If ever there were a time for the argument to extend the concept of a Chase For The Sprint Cup-style playoff to the NASCAR Nationwide Series, this would be the year.
With 18 of 35 races complete on the 2010 NNS schedule, Brad Keselowski is putting an old-fashioned butt-whipping on the entire field.
Keselowski, driver of the Discount Tire-sponsored No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge, has a 227-point lead over Carl Edwards, his old rival. Keselowski has led the standings since his win at Talladega Superspeedway in April and unless something radical and unexpected happens, he should cruise to his first series championship this year.
And given that the Michigan native holds his still-active NASCAR record of 85 consecutive NNS starts without a DNF, it’s highly unlikely that he’ll hit a protracted slump this season. So far in 2010, Keselowski has series highs in top-five finishes (14), top-10 finishes (16) and laps completed. The latter mark is especially impressive: Keselowski has completed all but one of the 3,303 laps contested this season, leading 629 laps.
He will try to pad those gaudy stats Saturday night at Gateway International Raceway, where he’ll compete in the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250.
“Gateway is a unique facility,” said Keselowski. “It requires some different setups and different driver techniques. I think it’s really good for the sport to have some variety and Gateway certainly provides that. There is usually a good fan turnout for the events there and the fact that we are going there twice this year is pretty exciting in that regard. It’s a Dodge-sponsored race so that means everyone at Penske Racing wants to win this weekend to ensure that the trophy stays within the Dodge family. I feel that with the way we have been running this year we can go there and contend for the win.”
The NNS points leader has a chance to double dip, this weekend, as he’ll also be running in Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Gateway, driving a No. 29 Dodge Ram, with sponsorship from Miller Lite. Then, he’ll be seeking his first Truck Series victory.
“Not only would winning a truck race put me in a select group of drivers that have won a race in all three national series, but I would also join my father (Bob Keselowski) as a truck series winner,” said Keselowski, who will be sponsored by Miller Lite in the Sprint Cup Series starting next season. “We would be the first father-son duo to win a truck race. That would be very cool and it would mean a lot to me. My father was my hero and, unfortunately, I missed his truck series win at Richmond (1997). Joining him as a truck series winner would take a little of that disappointment away, I guess.”
And Keselowski likes his chances in the truck race, too.
“We’re bringing the truck we raced at Charlotte and we feel really good about it,” he said. “It ran great in May and I’m confident that it will this weekend, too. I’m excited that Miller Lite came onboard for a few races this year. It gives us a chance to work together before next year, while hopefully having some success on track as well.”
Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100 and e-mail him at Jensen is the author of “Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of Speed,” and has appeared on numerous television and radio shows. Jensen is the past President of the National Motorsports Press Association and an NMPA Writer of the Year.
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