Third-generation driver Brad Keselowski’s passion for racing is in his DNA. His grandfather, John Keselowski, started the family tradition by competitively racing motorcycles and snowmobiles. Keselowski's dad, Bob, and uncle, Ron, shared their father's interest in racing, but found their niche in stock car racing.
In the early 1970s Ron spent five years competing in NASCAR's Grand National ranks on a limited basis, scoring two top fives and 11 top-10 finishes. Bob, Keselowski's dad, took over driving duties for the family's K Automotive Motorsports team in the 1980s and raced in the ARCA Series. He won the series championship in 1989 and still ranks in the top 10 on ARCA's all-time winners list with 24 trips to Victory Lane. In the mid 1990s, Bob turned to the NASCAR Truck Series where he scored one win, two top fives and 15 top-10 finishes in five years of competition. K Automotive continued to field a Truck Series entry at least part time through 2006.
Growing up in Rochester Hills, Mich., Keselowski and his siblings all helped out with the family team. Over the years he held various positions for the team, including serving as team engineer and scorer. Keselowski received his first shot behind the wheel in 1998. A friend gave the family a quarter midget his son had outgrown. The youngest Keselowski was a perfect fit for the small race vehicle and soon started competing in the Senior Honda 120 Quarter Midget division.
In his first season he earned six feature wins. The following year he moved up to the Senior Honda 160 Quarter Midget division where he won eight feature races and the championship.
Keselowski moved up to stock cars in 2000 and started racing in the Factory Stock division. That year he collected nine feature wins as well as rookie-of-the-year honors at both Auto City Speedway in Clio, Mich., and Dixie Motor Speedway in Birch Run, Mich.
During the next three years Keselowski balanced his budding racing career with his full-time job working for his family's NASCAR Truck Series operation. He moved up to the Limited Late Model and Super Late Model divisions and continued to rack up wins while competing on a limited basis. In 2001, he earned five fast qualifier positions, one feature win and five top-five finishes. In the next two seasons he collected 11 fast qualifier positions, two Super Late Model wins, two Limited Late Model wins and nine top-five finishes.
In 2004, Keselowski stepped into the NASCAR Truck Series ride operated by his family's team for eight races. The following season he ran the full Truck Series schedule. His best finish was seventh at Daytona International Speedway.
Keselowski competed on a limited basis in both the NASCAR Nationwide and Truck Series in 2006.
He started the 2007 season running for Keith Coleman Racing in the Nationwide Series until the team suspended operations in June. When Germain Racing needed a last-minute replacement for Ted Musgrave at Memphis Motorsports Park later that month they called on Keselowski. He scored the Bud Pole Award, led four times for a total of 62 laps and contended for the win.
Keselowski made his debut in the JR Motorsports' No. 88 Navy Accelerate Your Life Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS at Chicagoland Speedway in the USG DUROCK 300 in July. In 14 starts for the team that year he scored five top 10s and eight top-15 finishes.
Keselowski ran his first full Nationwide season in 2008, finishing third in championship points. Fans voted him the series' most popular driver after posting two wins, 11 top-five finishes and 20 top-10s in 2008. In November, he made his first two Cup-level starts, recording solid top-25 efforts for Hendrick Motorsports at Fort Worth, Texas, and Homestead, Fla.
In 2009, Keselowski will attempt a limited NASCAR Cup schedule while running another full season in the Nationwide Series.
