Brad Keselowski

No. 12 Penske Dodge Charger

Phoenix International Raceway – Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500

November 15, 2009

No. 12 Penske Dodge Charger News and Notes

This Week’s Charger… The No. 12 Penske Dodge team will use chassis PRS-622 during Sunday’s 500-mile event. PRS-622 last raced in October at Auto Club Speedway where it crossed the finish line in the 16th position.
Rookie Stripe… This weekend will be driver Brad Keselowski’s first NASCAR Cup Series start at the one-mile Phoenix International Raceway. In five NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at PIR, the 25-year-old racer has one top-five finish, which came earlier this season when he took the checkered flag in third place.
Did You Know… Keselowski owns his own race team. The NASCAR star runs his team out of a shop in Mooresville, North Carolina. Known as Brad Keselowski Racing, the team competes in both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series as well as late model series across the United States.
Double Duty... Keselowski will be competing in both the NASCAR Cup Series and Nationwide Series events in Phoenix. In addition to racing the No. 12 Penske Dodge in Sunday’s Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, he will also drive the No. 88 JR Motorsports machine in Saturday’s Nationwide Series event.
Watch and Listen… The Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 will be seen live on Sunday, November 15 on ABC-TV. Race coverage is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET. The event will also be heard live on MRN Radio as well as Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 128.
 

Brad Keselowski on driving at Phoenix International Raceway

“I have run Phoenix [International Raceway] in the Nationwide Series car and have had a couple of good runs there. This will be my first time in a Cup Series car at Phoenix. I feel like the Penske cars have been extremely strong on the short tracks. Phoenix, to me, is a short track even though it is one mile in length. It drives like a short track. [Teammate] Kurt [Busch] has historically run really well there, and hopefully we can build on the success Penske has had. The No. 12 team did a great job in our first weekend together. We did not get the finish we deserved last weekend in Texas, but I feel like we really have a solid foundation.”

Crew chief Roy McCauley on racing at Phoenix International Raceway

“Phoenix is a tough track. As a crew chief, you have to set up the car for two separate corners. If you can get your car to really run well through turns 3 and 4, you will have a solid car. We know going in we have a good car and a great driver. We just need a bit of luck to get the finish we deserve.

“Brad [Keselowski] did a great job last weekend. We had a strong car and he did a good job adjusting to how we do things at Penske Racing. Unfortunately, we did not get the finish we wanted, but I am really excited to have Brad on board driving the No. 12 Penske Dodge. ”