News

Brad Keselowski
No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger
Pure Michigan 400
Michigan International Speedway
August 21, 2011
TV: ESPN at 1 PM   Radio: MRN/Sirius Channel 90 at 12 PM

No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger News and Notes
• This Week’s Charger… The No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team will race chassis PRS-753 during Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). Keselowski last drove this chassis to a 19th-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May after winning the pole position for the event.
• No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge in 2011... After 22 points-paying events, Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team are ranked 14th in the NASCAR Cup Series (NSCS) driver and owner point standings. The team is coming off a second-place finish in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen on Monday at Watkins Glen International. Keselowski now holds the No. 1 wild card position for the 2011 Chase for the Championship.
• Peaking at the Right Time…Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge team are the hottest combination in the Cup Series. With one win, two top-five finishes and three top-10 results in the last three races, Keselowski has picked up nine positions in the point standings over that same period.
• Head2Head Knockout… Keselowski is one of eight drivers remaining in the DIRECTV Head2Head Knockout on ESPN.com, which continues this weekend at MIS. This “March Madness” style bracket challenge raises money for each driver’s favorite charity. Keselowski will participate on behalf of the Paralyzed Veterans of America.
• Meet Brad… Keselowski will make an appearance at The Crazy Cowboy located at 215 South Mechanic Street in Jackson, Mich., on Friday, August 19 at 7:00 pm ET.
• Home Sweet Home… The featured tag line on the bumper of the “Blue Deuce” this weekend at Michigan will be “Home Sweet Home.” This is a nod to Keselowski’s ties to the state of Michigan. His family is from Rochester Hills, Mich., and his father, Bob, and uncle, Ron, both competed at MIS in NASCAR and ARCA competition.
• The Rest is History... Penske Racing has enjoyed considerable success at MIS, a track that used to be owned by Roger Penske. In 88 combined Cup Series starts at the venue, Penske Racing drivers have recorded six wins, three pole awards and 23 top-five finishes. The organization made its first start at the track in August of 1972 with Dave Marcis behind the wheel of the No. 16 entry.

Brad Keselowski on returning home riding a wave of momentum
“Watkins Glen was a big weekend for this Miller Lite Dodge team. To come out of there with a second-place finish really shows the strides and improvement that we have made this year. These last few weeks have drastically improved our chances of making the Chase. Now we get to hit a stretch of tracks that I consider some of my best, beginning this weekend at Michigan. I have so much confidence in this team that I feel we can go to any track and challenge for the win. The path that we’re on right now is exactly what I wanted to build when I came over to Penske Racing.”

Brad Keselowski on returning home to race at Michigan International Speedway
“I always have a lot of fun when it’s time to head to Michigan. It’s one of those tracks that mean so much to me and my family. I remember going there watching my dad race back when I was a little kid and can remember coming through that tunnel amazed at how big this place was to me. It’s cool to go back home to race in front of family and friends. It’s in Dodge’s backyard and we certainly know how important of a race it is for them. I really want to win a Cup race at Michigan and I think we can do it this weekend.”

Crew chief Paul Wolfe’s thoughts heading into this weekend’s race at Michigan International Speedway
“I can sum up into two words why I came to Penske Racing two years ago – Brad Keselowski. After a few years of trying to outrun him in the Nationwide Series, I knew how good he could be. These past few weeks have proven that to everyone. He’s as mentally tough as they come. I’m excited that we’re now running up front and winning races while I’m still figuring out the Cup cars. I feel like every time we race I learn more about what he wants in his racecar and I become a better crew chief. I like where we are as far as the Chase is concerned and I think we can make a lot of noise in the playoffs if we get in.”