Keselowski to talk to Hendrick about Cup move
15 Comments Quote selected text Published June 22nd, 2009 in NASCAR News
Rick Hendrick said he plans to meet with Nationwide Series driver Brad Keselowski this week to discuss his plans for moving up to Sprint Cup in 2010. Hendrick mentioned two possible options for Keselowski — a third car at Stewart-Haas Racing, which is affiliated with Hendrick Motorsports, or a chance to stay at JR Motorsports if Dale Earnhardt Jr. decides to move his Nationwide team to Cup next year.
“We’re looking at different options with some of our external situations with other teams,” Hendrick said Sunday at Infineon Raceway. “I told Brad that I want him to have the best opportunity. If we can’t give it to him, then I want him to have the best.”
Keselowski told reporters at that event that he would love to drive a third Stewart-Haas car next year. Tony Stewart said Friday a third car for his team is a possibility for 2010. Stewart’s team is a satellite operation with Hendrick Motorsports, leasing engines from Hendrick. Hendrick also said Earnhardt Jr. is considering moving his Nationwide operation to Cup in 2010. Either way, Keselowski would stay in the Hendrick family, so to speak, if he signed with Stewart-Haas Racing or stayed at JR Motorsports.
“Brad wants to do something that is somehow associated with our company,” Hendrick said. “We’re working on it and hopefully in the next few weeks we’ll have something sorted out. He’ll be running Cup [in 2010]. Whether he’ll be running them all or whether he’ll be running 75% of them or what, I don’t know.”
The answer is simple for anyone who looks. Brad needs to go to SHR and Dale needs to either sell or step back from jr motorsports. It would be in everyones best interest. If jr comes to cup thats one MORE distraction jr does not need on his plate. On top of brad getting the short end of the stick by being the odd man out on a new solo team, even backed by hendrick, it would be very hard for jr motosports to be competitive.
Brad would obviously want to be with the experience of SHR being able to utilize the experience there.
Jr is my man, but business wise it does not make sense at this point for brad and jrms to make the move together
Ganjadude wrote:
I agree Dale doesnt need to be worrying about a cup team,I mean yeah brad is his guy he’s the one that gave him a shot but if tony wants to run a 3rd car next year let him put brad in it.
I agree to, let brad go to SHR that way he is still under the Hendrick umbrella. I would be interested to see how SHR would do with a rookie driver. Brad has obviously proved he can get the job done, but still has a lot to learn, I can see Brad in the Bass Pro Shop car. As for JR he needs to stop all this off track non sense hes involved in, and focus on racing.
Rowdy, You got to give him (jr) credit though, Since he switched CC, He has had very good finishes and ran his best road race ever yesterday… I do see real progress, I am worried if he brings jrms to cup he will try and be too hands on and ruin the good run hes been having. I believe he has a win coming soon.
no brainer here stewart haas racing FTW
Why not pair him up w/ Truex at jrms and let Kelly take care of it. Sr. did pretty much the same while driving for RC and it worked out fairly well. As long as Kelly does the bulk of the work, and I do think she’s got the talent, and stays actively involved, it should be fine.
Bdeholl wrote:
This would not be a bad idea.
If not Kahne, this guy would be a good fit at Stewart -Haas. He’s young, talented, wants to win and already has one more Cup win than Jr this year!
I hope for only the best for Brad. He is a very talented driver. I think HMS is his best option.
Ganja,
A win coming, I wouldn’t go that far. I have seen a lil progress with Jr, then again I member a few weeks ago when got mad at a change that was made and was yelling over the radio to change it back. Which I guess he was probably frustrated and frustration took over, and then again after years of being with Eury Jr probably hard to break old habits. I would say in my eyes, I would like to see jr running up front or in top 10 on a more consistent basis then maybe having a win. He can have a win and still run crappy. In my opinion as a jr hater, I would rather see him have 1 win and still run crappy then to see his running like stewart or jimmy of jeff.
heres wats gonna happen. brads gonna stay in the nationwide car next year to go for the championship one more time, with out kyle and carl in his way. then when mark martin FINALLY retires, brad will take over the 5 car in 2011
timmy#2 wrote:
I dont see that happening Brad is ready to move up to the cup series full time after this year,I’m not sure what kind of contract he has with Jr or how many years left etc. but I doubt Hendrick is going to let him get away regardless of what car he’s in HMS Jr’s or 1 of tony’s.
Justin 99 wrote:
I was thinking this as well, The problem is… I dont trust Jr to stay away and let kelley rin the show. I would LOVE to see those 2 driving for jr (or in truex case at least in a chevy) But I like all 3 of those drivers and I hope they get whats the best.
Jr in reality probably does not even really mess with JRM. He most likely has people doing most of the stuff for him and a jump to Sprint would still not be a problem because he has Hendrick that is pretty much the real owner of JRM if it jumped to Sprint, but just having Jr’s name on it.
move Brad to Cup 88 and send JR to Nationwide 88