As I write this post, the #88 Jr. Motorsports Nationwide Series team is scrambling to get their backup car ready for Saturday’s race at Texas. Following a promising 12th place run at Bristol two weeks ago, Brad Keselowski promptly went out tonight in qualifying and put his Chevy Impala in the fence on his warm up lap. Yikes.
I said promising about the Bristol run, because through the first four races of 2009, Keselowski’s average finish is a staggering 22.0. And that includes two finishes of 27th. So that 12th place finish looked like it might be the start of Keselowski & Co. turning their season around, but now I’m not so sure.
It appears that for a team that won two races last season, and was possibly on its way to championship contention, something has gone very wrong. And I’m curious if that “something” isn’t Brad himself.
Once referred to by Rick Hendrick as “the future of Hendrick Motorsports,” Keselowski is now under tremendous pressure to produce results and live up to expectations. And his situation isn’t helped out any by driving a car owned by the most popular driver in the sport.
Even worse for Brad K. is the fact that his boss, Dale Jr., has a history of not being patient with his development drivers. Just ask Mark McFarland and Shane Huffman.
I believe all this new found pressure may be getting to Keselowski a little, and it could be one reason why he has struggled. He hasn’t found himself in a position like this in his short career, and it may take some time to learn how to deal with the heat from the spotlight.
2009 was to be a pivotal season for Keselowski. He was expected to contend for the Nationwide Series title, make more Cup starts, and prepare himself for a possible full time ride with Hendrick in 2010 or 2011. Now he must do all those things AND dig himself and his team out of a big hole.
We all know that Keselowski certainly has the talent and the backing to become a serious contender in the Nationwide Series and beyond. And he has some of the top names in the sport on his side, aiding in his development. We’ll see if he can learn to stomach the pressure and focus on just driving.
After Texas on Saturday the Nationwide Series moves to the Nashville Superspeedway, the site of Keselowski’s first career NNS win. Hopefully a good run at Texas and the promise of a track he knows he can win at will help boost this team out of the gutter and back into the top ten in points.
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on Apr 2nd, 2009 at 9:39 pm
You just can’t hurry up experience!
on Apr 2nd, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Wow, that’s upsetting.
Dale Jr said this in his NNS Team Preview that his PR people put each week, so much for them having a good weekend?
“We had a slow start for both teams, but I think it’s coming around. We were able to score a top-five at Las Vegas. It was good to just bring that car home with a top-five finish. The team really needed it. We need Brad (Keselowski) and the No. 88 team to have a good weekend. It’s been a slow start for them as well, and if they can just get a couple of consecutive solid finishes, it will help their confidence and hopefully build some momentum.”
on Apr 2nd, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Well he did get wrecked by the #16 twice and somebody else once. The cup drivers don’t care what they do to the NW guys who make their living driving for Nationwide.
on Apr 3rd, 2009 at 8:13 am
I like Brad a lot. He has the talent to be a great driver someday, I’d love to see him stay in the Nationwide series long enough to develop that talent a bit. I enjoyed watching him win last season, it’s pretty rare these days to see a non-cup driver win in any series, and that’s a shame.
We know Jr. has no patience for his development drivers. Shane Huffman is a good driver, I don’t feel he was given the time to grow into a larger series. Imagine the irony if Dale Jr. fires Brad for not preforming. After all, he does have twice as many wins as Dale Jr. last year.
on Apr 3rd, 2009 at 8:44 am
I wonder how much is due to the Kyle Busch Effect? There are a few young guns, and I include Brad K and Steven Wallace amongst them, who are a little peeved at the attention KB is receiving, and they’re driving over-their-heads in an attempt to get up there with him. They haven’t gained the maturity of a Kenseth or Burton to drive as hard as the car permits,especially in qualifying, and work on getting the car adjusted as the race progresses, taking what is possible,instead of asking for the impossible.
on Apr 3rd, 2009 at 1:43 pm
I would like to see Brad have a little more time to mature and get a handle on the car. I would like to believe that if Junior is not going to allow him the time to do so, then maybe, just maybe, he has caught someone else’s attention and they will continue to allow him the chance. Just a thought….
on Apr 3rd, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Perhas this is a way for Hendrick to hold off another year and have Mark Martin do 1 more full time year. I hope JR does wait on Brad, something is obviously going on and I would like to see him give the guy a chance and wait out what ever is happening. I do wonder if perhaps he is trying too hard and trying to make the car better than it actually is.
on Apr 4th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Rest easy,gang. He showed them he still has it today(Saturday.) Same as last year, he’s starting his surge upward on the 5th race of the year. Back in the top 10 in points!(7th)