After months of exclusive contract negotiations with Hendrick Motorsports to stay with the team, the hottest young driver on the NASCAR scene has had to make a change in order to run the full Cup schedule in 2010. Brad Keselowski, has apparently been chosen to wheel the #12 Penske Racing Dodge in 2010. He replaces a struggling David Stremme. Penske Racing had been trying to sign the young driver to a deal since 2008. While at Penske Racing, the 25-year-old driver will be a teammate to Kurt Busch and Sam Hornish, Jr.
Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, has tried everything in his power to keep Keselowski in Hendrick equipment for next season, including putting him in a possible third car at both Red Bull Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing, however those plans did not materialize. Hendrick Motorsports currently campaigns four full-time teams for drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The team is not permitted to add a car for Keselowski due to NASCAR's four-car cap for team owners that begins next season.
Keselowski had been rumored to be pairing with Martin in a part-time schedule for 2010 in the #5, but when Martin announced his intension to once again run a full schedule in 2010, those plans changed. Adding to the move is the fact that Keselowski has informed team officials at JR Motorsports that he will step out of the team’s #88 Nationwide Series car at the end of the 2009 season. As long as Keselowski stayed in a Chevrolet, he would have had a seat in the team’s #88. As of right now there no confirmed plans to replace Brad before the season ends. Keselowski has one Sprint Cup win at Talladega Superspeedway and three Nationwide wins in 2009 and is currently ranked third in points in Nationwide competition.
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