in 48 races with the #88 team. "I have mixed feelings, and that's just natural," Eury said. "But I enjoy working at Hendrick Motorsports, and this is where I want to be. I'll do whatever I can to help all of our teams and try to be a part of another championship. I think a new challenge will be good." McGrew, 41, earned the 2003 Nationwide Series championship with driver Brian Vickers. He won the October 2006 Sprint Cup race with Vickers at Talladega, and most recently led Cup rookie #25-Brad Keselowski to a seventh-place finish May 9 at Darlington.
As a crew chief, McGrew has posted victories in all three of NASCAR's major touring series: Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck. He has won races with drivers Vickers, Jeff Gordon, Ricky Hendrick, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin and most recently Tony Stewart Feb. 14 at Daytona Beach.(HMS)(5-28-2009)
- Keselowski and JR Motorsports to move up? The buzz around the garage last weekend was JR Motorsports is setting the stage to move from the Nationwide to Sprint Cup series to field a team for Brad Keselowski. Keselowski said he is negotiating exclusively with Hendrick Motorsports for a fulltime Cup ride in 2010. HMS does not have an opening, but Rick Hendrick does have ownership in JR Motorsports with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Although Hendrick would have to sell his interest in the company to make this happen, that would be a formality. Also, Earnhardt has said it's just as economical, maybe more, to run a Cup program than Nationwide under today's economic climate. Sponsors, such as GoDaddy.com that is on Keselowski's #88 Nationwide car, gain more exposure in Cup. Should JR Motorsports not move to Cup the only other way to remain associated with HMS would be to put Keselowski in a third car at Stewart-Haas Racing. Of course, that would squelch the rumor that Martin Truex Jr. will leave Earnhardt Ganassi Racing to join that team.(ESPN Insider)(5-21-2009)
- Hendrick to appear on Oprah: Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group, will make an appearance on the Tuesday, May 19 edition of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." The episode is entitled "Heroes in Hard Times."
"The Oprah Winfrey Show" is produced in Chicago by Harpo Productions Inc. and syndicated to 214 domestic stations by CBS Television Distribution Group and to 143 countries by CBS Paramount International Television. It has been the No. 1-rated talk show for 22 consecutive seasons. Visit www.oprah.com for local listings.(HMS)(5-18-2009)
- Hendrick set to return from illness: Sidelined the past several weeks by a fast-spreading sinus infection, NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick plans to return to the track this weekend after a five-race absence. Hendrick has not been to the track since Jimmie Johnson helped his boss celebrate his 25th anniversary in NASCAR with a March 29th victory at Martinsville Speedway. He skipped the next two events, races in Texas and Phoenix, for personal and business reasons. Then he was stricken with a sinus infection that spread to both his chest and ears, keeping him away from the track another three races. He needed tubes inserted in both ears to fight the infection. "They say the tubes are for kids, so I guess I'm a 59-year-old kid with ear infections," he said Tuesday. "I've got a weak immune system, and this infection just jumped on me. I was a sick puppy there for about three weeks. But I am much better, feeling more like myself." Hendrick's immune system was weakened by a long, but successful, fight with leukemia 12 years ago. "If I am not careful, I get knocked on my butt," said Hendrick, who spent more than four hours with employees Tuesday passing out the championship rings from Johnson's third title. The illness kept Hendrick away from wins by Jeff Gordon at Texas, and Mark Martin in Phoenix and Darlington, S.C. Hendrick watched all the races he missed on TV, admittedly screaming at his set and often second-guessing strategy through text messages to team vice president Doug Duchardt. He then called his drivers in Victory Lane, a scene often caught on live television that drew attention to his absence. Hendrick said he'll ease back into at-track activities with the All-Star race this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he traditionally celebrates Charlotte Speedweeks by treating employees from both his motorsports and automotive programs to weekends at the track.(ESPN/AP)
AND: The Hendrick Motorsports Museum and Team Store has updated its exhibits and extended its hours for fans visiting during the upcoming race weeks. More info at hendrickmotorsports.com.(5-13-2009)
- Phoenix Racing plans car for Keselowski in all-star race: Phoenix Racing plans to field a car for Brad Keselowski in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race in two weeks, crew chief Marc Reno said Saturday at Richmond International Raceway. Keselowski became eligible for the main event when he won the Aaron’s 499 last week at Talladega Superspeedway. Although he won in a Phoenix Racing car, Keselowski indicated Friday that he wasn’t sure who would enter a car for him in the all-star event. But Hendrick Motorsports Vice President Doug Duchardt said Saturday that Hendrick would not field a fifth car in the event for Keselowski. NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said that the team could have a fifth car since it was a non-points event and it would not count against Keselowski’s seven races for the team as a development driver. Phoenix Racing had hoped to buy a car from Hendrick Motorsports for the race, but the re-certification process would take too long, Reno said. Instead, Phoenix will use the car that it had planned to use for Keselowski at Richmond. Keselowski’s Nationwide team wanted him to concentrate on that series because it was a one-day show Friday, so Mike Bliss competed in the Cup event Saturday.(Scene Daily)(5-3-2009)
- Why no Keselowski in RIR Cup race? Brad Keselowski, met with media. Some highlights from the transcript:
IS IT FRUSTRATING SITTING HERE KNOWING AFTER YOU WON LAST WEEK YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE RUNNING IN THE CUP RACE ON SATURDAY? “Frustrating as far as not running, it really hasn’t soaked in that I won. It’s hard to get frustrated when you don’t even picture yourself as a winner yet. I feel like I can run over there right now and be competitive but the opportunity isn’t there and until the opportunity is there it is what it is. There’s a lot of talent over there and you can’t take that away from those drivers that run over there every weekend. I’d love to be running over there. I’ve raced against 15 or 20 of the same guys over here on the Nationwide side so it’s very similar and I think I could run competitively but the opportunity is not there so I’m not really thinking about it. I’m thinking about the Nationwide car.“
I UNDERSTAND NOW YOU ARE GOING TO BE RUNNING THE ALL-STAR RACE WHICH CAR ARE YOU GOING TO DRIVE? “At this time we haven’t got the All-Star situation figured out as far as what I’m driving and so forth. At this point I haven’t figured out which car I’m driving or how that situation is going to work. I shouldn’t say that I haven’t figured it out I should said that the two teams that I drive for on the Cup side haven’t figured it out.
WHAT IS YOUR SCHEDULE FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, HAS IT CHANGED AT ALL? “You know that schedule was changing every week before I won so it’s still changing every week. Originally we were going to run here at Richmond and that didn’t work out. A couple of weeks ago that actually got cancelled. As far as knowing locked in what all the rest of my races are I do not know. There’s a couple that I would like to run that we just haven’t figured out how to run them. I’m trying to run Watkins Glen but we don’t have that figured out. So there’s a couple of races like that we just don’t have figured out but I’m trying to run them.”
WOULD YOU FORGO YOUR ROOKIE STATUS FOR NEXT YEAR IF THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY CAME ALONG? “I think I already have or I’m intending to. I haven’t because I haven’t ran enough races but the way we’re trying to schedule it out we’re going through that process. When it comes to the rookie situation, I knew at the start of the year we were going to run somewhere around 16 races and the maximum I think is seven or eight, I can’t remember specifically. I didn’t file for rookie of the year because the last thing I wanted to see was my name at the bottom of that list knowing that you probably couldn’t win it unless you ran the whole deal.”(GM Racing)(5-2-2009)
- Keselowski negotiating with Hendrick: Brad Keselowski is exclusively negotiating with Hendrick Motorsports on a long-term contract. NASCAR's newest Sprint Cup Series winner has no ride lined up for next season. Rick Hendrick has considered him as an eventual replacement for #5-Mark Martin, but it's not clear when Martin will stop driving. Keselowski's surprise victory at Talladega Superspeedway last week has increased interest in the 25-year-old driver. Keselowski drives full-time in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, and has a developmental deal with Hendrick. He's slated to run seven Cup races for Hendrick this year, but the 2010 season has not been determined. Keselowski's win last weekend was in a car owned by James Finch.(Associated Press/ESPN)
UPDATE: From a press conference Friday at Richmond:
Q: WHAT ARE YOUR POSSIBILITIES FOR A CUP RIDE NEXT YEAR, AND WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'LL END UP?
A: "Well, I'd like to be in Cup full time next year. I sat out this year because I didn't think that the timing was right and I didn't think I was ready for a full schedule. And I wanted to do this right as far as the Cup level goes. I wanted to come into it as someone who could run competitively and I kind of even shocked myself on how competitive I could run. The other ways of doing it last year was not the situation, so I didn't take them. I know that to make that next step, I need to run full time. I need to have a full time ride at the Cup level to be a guy who can run for the Chase or take wins. So it's a matter of making that line up. Opportunities or situations to make that work? I don't think you guys have time to hear them all. I've put some thought into it, but not a lot. The basics of it are that we still have a few months to work some other things out. Specifically I'm working with Hendrick Motorsports and owe it to them to see what they can work out. I think the key part about this whole situation of where I'm at with contracts and next year is that you stick with what got you to where you're at. Having competitive cars and having support from HMS and being able to look at their data and talk to their drivers is what got me into victory lane on Sunday. It's hard to run from that, you know. But at the same time, at this point and at this time, there isn't a clear opportunity there. So we'll have to see how that plays out." (Chevy PR)
AND: In order to drive for Hendrick, Keselowski initially might have to drive for a team with Hendrick support. One possibility is having JR Motorsports -- the Nationwide Series team co-owned by Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. that Keselowski drives for -- move up to Cup. Earnhardt has mentioned on several occasions the possibility of making the jump. Another possibility might be Stewart-Haas Racing, which has Hendrick support.(ESPN.com)(5-2-2009)
- Plans for Keselowski: from a Chevy Press Conference Transcript of Brad Keselowski:
ON PLANNING FOR NEXT SEASON: “There’s so many pieces to the puzzle as far as deciding where I’m going to be next year and what my situation is that it’s almost mind-boggling. You stop thinking about it and you just worry about running as competitively as you can and knowing that everything will work itself out.”
ON TAKING OVER THE #5 NSCS CAR IN 2010: “I haven’t had the discussion about that. I think ultimately its Mark’s (Martin) call and I don’t know how that’s exactly going to unfold, but I feel comfortable with the organization I’m with at Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports that it will work itself out in the end if I run competitively and can win races.”
WHO ARE YOU UNDER CONTRACT WITH?: “I’m still under contract with JR Motorsports, but we have an informal agreement with Hendrick Motorsports.”
ON OTHER OFFERS FOR THIS SEASON: “I had the offer last year to drive the Penske car and I still feel this way even though the season hasn’t gone the way I wanted it to go in the Nationwide series -- I still feel that this is my home with the 88 Nationwide team with having Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) and Mr. Hendrick as a boss. Even though it’s not been as competitive I feel like it’s my home and that it will continue to get better and that we will be an elite team.”(Chevy Press Conference Transcript)(4-4-2009)
- Keselowski back in the #25 at Texas: Brad Keselowski will attempt to qualify the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports on Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. This is Keselowski's fifth attempt at making a Sprint Cup Series event and his fourth for Hendrick Motorsports. Keselowski has qualified three times driving the #25 Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports and most recently drove the #25 Chevy to a 38th-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 1. After this weekend at Texas, Keselowski will attempt to make the field in five more Sprint Cup races this season for Hendrick Motorsports. Keselowski will try to line up the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet at Darlington on May 9, Dover on May 31, Chicago on July 11, Michigan on Aug. 16, and Kansas on Oct. 4. Crew chief Lance McGrew has chosen Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 25-537 for this weekend's event at Texas Motor Speedway. The car, which will be pitted by Keselowski's #88 Nationwide Series crew, has not been raced or tested, although McGrew and his team took it to the wind tunnel last month.(HMS PR)(4-3-2009)
- 25th anniversary of Hendrick's 1st win: On Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports will mark the 25th anniversary of its first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory. Since the organization began competing as All-Star Racing in 1984, it has grown from five employees and 5,000 square feet of rented work space to more than 500 employees and more than 100 acres straddling Cabarrus and Mecklenburg counties in North Carolina. It was the eighth race of the 1984 Cup Series season, and Geoff Bodine lined up sixth at Martinsville Speedway in the #5 Chevy for Rick Hendrick's fledgling All-Star Racing team. On that day -- April 29, 1984 -- Bodine led 55 laps en route to capturing the organization's first win. Reaching Victory Lane wasn't easy, though. Bodine had to pass then-defending Cup champion Bobby Allison with 48 laps to go to take the lead. Hendrick wasn't at Martinsville to experience the first of his 17 Cup wins at the .526-mile oval. The car owner was attending church with his wife, Linda, in Greensboro, N.C., during the race. He received a phone call with the news and headed straight for Bodine's home in Pleasant Garden, N.C., to celebrate. Frank Edwards, 72, was one of the five original employees at Hendrick Motorsports. Initially a setup specialist, Edwards moved from his home in Danville, Va., when Hendrick told him about his plans to start the race team. Edwards has held many roles within the team and currently works in the company's show-car department as a fabricator and mechanic.(more on this and some images at the Hendrick Motorsports site)(3-27-2009)
- Phoenix Racing announces 2009 plans UPDATE: Phoenix Racing announced today that they are expanding their Sprint Cup schedule to include the entire 2009 season. Driver announcement will be forth coming. Miccosukee Resorts and Gaming will continue their partnership with James Finch and Phoenix Racing as primary sponsor of the #1 Nationwide Chevrolet driven by Mike Bliss and the #09 Chevy for ten Sprint Cup races starting with the Daytona 500.(Phoenix Racing PR)(1-22-2009)
UPDATE: Phoenix Racing will run Brad Keselowski in the #09 Miccosukee Resorts and Gaming Chevy for 10 races with Hendrick engines and the remaining races in Dodges bought from Ganassi with Ernie Elliott engines. The drivers for the #09 Dodge will be a combo of Sterling Marlin, Mike Bliss and Ken Schrader.(1-23-2009)
- Keselowski seven race schedule set: Brad Keselowski will kick off his 2009 Sprint Cup Series schedule by attempting to qualify for the March 1 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Hendrick Motorsports this week finalized the Shelby 427 and six other Sprint Cup events for the 24-year-old driver. It was announced Jan. 7 that Keselowski, a native of Rochester Hills, Mich., will attempt a seven-race Sprint Cup schedule this season for Hendrick Motorsports in the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevys. The effort will be led by veteran crew chief Lance McGrew. "It's exciting to have everything finalized and ready to go for 2009," said Keselowski, who also will compete full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports. "We're going to some tracks where I'm pretty confident, and we're going to some places where I really need the additional seat time. I'm especially excited about going to Michigan. The track isn't far from Rochester Hills, and it's going to be really cool to race in front of all my family and friends. All the tracks we're going to are great, but that one will definitely be a highlight for me. Scheduled races: Las Vegas, Texas [Apr], Darlington, Dover [May], Chicago, Michigan [Aug] and Kansas.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(1-16-2009)
- Keselowski to run 7 Cup races in 2009: GoDaddy.com extended its partnerships with JR Motorsports and Hendrick Motorsports, which will give the world’s leading registrar of Internet domain names a significant presence in NASCAR’s top two series in 2009. This season, GoDaddy.com will be the primary sponsor for 20 Nationwide Series events with JR Motorsports and seven Sprint Cup Series races with Hendrick Motorsports. The company also will be an associate sponsor of Hendrick’s #5 Sprint Cup Chevys with driver Mark Martin. The pact includes two Nationwide Series races with driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the #5 Chevys of JR Motorsports. Earnhardt is a GoDaddy.com spokesperson. In addition, GoDaddy.com will back the #88 Chevys of JR Motorsports and driver Brad Keselowski in 18 Nationwide Series races. Keselowski, 24, also will attempt a seven-event Sprint Cup schedule in the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevys of Hendrick Motorsports. The Cup effort will be led by veteran crew chief Lance McGrew. Details of the Nationwide and Cup programs, including race dates, will be announced at a later time. GoDaddy.com’s first foray into auto racing came in December 2006 with the Indy Racing League’s Danica Patrick. The company moved into NASCAR last season as a primary sponsor in the Sprint Cup Series (two events), Nationwide Series (six events) and Camping World Truck Series (five events). The extension and expansion of the GoDaddy.com relationship completes the 2009 sponsorship picture for the #88 JR Motorsports Chevys. The company joins Unilever (11 races) and Delphi Corp. (six races) as primary sponsors of championship contender Keselowski in the Nationwide Series.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(1-7-2009)
- HMS Holdings suing DEI over engines UPDATE 2:: HMS Holdings, which operates the Hendrick Motorsports engine shop, is suing Dale Earnhardt Inc. for $1.5 million for the payment of a termination fee stemming from a contract to supply Hendrick engines to Ginn Racing. Ginn Racing, which also is a defendant in the suit filed Friday in North Carolina Superior Court, merged with DEI in July 2007. As part of the merger, DEI and Ginn Racing signed a termination agreement to a contract that was originally signed by Ginn in 2006. The termination agreement required payments to HMS of $1.754 million by July 31, 2007, and $1.5 million by Nov. 15, 2008, according to the suit. The first payment was made on time. The second payment has not been made, according to the suit. The original engine contract and termination agreement are not included in the suit, so it is unclear how much Ginn was paying to use Hendrick engines. HMS is asking for the $1.5 million, 12% interest and an additional $225,000. Hendrick Motorsports spokesman Jesse Essex said the company is looking forward to a swift resolution of the lawsuit. Dale Earnhardt Inc. Vice President John Story said the company has no comment.(SceneDaily)(11-25-2008)
UPDATE - engines cost $12.8M base: If you’re looking to lease engines from Hendrick Motorsports for a NASCAR operation, you’d better be prepared to open up your wallet. A legal battle being played out in North Carolina courts is offering rare insight into the usually secretive world of the sport’s finances as the Hendrick operation seeks compensation from the Ginn Racing team that wound up as part of Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2007. According to a contract filed as part of the case, the Hendrick engine lease agreement with Ginn Racing called for Ginn to pay a base rent of $12.8 million in 2007 and $13.7 million in 2008 to lease engines for its three Sprint Cup teams and one team in what is now the Nationwide Series. The fee covered Cup engines for 36 race events and up to nine tests or special events and Nationwide engines for 35 events, according to the contract filed as part of a lawsuit by HMS Holdings against Ginn Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. over the termination fees resulting from the Ginn-DEI merger in July 2007.(Scene Daily)(12-20-2008)
UPDATE 2: DEI claims that former NASCAR team owner Bobby Ginn is responsible for paying off any termination fees of Ginn Racing’s engine leasing contract with Hendrick Motorsports. Both DEI and Ginn have been sued by Hendrick in North Carolina Superior Court over $1.5 million in fees that Hendrick claims is owed under the termination agreement signed when DEI bought Ginn Racing in July 2007. In its response to the suit filed Dec. 22, DEI claims that DEI and Ginn have a signed agreement that DEI would not be responsible for any claims or payments under the engine lease termination agreement. DEI asks the court to rule that Ginn is responsible for any payments. Ginn has not yet responded to the suit.(SceneDaily)(12-30-2008)
- Keselowski to attempt Homestead: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy, will attempt to qualify for his second Sprint Cup Series race this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Keselowski, 24, made his Cup debut earlier this month at Texas Motor Speedway and picked up Sunday's race at Homestead after his first qualifying attempt at Lowe's Motor Speedway was rained out. Keselowski joined elite company after making his Cup debut on Nov. 2 at Texas Motor Speedway, rallying from a 37th-place starting spot to finish 19th. Of his four Hendrick Motorsports teammates, only Dale Earnhardt Jr. did better in his Cup debut. Earnhardt scored a 16th-place finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway in 1999. Veteran crew chief Lance McGrew once again will call the shots for Keselowski and the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy team at Homestead-Miami Speedway. McGrew, who has been successful working with young drivers like Ricky Hendrick, Vickers and Kyle Busch, is a former Sprint Cup Series race winner and Nationwide Series champion.(HMS PR)(11-12-2008)
- Keselowski to attempt Texas & Homestead: Brad Keselowski will attempt to put the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy in the Dickies 500 field during Friday afternoon's Sprint Cup Series qualifying session at Texas Motor Speedway. Should he be successful, Keselowski will make his first-ever Sprint Cup start on Sunday. The 24-year-old driver was scheduled to attempt his first Cup race Oct. 11 at Lowe's Motor Speedway before qualifying was canceled due to inclement weather. In addition to Texas, Hendrick Motorsports will enter the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy team in the Nov. 16 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Homestead race was added to Keselowski's Cup schedule this week as a replacement for the Lowe's Motor Speedway rainout. Veteran crew chief Lance McGrew will call the shots for Keselowski and the #25 GoDaddy.com team at Texas Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. McGrew, who has been successful working with young drivers like Ricky Hendrick, Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch, is a former Sprint Cup Series race winner and Nationwide Series champion.(Hendrick Motor Sports PR), see an image of the car on my #25 Team Schemes page.(10-29-2008)
- Keselowksi standing by for Gordon: #24-Jeff Gordon has been feeling ill all weekend and Hendrick Motorsports will have Brad Keselowski standing by in case Gordon needs to get out of the car. Crew Chief Steve Letarte, interviewed on SPEED Channel's Race Day, said Gordon got a good night's rest and is expected to make it through the entire race.(9-28-2008)
- Brad Keselowski to make Cup debut at LMS: Hendrick Motorsports will enter 24-year-old Brad Keselowski in two Sprint Cup Series events in 2008, marking the successful young driver's first foray into NASCAR's top division. Keselowski will attempt to qualify a fifth Hendrick Motorsports entry -- the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy -- for the Oct. 11 Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway and the Nov. 2 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Veteran crew chief Lance McGrew will direct the effort. "We've gotten a glimpse of what Brad is capable of in the Nationwide Series, and that's just scratching the surface," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "He has a load of talent and potential, and we're excited to give him an opportunity at the next level." A Rochester Hills, Mich., native, Keselowski sits third in the Nationwide Series championship standings with two victories, one pole position, 10 top-five finishes and 16 top-10s in the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevy. The team, which is co-owned by Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr., has posted wins this season at Nashville, Tenn., and Bristol, Tenn. Keselowski, who already has tested the new Chevrolet Impala SS for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, will drive the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy this week during the two-day Sprint Cup Series open test at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord. The two-race effort with Keselowski and the #25 Chevy will mark GoDaddy.com's first primary sponsorship of a Sprint Cup Series team. The world's largest registrar of domain names, GoDaddy.com joined JR Motorsports this season as a primary sponsor in the Nationwide Series. "Our move into the Sprint Cup Series has all the right ingredients," said Bob Parsons, CEO and founder of GoDaddy.com. "Hendrick Motorsports is a top-notch team, and Brad Keselowski is an exciting young driver. We're excited to be a part of Brad's Sprint Cup debut, and I can't wait to watch the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet in action."(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(9-22-2008)
- NOTE: the #25 team from 2007 is now the #88 Chevy as of 2008 with Dale Earnhardt Jr. driving, for more news, see my #88 Dale Jr. Team News and Links page for more info and Casey Mears info is now on the #5 Team Schemes page
