RFK Racing driver Brad Keselowski wears two hats. One is race car driver and the other is co-owner of his team. For the majority of his career, Keselowski raced under the Team Penske banner, which has been by far his most successful period as a race car driver. However, after multiple wins and a championship triumph in 2012, Keselowski embarked on a new journey with Roush Fenway Racing in 2022.
Although he remained with the Ford group, he took on additional responsibility as part owner of the team. Very few drivers have managed to keep up with this role, but the veteran driver seems to be having fun with his new career challenge.
Explains what it means to be a co-owner and driver of a racing team.
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It was during the 2021 NASCAR Hall of Fame ceremony that Roush Fenway announced the new driver and co-owner of its Cup team. However, after switching to RFK, the driver was unable to repeat the success of the Penske days and He had trouble winning. But finally this season he broke a 110-race winless streak by taking the checkered flag at Dover, his first victory as a driver and owner.
It is certainly not an easy task to handle the pressure of achieving results and at the same time take care of the team’s operations as a custodian. A handful of drivers have managed to successfully manage both of these roles at the same time. When asked what his dual role means in layman’s terms for those not up to date with NASCAR, he jokingly responded, “That means I’m dumb.”
Of course, he didn’t mean it. Rather, he unraveled the reason he changed ownership, along with his racing exploits. “No, I’m kidding. I love working hard, I love the team, and I love the sport. I’m glad I can do what I do for a living. Running a race isn’t like I’m curing cancer, but we could have a lot of fun, we could do great things. There are ups and downs, just like in any sport. You win one week, you finish last the next week,” he said this in an interview with WGN News.
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June 25, 2022; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski (6) stands next to his car during qualifying for the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-KeynoteUSA Sports
On the other hand, what Keselowski says now is seen as one of the voices of important stakeholders in the sport. And his take as a team owner on the idea of NASCAR going international was certainly eye-opening.
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NASCAR should focus on more racing on ovals than road courses, says Brad Keselowski
Now, there has been a lot of rumor and speculation surrounding the 2025 Cup schedule. One of the main discussions surrounding the schedule is a plan for NASCAR to host a points race in Montreal, Canada, or Mexico City. Neither option is a traditional oval, however, and while Keselowski would be open to the idea of going international, more road-course racing just doesn’t sit well with him.
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“I think it’s nice to go to those places for a year or two and take a break and come back. The thing that bothers me is that I wish when we went to these international events it was on ovals… Adding an actual oval race and being able to do it internationally, I think that would be great. I think that would connect with our fans, our partners and everyone who tells the story of NASCAR in the best way possible,” he said on the Happy Hour podcast.
He also explained how the inaugural race at Iowa Speedway was a huge success. In a way, he points to a direction in which NASCAR should expand and take advantage of its regional markets instead of desperately seeking new ones. Well, competing for wins on the track as a racer and weighing in on key business decisions in sports as an owner, he’s certainly doing a good job in his dual role.
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