News

Brad Keselowski
No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger
Irwin Tools Night Race
Bristol Motor Speedway
Saturday, August 25, 2012
TV: ABC at 7:00 PM ET   Radio: PRN/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-816 during Saturday night’s Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS). Brad Keselowski last raced this chassis to a 12th-place finish at Dover International Speedway in May. It has been updated to the current Penske Racing specification.
• No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger in 2012… After 23 points-paying events, Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team are ranked fifth in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) driver and owner point standings. Winners of three races already this season, the team is coming off a second-place finish in the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway last Sunday, its second-consecutive runner-up result.
• Going for Three?...The winner of the last two NSCS races at BMS, Keselowski will attempt a hat trick in Saturday night’s event. Only four other drivers have accomplished three wins in a row at Bristol: Fred Lorenzen, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip and Kurt Busch.
• Peaking Again?... Since picking up his third win of the season at Kentucky Speedway in June, Keselowski has yet to finish outside the top 10, proving that the team’s hot streak during the 2011 season was no fluke and that the summer months are when he and the Miller Lite team turn up the heat. His average finish since that win at Kentucky is 4.3.
• 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), Fastest Speed in Traffic (fourth), Laps Led (sixth), Laps In The Top 15 (sixth) and Fastest Driver on Restarts (sixth).
• Inductee Rusty Wallace… The featured tag line on the rear bumper of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge this weekend will read “Inductee Rusty Wallace.” This is a tribute to Wallace’s 2013 induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. During his time in the No. 2 Miller-sponsored car, the former Penske Racing driver accumulated 37 wins, 145 top-five finishes, 252 top-10 results, while leading a total of 15,012 laps
• Meet Brad… Keselowski will make an appearance at the Wal-Mart store located at 3111 Browns Mill Road in Johnson City, Tenn. beginning at 4 pm ET on Thursday, August 23.
• The Rest is History... Penske Racing has enjoyed its share of success at BMS. In 85 combined starts, the organization has produced 10 wins, 10 poles, 24 top-five and 41 top-10 finishes at the track. Rusty Wallace earned seven of those wins and became one of the most successful drivers in Bristol history during his time behind the wheel of the No. 2 Dodge for Penske Racing. Wallace swept both Bristol races during the 2000 season, a feat that Keselowski will look to duplicate on Saturday night.

Brad Keselowski on racing at Bristol Motor Speedway
“Bristol to me is a man’s racetrack and I respect that place so much. I think it takes a level of respect for it. From day one, the first day I walked in there, I respected it but I also wanted to win there. I wanted to prove to myself and others that I could be the man to win at a man’s racetrack. So it’s always been a challenge to me and it’s one that, for some reason, has taken a piece of me somewhere deep inside and made it rise to the next level. I just love it for that reason.  There are few things in life that can do that to anyone and Bristol is that place for me. To be on the cusp of three wins in a row there is something that was, and still is, beyond my wildest dreams. But here we are and we are going to do everything in our power to get it done in the Miller Lite Dodge this weekend.”

Crew chief Paul Wolfe on Bristol Motor Speedway
“As a crew chief you look forward to going to Bristol because you don’t have to worry about aerodynamics or ‘dirty air.’ It’s all about finding mechanical grip and forward bite. If you can do that, your driver can be successful. Track position will be important. Running up front should keep you out of trouble and in position for a good finish. Everyone on the Miller Lite team knows that we are on the verge of something special this weekend, but we don’t want to place any added pressure on ourselves. Three wins in a row at Bristol would be something to be proud of, but no more so than getting another win before going into the Chase.”