Lucky man: Jason Keller considers himself fortunate to have a ride
By Lee Montgomery - Associate Editor
Friday, September 19, 2008
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Jason Keller considers himself a lucky man. He calls himself fortunate, despite leaving a team that is ranked 17th in the Nationwide Series owner standings for one that is ranked 24th.
But after Keller’s former team, CJM Racing, decided to go in another direction for next season, Keller immediately started looking around. And he quickly found Baker Curb Racing, which had a sponsor but needed a driver.
So Keller left CJM and will drive for Baker Curb the rest of the season, while Scott Lagasse Jr., who was hired to drive the 2009 season for CJM, takes over Keller’s old ride.
“I’m very, very blessed, very blessed, to be in a position to have a ride and to have the ride that I’m going to have,” Keller said. “I will say that there aren’t many opportunities out there, so to have any is real good.”
Baker Curb, formerly Brewco Motorsports, started the season with Brad Coleman as the driver of its No. 27 Fords. But Coleman left to pursue Sprint Cup opportunities, and drivers have been rotating since his absence.
Now, though, Baker Curb gets a veteran in Keller to bring stability. At least, that’s the hope. Co-owners Gary Baker and Mike Curb bought Brewco last year with the intention of fielding at least two full-time Nationwide teams. But sponsorship issues parked the team’s No. 37 Ford.
Keller, however, is confident in Baker Curb’s financial future.
“I spent three days in Nashville to make sure the commitment was there from Mike Curb, from Gary Baker and from Kimberly-Clark,” Keller said of the team co-owners and the car’s primary sponsor. “That was definitely important to me. It’s been discussed through the garage area that it’s been a tough year for them, in many ways, acquiring the race team and getting over the humps that they’re facing.
“I had a lot of concerns going in, bur after the time I spent in Nashville, I was pleasantly surprised. I’m moving forward with an ultrapositive attitude and make the best of it.”
Keller was told within the last four weeks that CJM wouldn’t bring him back in 2009, so he started working the phones. He spent three days in Nashville, Baker Curb’s headquarters, assessing the team’s future.
“I was really impressed,” Keller said. “They’re in the process of building. They need to build some stability into their program, and I’m not trying to hide that fact. It’s not going to happen overnight, but with Kimberly-Clark’s commitment and the commitment [the team] has, we can be competitive right off the bat.”
Keller said none of the CJM crew members will join him at Baker Curb, even though he helped hired a lot of them. Keller had nothing but good things to say about his former teammates, saying he loved “every one of the guys” at CJM.
And he looks forward to learning his new teammates at Baker Curb, including crew chief Jeff White.
“I’m gong to give the guys in Nashville a true chance to, ‘Let’s see what we can do together,’” Keller said. “I’ve worked with some of those crew guys. I don’t know what they have in Nashville, I honestly don’t. I don’t know that they’ve gotten a true shake over the last month and a half or so, just because of the inconsistency with drivers.”
- Mentioned Drivers:
- Jason Keller
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