“I think I am buying into a stock that is about to go up”
Brad Keselowski is ready to take his racing career to the “next evolution.”
When the 79-year-old team owner presented Keselowski as a new partner in the NASCAR team on Tuesday, he set in action a long-term goal for Roush Fenway Racing.
Keselowski is leaving Team Penske, where he won the 2012 championship, because he wants to be a part of an organization’s ownership as part of his NASCAR legacy. Keselowski will not only drive the No. 6 Ford for Roush Fenway next season, but he will also play a significant role off the track.
Ryan Newman, who has driven the Roush flagship car for the past three seasons, will be replaced by Keselowski.
Keselowski stated that he joined Roush Fenway for four reasons: a long-term driving contract, a leadership role with the team, ownership, and a place in the sport when he retires from driving. With the introduction of NASCAR’s new generation car, he is excited about the team’s competitive future.
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“I think I am buying into a stock that is about to go up,” Keselowski said during a news conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Said Roush: “He’s ready for the next challenge and I welcome him as a partner.”
Keselowski paid for his “small” ownership in the team, according to team President Steve Newmark, but neither Roush nor the Fenway Sports Group relinquished any shares. According to Newmark, the stake could increase over time.
For the time being, the company will be known as Roush Fenway Racing, though this may change in the future.
“It’s a win when you can get a Hall of Fame driver behind the wheel, but what was more important is the leadership skills that Brad brings,” Newmark said.
In 1988, Roush Racing fielded their first vehicle for a complete Cup Series season, with Mark Martin driving the No. 6, the company’s original number. The team has won 137 Cup races and has cars in all three NASCAR national series. In 2004, Kurt Busch gave Roush his only Cup victory. Roush’s Xfinity and Truck series championships were won by Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, and current driver Chris Buescher, respectively.
Keselowski claims he never considered trying to keep the No. 2 car he’s driven or getting into the No. 29 car, which has ties to his family’s history.
For the 2022 season, Keselowski and Buescher will be the only two drivers, while the team may consider adding a third driver in the future. Newmark stated that the team attempted to maintain Newman, even if it was on a part-time basis.
The team has been on the decline for several seasons, with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s two Roush Cup victories in 2017 being the only ones in the past seven seasons.
Over the weekend, Keselowski confessed it was “hard to walk away” from working with Roger Penske, but he stated that he wants to leave a legacy in racing that goes beyond driving.
“This is a big dream of mine to be an owner and partner at the NASCAR level with the right ownership group,” Keselowski said.
He’ll play a big part on the competition team, but it’ll be a team effort with Roush Fenway.
Last fall, when Newmark and Keselowski were discussing NASCAR’s next-generation cars and the health of the sport, the roots of their relationship were planted.
As Newmark discussed the organization’s eventual succession plans with Roush Fenway Racing, Keselowski told him he wanted to establish a legacy of being a leader in NASCAR beyond just being a driver. Talks continued after that and both sides decided it was a mutually beneficial partnership.
Roush believes the decision will spur other elder owners to consider their legacy plans, as well as potential drivers to follow in the footsteps of Keselowski and Tony Stewart.
“I don’t think Brad is the last of the drivers who will say I want a piece of the action when they get out of the driver’s seat,” Roush said.
Roush, for one, said he had no immediate plans to step down as owner, but joked that he will continue to be a “nuisance” to his drivers by being present at the track on race days.
Keselowski refused to say when he plans to retire from racing, saying he will continue to do so as long as he is winning races and competing for championships.
But it’s clear he was ready to establish a legacy in the sport beyond being just a driver.
“It’s a huge moment,” Keselowski said. “I never dreamed this big.”
Keselowski, who is 37 years old, has won 35 Cup races in his career. He has one Cup win and seven top-five finishes this season, and he is presently ninth in the standings heading into the summer break.
For the remainder of the season, he will compete for Penske Racing.
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