News

Brad Keselowski
No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger
AdvoCare 500
Phoenix International Raceway
Sunday, November 11, 2012
TV: ESPN at 2:00 PM ET   Radio: MRN/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-833 during Sunday’s AdvoCare 500 at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). This is a brand-new chassis to the No. 2 fleet.
• No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger in 2012… After eight races in the 2012 Chase for the Championship, including victories at Chicagoland and Dover, Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge team are ranked second in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) driver and owner point standings. They trail Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team by just seven points with two races remaining in the championship Chase. Keselowski is coming off a second-place finish in the AAA Texas 500 last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.
• A New Record… By finishing second at Texas on Sunday, Keselowski recorded his 22nd top-10 finish of 2012. This represents a new record for top-10 finishes in a season by a driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge. Rusty Wallace previously scored 21 top 10s in the “Blue Deuce” during the 1993 and 1998 seasons.
• NASCAR Face To Face With Hannah Storm… On Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 8 pm ET, ESPN will air its SportsCenter Special: “NASCAR Face To Face with Hannah Storm.” Keselowski is one of four drivers highlighted in the segment. Viewers will get an up-close look at the drivers’ lives away from the track through a blend of conversation and behind-the-scenes access as they near the end of the Chase for the Championship.
• Stretch Run… In his last 18 races, Keselowski has only two finishes outside the top 10. This impressive run includes three wins and nine top-five finishes.
• It’s Miller Time… The featured tag line on the rear bumper of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge this weekend at Phoenix is “It’s Miller Time.” One of the most recognized marketing slogans in recent memory, “It’s Miller Time” can be found within many popular culture references. NASCAR provides fans with the perfect opportunity to designate their own “Miller Time” with friends.
• The Rest is History... The first start for Penske Racing at the one-mile PIR oval came in 1991 when Rusty Wallace qualified 10th and finished fifth. The organization has made a total of 62 starts at PIR with one win (Wallace – 1998), six poles and 14 top-five finishes. 

Brad Keselowski on his spot in the Chase for the Championship with two races remaining
“Our mindset heading into Phoenix is exactly the same as it was going into Texas. If we keep running the way we are running, I like our chances. Now, there are some things that I may need to place more focus on over the next two races, especially on pit road. Those are things that are in my control and I will take those necessary steps. I really enjoyed the race Jimmie (Johnson) and I had at Texas last weekend. We raced hard, didn’t wreck each other and, at the end of the day, were able to shake hands and move on to Phoenix. Hopefully we can do it again this weekend, as long as the Miller Lite Dodge is the car that ends up in Victory Lane. Since the repave at Phoenix, I think we’ve been pretty competitive there and I’m excited about the new car we are bringing. I’m ready to get back at it.”

Crew chief Paul Wolfe on racing at Phoenix International Raceway
“Even before the Chase started, we all looked at Phoenix as one of those ‘wild card’ races because of the recent repave. We have a good package of notes, but you just don’t know what the desert sun has done to the surface over the summer. I feel like we’ve had top-five cars at both races since the repave and I’m confident we can have that same kind of speed this weekend. It’s a brand-new car, one that we’ll only run one time before the new car debuts next year. That’s how seriously we are taking this race and this championship. It’s time to roll out all of your best stuff. We’re not just happy to be in the position we’re in. We’re going to throw everything we have at this championship.”