The 2002 season saw Keller post a second-place championship finish and although he finished 264 points behind champion Greg Biffle, it was still a career-best season for the 32-year-old Greenville, S.C. native. Keller captured four wins on the 34-race schedule, nearly doubling his career output. He sat on the pole two times in 2002 and was a serious contender for the title all season long. He never was below fifth in the standings as Keller took control of the points lead on four separate occasions. With his success last season, Keller became the all-time money win in NASCAR Nationwide Series history surpassing $6.5 million.
The young Keller got his start in the go-kart ranks when he was 10 years old. He was crowned the champion in the World Karting Association’s Junior Modified class in 1984 and 1985. Then it was on to the dirt tracks where Keller racked up more wins in the Super Late Model division. From there, Keller raced as part of the old NASCAR Winston All-American Challenge. He won Rookie-of-the-Year honors in 1990 and finished fourth in the overall standings before moving to the NASCAR Slim Jim All-Pro Series the following year. Keller racked up four wins and he led the series in laps led during the season; he finished third in the standings.
Keller’s road to the NASCAR Nationwide Series was a gradual one. In 1991, he made his debut in the series at Lanier National Speedway in Georgia. The following year Keller ran five races until 1994, when Keller and Kel Racing (which was owned by Keller and his father) ran a full NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule. He scored his first pole at Rougemont Speedway in North Carolina in April 1994. Keller turned the quickest lap at two other venues that year - Myrtle Beach Speedway and Richmond International Raceway.
A year later in 1995, Keller and Kel Racing got their first trip to victory lane at Indianapolis Raceway Park. The team finished fourth in the final points standings. After the 1997 season and an 11th-place finish in the driver points standings, Keller and his father closed Kel Racing as Keller joined with team owner Greg Pollex for the 1998 season.
Keller was on fire the first part of the season as he posted top-10 finishes in eight of the first 16 races. Despite the lack of a sponsor, Keller finished the season 16th in the driver points standings. The following year, Keller notched wins at Bristol and Indianapolis Motor Speedways and posted 12 top-10 finishes. He finished the 1999 season eighth in the championship points standings.
In 2000, Keller along with ppc Racing had a career season in the Nationwide Series. Keller logged one win, 13 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes and finished second in the driver points standings. The team switched car manufacturers in 2001, becoming a Ford factory-backed entry and despite the off-season changes, Keller was still able to capture one win en route to a third-place finish in the point standings.
Again, Keller had a stellar season in 2001, finishing third in the driver points standings with one win, 14 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes in 33 races. Keller’s win came at New Hampshire International Speedway, where he led several laps.
Keller used momentum from his 2002 season to finish fifth in the driver points standings in 2003, again winning one race, this time at The Milwaukee Mile. Keller battled then teammate, Scott Riggs for several laps before pulling away with just a handful of laps at the end. Keller would go on to score 10 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes that year, earning more than $1.1 million.
In 2004, Keller finished sixth in the final point standings and recorded six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes.
Keller will race for Team Rensi in 2005 with sponsorship from McDonald's.
Keller enjoys spending time with his wife, Deborah and children, Joe and Jade in Greenville, S.C.
The 2007 Nationwide Series season brought Keller one top-five and five top-10 finishes, finishing 26th in series points standindgs, out of 21 races. In 2008, Keller will race the No. 11 CJM Racing Chevrolet for owner, Brian Mullet, in the Nationwide Series.
