Signing with Penske Racing is a smart move for Brad Keselowski
Brad Keselowski's decision to sign with Penske Racing is a definite step in the right direction for this up-and-coming driver.
By replacing David Stremme in the No. 12 Dodge, Keselowski breathes fresh air into a program that has been on a downward spiral since Ryan Newman vacated it at the end of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season to drive for Stewart-Haas Racing.
Please don't take this as a knock against Stremme. He has done his best, but he just isn't the caliber of driver that Keselowski is. This is a performance-based business, and Stremme's numbers this season don't cut the mustard, considering the equipment he's got under him. He's 31st in the standings, has five DNFs and a top finish of 13th twice.
Keselowski will mesh nicely with the likes of Kurt Busch and Sam Hornish Jr., the other two Cup drivers that make up the three-car stable over at Penske.
I also refuse to buy into the argument that Keselowski's decision to cut his ties with Hendrick Motorsports is going to hamper his career. Money talks, people, and Keselowski is presumably going to make a boatload more money racing for Penske, instead of waiting around for a Cup ride to open up at Hendrick.
Keselowski has also done well behind the wheel at JR Motorsports, a Nationwide team co-owned by Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. But the time has come for Keselowski to move up the ladder and get down to business with the sport's most elite drivers.
Keselowski has even put up some impressive numbers already in the Cup series.
Take for instance, in eight Cup starts this season, three for James Finch's Phoenix Racing, Keselowski has one victory, one top-five and three top-10 finishes and has finished every race he has competed in.
It's going to be very exciting to see Keselowski in the No. 12 car come Speedweeks at Daytona in 2010, and here's hoping that Penske pulls the trigger and allows Keselowski behind the wheel before the 2009 Cup season comes to a close.
