Keselowski looks back on his big break
Sometimes, all it takes is one chance. All Brad Keselowski wanted was one shot at proving himself, just one chance to get in good equipment.
The 23-year-old got it earlier this year at Memphis Motorsports Park, and four months later, Keselowski returns to Memphis in a much different place in his career.
Keselowski had toiled in inferior equipment in the Busch and Craftsman Truck series, somehow making a bad car or truck look good. But when his Busch Series team shut down earlier this year, Keselowski was left on the sidelines.
At the Milwaukee Mile in June, Keselowski was scouring the Busch and truck garages, hoping for a ride. He happened to bump into truck series driver Todd Bodine and made an offer.
"I was at Milwaukee, and I ran into Todd and said, 'You know, if ever anything happens where I can help you out, I will,'" Keselowski said earlier this week. "I kind of blew it off because a lot of people say that kind of stuff. Lo and behold, they needed a driver, and I was kind of in his head, I guess. They gave me a call and gave me an opportunity. Everything just worked like magic there."
The "they" is Germain Racing, which needed a substitute for Ted Musgrave in the team's No. 9 Toyota Tundra. Musgrave had been suspended for one race because of an altercation at Milwaukee, and Keselowski was hired as a one-race replacement for the race at Memphis Motorsports Park.
Finally, Keselowski had his chance. But he tried not to think too far ahead.
"I don't really think about it that hard," Keselowski said. "I don't know if it's just because I'm not that smart. Every time I get in the race car, the idea is the same, and that's to get the most I can out of it.
"When I got in the truck right away and saw how good it was, I knew I had a truck that I could win with. That's what I tried to do, and it almost worked out."
Keselowski won the pole and ran up front most of the race, leading 62 laps.
But with nine laps remaining, he was knocked out of the lead by eventual winner Travis Kvapil.
Disappointed but not crushed, Keselowski knew he had done a good job. The voice mails on his cell phone proved that.
"Definitely, the next morning I had a load of phone calls," Keselowski said.
"It was just such a huge opportunity for me - really, for anyone. It was just amazing to be with a factory-backed team and one the organization that won the championship the year before. It was a Cinderella story."
One of the messages was from Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose JR Motorsports team was looking for a driver. Keselowski had pointed at the No. 88 Chevrolet at Milwaukee the week before, dreaming of a chance to drive it.
And now, here was Earnhardt Jr. asking him to do just that.
"You kind of dream of getting those phone calls," Keselowski said. "When they do happen, you're kind of like, 'Yeah, I'm not sure if somebody's playing a prank on me or not.'
"I was pretty sure it was him. I had talked to him a little bit before. I knew that if I ran good, I could make an opportunity like that happen. I wouldn't say I was completely surprised, but I was pretty happy about it, for sure."
Keselowski couldn't immediately return Earnhardt Jr.'s call, for the Nextel Cup race at New Hampshire had started by the time Keselowski landed from his plane ride from Memphis. They eventually spoke around midnight, Keselowski said.
Soon, Keselowski was driving the No. 88 on an interim basis. Later, he was hired to complete the season.
And this week, Keselowski returns to Memphis in the car for the Sam's Town 250.
"I'm definitely pumped up about that," Keselowski said. "We'll see what we have there. I don't think too much about it until we're there and actually running. We'll see."
And all it took to get back to Memphis - in good equipment - was one chance.
