News

Brad Keselowski
No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger
Crown Royal presents the Curtiss Shaver 400 at the Brickyard
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Sunday, July 29, 2012
TV: ESPN at 12:00 PM ET   Radio: IMS Radio/Sirius Channel 90

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-830 during Sunday’s Crown Royal presents the Curtiss Shaver 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). This is a brand-new chassis to the No. 2 fleet.
• No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger in 2012… After 19 points-paying events, Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team are ranked 10th in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) driver and owner point rankings. Winners of three races already this season, the team is coming off a fifth-place finish in the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway two weeks ago.
• Statistically Speaking… The Miller Lite Dodge has displayed impressive speed throughout the 2012 season, supported by the fact that Keselowski ranks at or near the top of the Cup Series in several key categories, including: Quality Passes (First), Laps In The Top 15 (Sixth) and Fastest Speed in Traffic (Sixth).
• 2011 Indy Rewind… Keselowski qualified in the fifth position for last year’s Brickyard 400. He led a total of 17 laps in the race before finishing ninth. Keselowski has completed all 320 laps run in his two IMS starts over his young career. Just one week after last year’s race at Indy, Keselowski fractured a bone in his ankle in a testing accident at Road Atlanta, but he went on to win the next race at Pocono Raceway
• Midwest Homecoming… Keselowski places special emphasis on running well when the series visits the Midwestern part of the country. A native of Rochester Hills, Mich., Keselowski – along with his father, uncle and brother – has won numerous short track races throughout the middle section of the United States over the years.
• Cheers 2 Kissing Bricks… The featured tag line on the rear bumper of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge this weekend in Indianapolis is “Cheers 2 Kissing Bricks.” Kissing the yard of bricks that represents the start/finish line at IMS after winning at Indianapolis has become one of the most honored traditions in motorsports.
• The Rest is History... In the first Brickyard 400 in 1994, Rusty Wallace qualified 12th and finished fourth in the No. 2 car as the only Penske Racing entry in that first Cup Series event at IMS. In 37 combined starts, Penske Racing drivers have accumulated six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes at the Brickyard 400. They have completed 4,976 of 5,282 laps (94.2%) with 179 laps led at The Speedway.

Brad Keselowski on racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
“You can’t go to the Brickyard without thinking about what the track means not only to NASCAR, but to auto racing in general. Being from the Midwestern section of the country myself, I always looked to the spectacle of the Indianapolis 500 and wondered what it would be like to compete there. Now we have the Brickyard 400 for stock cars and it has become one of the most prestigious races in the country as well. Everyone on the Miller Lite Dodge Charger team is excited about the new car we are bringing this weekend. A lot of work went into building it and I think it’s going to give us our best shot yet to get Mr. Penske a Brickyard 400 trophy.”

Brad Keselowski on racing at Indianapolis for team owner Roger Penske
“It definitely gives you a sense of pride when you go to Indy as a member of Penske Racing. You look at everything Mr. Penske has been able to accomplish there in open-wheel racing. It would be one of the coolest things I could ever do in a racecar if I could get him his first win in the Brickyard 400. I really think we have a good chance to do that on Sunday. This Miller Lite team continues to evolve and get better and better. Since our last race at Indy we’ve picked up a win at Pocono, which is similar to the Brickyard. We need to get another win or two before the Chase and this weekend would be a prime time to do just that.”

Crew chief Paul Wolfe on this weekend’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
“It’s not a mandate or anything like that, but we all know the importance of running well at Indianapolis. Mr. Penske has enjoyed a great history there in the IndyCar Series, but we’re still looking for the first win there for the organization in NASCAR. I really feel that this weekend is a good opportunity for us to do that. A lot of time and energy was put into building this new car and everything we’ve seen so far indicates that it is a fast piece. So we’re going up there focused and ready to win a race. Corner exit is very important at Indianapolis because you have to make sure you get down the long straightaways. Each turn is tight – basically 90 degrees – so you need to make sure that your car is turning well enough that the driver can get back to the power as early as possible. Mechanical grip and aerodynamic grip all play a part in making that happen.”