Keselowski could wrap up title
Published 9:01 pm Friday, November 5, 2010
Rochester Hills native Brad Keselowski could wrap up his first Nationwide Series championship today at Texas Motor Speedway. The race can be seen live on ESPN2 beginning at noon. (Credit: John Sommers II/Getty Images for NASCAR)
BROOKLYN — Rochester Hills native Brad Keselowski could never be described as average. Far from it.
But should he drive his Discount Tire Dodge like an “Average Joe” on Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway, Keselowski will clinch the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship.
“To be there and in sight of it is a pretty awesome goal,” Keselowski told SceneDaily.com. “I’m still running worse-case scenarios through my mind like don’t break a leg getting out of a rental car and stuff like that. … But it looks really good and I’m proud of what we’ve done to get to this point.”
To reach that plateau — and also claim the first NASCAR national series championship for his legendary team owner, Roger Penske — Keselowski needs to finish this weekend’s race with a 390-point lead over second-place driver in the standings, arch-rival Carl Edwards.
Keselowski leads Edwards, the 2007 series champion, by 485 points.
Simply put, Keselowski can clinch if he finishes the race 21st or better, 22nd and leads at least one lap, or 24th and leads the most laps. And that’s where being average could be a beautiful thing.
In eight career NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Texas, Keselowski’s average finish is 14.0, well above his championship scenario targets. Edwards is better at the track, but barely. His average finish at TMS is 13th. Solid, but not enough to keep Keselowski from clinching if the law of averages stays true.
Keselowski has been at his best at Texas over the last three races there, posting top-five finishes in each, including his track career-best third in 2009.
And he has some great 2010 momentum on his side. He’s won six times this season, including the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 14.
If Keselowski wins the driver title this weekend, he’ll add Penske’s first NASCAR national series title among the 22 national championships, more than 330 victories, nearly 400 poles and 15 Indianapolis 500 wins “The Captain” has already accumulated in his legendary motorsports career.
Catch the NASCAR Nationwide Series race from Texas Motor Speedway live at noon on ESPN2.
