A Hendrick affiliate for Keselowski?
Sunday, Jun. 21, 2009
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SONOMA, CA - JUNE 21: Team owners Richard Childress (L) and Rick Hendrick (R) speak prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway on June 21, 2009 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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WEST ALLIS, WI - JUNE 20: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #88 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, waits to qualify for the NASCAR Nationwide Series NorthernTool.com 250 on June 20, 2009 at the Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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DOVER, DE - MAY 29: Brad Keselowski sits in the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 29, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)
John D. Simmons - jsimmons@charl
(09/23/08) Brad Keselowski (CQ Keselowski), 24, had a big day Tuesday after Rick Hendrick (on right) held a press conference announcing that Keselowski will drive a 5th Hendrick Cup car in the upcoming fall race. Still wearing braces the young driver said he thought his career "was dead" and then he got his big chance with Hendrick. He was all smiles as he spoke with driver's Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the garage. (John D. Simmons - jsimmons@charlotteobserver.com)
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NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 06: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #88 Hellmann's Chevrolet comes in for a pit stop during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Federated Auto Parts 300 at the Nashville Superspeedway on June 6, 2009 in Lebanon,Tennessee. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Rick Hendrick will meet with Brad Keselowski this coming week to discuss their 2010 options. Under consideration is placing the young driver with a team affiliated with Hendrick Motorsports.
Among the possibilities: a third entry at Stewart-Haas Racing, a full-time ride with James Finch's team, or staying put at JR Motorsports but moving that team to the Sprint Cup Series. Keselowski currently drives the No. 88 in the Nationwide Series for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who could move the team up to NASCAR's premier series.
"That's something that Dale and Kelley are looking at," Hendrick said before Sunday's race at Infineon Raceway. "That's a possibility."
After Keselowski drove Finch's car to his first Cup Series victory with a surprise April win at Talladega, he agreed to a period of exclusive negotiations with Hendrick about a long-term contract. Keselowski wants to run in the Cup Series next year, but NASCAR's four-car limit means Hendrick doesn't have an open seat for 2010.
"We're looking at different options with some of our external situations with other teams, and I told Brad that I want him to have the best opportunity," Hendrick said. "If we can't give it to him, then I want him to have the best. He wants to do something that is somehow associated with our company and we're working on it and hopefully in the next few weeks we'll have something sorted out.
"He'll be running Cup. Whether he'll be running them all or whether he'll be running 75 percent of them or what, I don't know."
Keselowski is running a limited schedule this season for both Hendrick and Finch, and could do it again next year. Hendrick believes NASCAR would allow him to field a fifth car next year for Keselowski in seven races.
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