Four series champions honored at NNS/NCWTS banquet in Miami

NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Brad Keselowski,
center, with crew chief Paul Wolfe and team owner Roger Penske.

·   Brad Keselowski, No. 18 JGR Toyota Are NASCAR Nationwide Series Driver, Owner Champions
 
·   Todd Bodine, No. 18 KBM Toyota Win Driver, Owner Titles in NASCAR Camping World Trucks

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 22, 2010) – For the first time in NASCAR national series history, four championships in two different series were awarded simultaneously.

NASCAR Nationwide Series team owner champions Joe Gibbs Racing
with (from left) Jason Ratcliff, Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs and J.D. Gibbs.

Brad Keselowski and Todd Bodine officially were crowned the 2010 driver champions of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively, on the Americana Ballroom stage at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel on Monday evening.

Keselowski was honored with his first NASCAR national series title as champion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Bodine received his second championship ring in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, joining Ron Hornaday Jr. (four) and Jack Sprague (two) as the only drivers in the series with multiple titles.

Also, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota captured a record-tying third consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series owner championship, while the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota won the owner crown in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series as a first-year team.

The champions were joined on stage by the drivers who finished in positions 2-5 in the final standings, along with each series’ Raybestos Rookie of the Year.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Todd Bodine.

After a fan vote on NASCAR.com, each series’ Most Popular Driver also was revealed. Keselowski and Narain Karthikeyan were chosen by the fans in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively. Keselowski took home the award for the third consecutive year, tying him with Kenny Wallace for the most awards in that category.

Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Justin Allgaier and Paul Menard finished second through fifth and were honored along with Keselowski in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team champions
Eric Phillips, Kyle Busch and Rick Ren.

Aric Almirola, Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton and Austin Dillon were second through fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings, and joined Bodine on stage.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. earned the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Dillon claimed the honor in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Stenhouse is the fifth rookie winner for Jack Roush.

SPEED personalities Rick Allen and Krista Voda served as hosts of the event. The NASCAR Nationwide Series/NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards Banquet will air on Dec. 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. ET on SPEED, prior to the live telecast of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony from Las Vegas.

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Brad Keselowski: Nationwide Champion

Driver Brad Keselowski and team owner Roger Penske pose with the NASCAR Nationwide Series
Championship trophy at Texas Motor Speedway. (Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Everyone was picking Kyle Busch to win Saturday's Nationwide race at Texas. No one could foresee what this race would entail. But one driver was trying to win not only his first championship, but also his owner’s first ever NASCAR championship. Could Brad Keselowski clench the 2010 Nationwide Series Championship?

Finishing the race in third, Keselowski made it official. For Keselowski, winning this championship is a dream come true. Brad got his start with JR Motorsports back in 2007, a ride that he took pride in. That’s one thing Brad does: every ride he has been offered he takes pride in. Being a fan as long as I have, seeing him get that championship yesterday was an amazing feeling; even my eyes watered some, for it clearly was an amazing sight to see.

“I’m so very fortunate and blessed to have this opportunity with (crew chief) Paul Wolfe and Roger and everybody back at the shop, the guys that are there miss their kids’ Little League games working hard on my car,” Keselowski said as he jumped out of his racecar.

For car owner Roger Penske, it has been long due. A championship winner in IndyCar, but never a championship winner for NASCAR. But now, Roger Penske can finally have that championship.

“We’ve been in NASCAR a long, long time. To me, it’s like winning the Indy 500 for the first time. What can you say; it’s a team sport and a team effort. To me, that’s what we came here for. Paul Wolfe, the whole group, they worked their heart out and we got the results,” Penske said.

For Brad, it wasn’t an easy road. There was a point when Brad didn’t have a ride, when the family had to shut down their racing team. There were times Brad didn’t get to race, but that all changed when Brad signed with JRM and the rest is history.

Brad has gone from a Truck Series driver, to a Nationwide Series driver, to now a full-time Sprint Cup driver. Now a Nationwide champion, Brad has proven his will and talent, never backing down in any of the rides he has had. It wasn’t an easy road, but every step of the way has been worth it. Through the good and the bad, Keselowski kept his head held high, which paid off November 6, 2010, when he was crowned the Nationwide champion.

This season has been a whirlwind for sure. With the many things that happened this year, there was never a dull moment. In fact, it was a great season filled with crazy cautions and crazy rivals. But nothing can top seeing Brad Keselowski race that No. 22 to his first championship.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

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Things looking up for Keselowski's first Cup season

This has been an up-and-down sort of year for one Brad Keselowski. Toward the end of his first full season in Cup with new team Penske, some had to wonder if he was ready?

In the Nationwide Series, Keselowski is the points leader and is sure to win the championship. But for some reason, Keselowski just isn’t making any ground in Cup.

Keselowski has won one Cup race in 2009, but he wasn’t with Penske then; he was with James Finch and Phoenix Racing, powered by engines from Hendrick Motorsports.

Keselowski’s first Cup season hasn’t really been all that great. Troubles with wrecking out and such have resulted in the young driver not doing well. But that never caused Keselowski to quit; he just kept racing every Sunday, even when it seemed he wasn’t going anywhere but the wrong way.

It would seem Keselowski's season is turning around. The latest race at Richmond, which was Sept. 11, Keselowski finished 15th, a real improvement from where he usually finishes around the 20s or 30s. It’s the little improvements that show Keselowski is slowly making it.

During Friday’s qualifying for Loudon, Keselowski felt his car was really fast. As Keselowski took to the track for his qualifying run he would surprise himself. Coming down for the final lap, Keselowski would not only take the pole position but also break the track record. Keselowski was extremely happy and thrilled to get the pole.

Keselowski did get to keep the pole and will start the race 1st, his first ever pole. Keselowski went on to say this:

"I would love to be the spoiler of the Chase, I would live for that moment."

It was a rocky start, but it may be a great happy ending for Keselowski’s first Cup season.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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Photo: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

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A Win At Home Again

This time last year Brad Keselowski, driver of the 88, wanted nothing more than to win at Michigan, his home track. Brad would end up winning for the first time at his home track, something he wanted to do for a long time.

Now it's 2010 and we're back at Michigan. Brad Keselowski, with new team Penske and the current points leader in the Nationwide Series, wanted nothing more than to win again at home. Brad would go on to win the pole Saturday in the 22 Discount Tire Dodge, which by the way, was the new car this race. It looked fast and great - it was sure to be a car to watch.

The race was green and that 22 was gone. Brad had every lap, and then green flag stops were under way. Brad’s first stop was clean and he still had the lead. It wasn’t till lap 64 that the first caution came out. Pit stops were under way, but problems arose for the 22 team.

Something was amiss with the clutch. The clutch wasn’t working right; it caused Brad to stall. Brad would lose the lead to Paul Menard. Was this clutch problem the end of the 22's chances to win at his home track? It may have seemed like Brad Keselowski’s chances were over. New leader Carl Edwards had taken the lead and now Brad was in second.

Before I knew it, Brad was side by side with Carl. It gave me chills of excitement but also made me shake in my boots. Just like that, the 22 was back to being our leader. However, green flag stops were under way, which meant Keselowski would have to pit. Would the car stall again?

Sadly the 22 did stall again, causing Brad to drop to third and Carl Edwards would pick up the lead. It looked like Carl would win, but Brad had a fast car and was now up to second. Could the 22 with clutch problems make up for lost time and close in on the 60 of Edwards? Could the hometown boy win for the second time?

Luckily a caution came out. Neither Keselowski or Edwards pitted; the two would start side by side. What would happen? Who would win? Would it be Edwards or the hometown boy? The green flag dropped and both Edwards and Keselowski raced clean. But Keselowski, fast like he had been all day, shot ahead of Edwards and was gone. Could Keselowski win - even with his clutch problems?

Brad Keselowski, small-town Michigan boy, overcame a clutch problem and won! Back-to-back wins at home. It was truly a great and wonderful day for Brad, to win at his home track back-to-back times. It was also a great feeling as a fan to see him win at his home track. Plus, Brad also won in the new car, the Dodge Charger.

It was truly an amazing race to see someone like Brad Keselowski, who has worked and thrived to get to where he is today. To see someone like Brad win at his home track again is just double the joy and double the greatness.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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Photo: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR

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Keselowski and Edwards Not Backin' Down

First we heard from NASCAR and their decision on penalties for both Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards. Now both drivers have said their peace in different media sessions in Indianapolis.

Just like always, these two racers see one incident in a very different light. What's even more confusing, Brad seems to be "happy" about NASCAR's decision to also place him on probation the rest of the year. Keselowski says it "takes away the pressure of retaliation." While I tend to agree with him, after hearing Edwards' comments in the media center I still believe this feud is far from over.


Brad's interview was pretty typical for a driver who is looking beyond Gateway and just ready to put it behind him. He was pretty adamant that he "slipped a tiny bit" getting into Carl, which seemed to give Carl justification for the retaliation he lashed out coming to the checkers. Brad also stands behind his actions, saying he wouldn't do anything differently as he clearly believes what he did was not intentional but just hard racing.

Carl's opinions on Saturday night's race could not have been more different. Carl insists he is not the one "initiating" the run-ins he has had with Keselowski. He also says he's "done a better job at keeping the car under control." He also feels that Brad's "slip up" was not a mistake but moreso intentional.

The irony in all of this is Brad was right in his interview on Saturday night when he said Carl would play the "good guy." This was displayed by Carl apologizing to all the teams involved that shouldn't have been when Brad went spinning. I was really even more confused when Carl said he would rather finish second than get a win the way he did Saturday night. I think I must've missed something, because the major events that took place Saturday night that he is so "sorry" for were caused by his revenge-seeking actions.

Either way, both the Nationwide and Cup series have moved on to Indianapolis and it's time to focus on the race at hand. However, I honestly believe we have not seen the last of the clashes between these two just yet.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.
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Photo: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

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NASCAR Draws A Line in the Sand: Keselowski and Edwards Penalties Announced

From the second Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards made contact Saturday night in the NASCAR Nationwide event at Gateway International Raceway we have been debating what NASCAR would do. Some people speculated that NASCAR would continue with their “have at it boys” stance while others were demanding Edwards be held accountable for his actions. Fans screamed that Edwards should be suspended while others took the stance that Edwards was just doing his job and that Keselowski deserved what he got.

Regardless of what side of the debate you fall on, this is perhaps the most talked about rivalry we have seen in years and it’s one that will continue to unfold as Edwards and Keselowski battle for the Nationwide Series Championship.

But, both drivers are going to have to keep their tempers in check and their cars under control if they want to make it through the rest of the season without further action being taken against them.


It was announced on Wednesday that both Keselowski and Edwards would be held accountable for their roles in Saturday’s accident that left Keselwoski’s car in pieces while Edwards headed to victory lane.

According to NASCAR the actions of both drivers fall under section 12-1 of the rule book. Section 12-1 is defined as “actions detrimental to stock car racing/aggressive driving. The penalties are as follows:

• Brad Keselowski, driver of the #22 for Penske Racing, has been place on probation until December 31, 2010 – This probation applies to all of NASCAR’s divisions
• Carl Edwards, driver of the #60 for Roush Fenway Racing, has been placed on probation until December 31, 2010. Like Keselowski's probation Edwards’ also applies in all of NASCAR’s series. Additionally Edwards was docked 60 championship points, and was fined $25,000.
• Car owner Jack Roush was penalized 60 owner points.

After the official word was announced NASCAR, via their Twitter account, had this to say in a series of Tweets explaining their ruling:

• Since putting the driving back in the hands of the drivers we’ve seen very exciting, side by side racing…
• …However, we also said that there is a line that a driver can cross and when that happens we will stop in and maintain law and order/
• Following Atlanta, we met with Brad and Carl to make it clear that racing hard doesn’t mean ruing other competitors’ days
• In our review of this most recent incident, Carl and Brad crossed the line.
• It is important to remember that this is not the first time these two have gotten into one another on the track – there is a history there.

Here at Skirts and Scuffs we have had wide range of views expressed on this issue and now we want to hear from you regarding the ruling. Is it fair? Should Keselowski have been put on probation? Is probation just a slap on the wrist? You tell us what you think.

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When "Have At It Boys" Goes Too Far

Rubbin' is racin', we're taking the gloves off, have at it boys. These expressions seem to completely define the 2010 season thus far, but what happens when the shaded gray area is crossed into and just flat out wrong?

Being a Brad Keselowski fan, it's very easy for me to say Carl was wrong, Carl wrecked him and any other negative thing I could come up with. It wasn't until I heard Reed Sorenson's comments on Sirius 128 when I decided I how I really felt about this issue. Reed said he "saw the 60 drive into the 22." After hearing Reed's comments, the anger I felt after witnessing this on Saturday was back in full force. Instead of yelling at my radio like I had my TV and tweeting some probably not very nice things about Carl, I started to think about some stuff.

There are three very clear issues coming out of Saturday night's melee at Gateway. The first issue is Brad Keselowski and his sometimes popular and sometimes very unpopular racing style, next is Carl Edwards and his temper, and the last a father's involvement in his son's racing career.

We all know Brad is well known for his belief in standing his ground and not being pushed around. This belief has led him to be compared to some of NASCAR's greatest, from Kyle Busch to Dale Earnhardt. I think it's safe to say thus far Brad has definitely left his mark in NASCAR. To me it goes a little further; these two drivers Brad has been compared to are champions. We don't see Jimmie Johnson on the track backing down to just anyone, so why aren't we criticizing him as much as we are Brad? Jeff Gordon has taken a similar approach to racing these days as well and he too is a champion. Point being, you can't go out there on the track and race like everyone out there is your best friend and expect to win. Brad has said it, Kyle has said it, even Dale Earnhardt said it; the main objective when they strap into that seat is to win. Brad made a comment earlier in the 2010 season that, "your competitors are only happy with you when they're beating you," and he's right.

Since Brad has made his move to Penske, I think we have seen a new side to him. He races with more patience and seems to carry a mature approach to incidents like these. I was very proud of Brad after his interview on Saturday night. How easy it would have been to trash Carl on TV. The better man will always win out in my book, and I believe the better man Saturday night was Brad Keselowski.

"Have at it boys" and how it's supposed to be done was center stage when Kurt Busch bumped Jimmie Johnson and Jimmie, deciding he wasn't OK with it, bumped him back. Jimmie could have easily put him in the wall like Carl did to Brad, but he didn't. He reacted as he should have to a minor incident.

Everyone has been talking about Atlanta and I have even heard Talladega being brought up ... again! The fact of the matter is Carl's anger issues run deeper than just Carl and Brad. Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, even Dale Earnhardt Jr. have had altercations with Edwards. I, like Brad, don't understand how this guy can go around and proclaim to be the "good guy'" when clearly the common denominator is Carl himself. If you want to settle something with another driver, going 200 mph on a racetrack on the straightaway is not the time or the place. I can respect the fact Carl can drive a racecar, but lately it seems his true colors are starting to seep through.

Finally, Bob Keselowski had some interesting words at the end of it all on Saturday night. At first I was bracing myself for another Tom Logano-ish type of interview, especially after the backlash Tom received after Pocono. I have to say by the time Bob had finished expressing his thoughts, I was ready to suit up and head out there with him! Like I said about Brad, Bob was in a position to completely trash talk Carl and he didn't do it. Saying Carl "flipped out" is not trash-talking; it's merely stating a fact. I agree with Bob. This has happened two times too many between Brad and Carl and it scares me to think what it's going to take to put an end to it. As a Brad K fan, I can honestly say I was proud of the way Bob expressed his emotions. It's obvious his respect for the sport was passed on to his son.

In the end, do I honestly believe Carl is out to "kill" Brad? No. At the same time I am well aware that accidents do happen, and when things like this take place on the track it's always a possibility. Atlanta should have been a lesson to Carl that you can't control how bad you wreck someone and wrecking someone at the front of the field is even more careless. In the end, I think it's fair to say Carl's reputation seems to have taken the biggest hit and rightfully so.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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How far should NASCAR’s “boys have at it” stance be allowed to go?

A rivalry that bordered on downright feuding seemed to brew between Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin back in 2008 NS carried over well into 2009, with Hamlin seeming to carry more of the bitter emotion. While the two never publicly mended fences, that rivalry seems to have cooled only for another one to take its place—a fireworks and bended sheet metal-filled rivalry between Keselowski and Carl Edwards.

The two drivers brought mainstream media attention, actually last sprint at Talladega, when the two got together on the final lap and parts of Edwards’ car showered the grandstands, but Edwards admitted fault, saying he tried unsuccessfully to block Keselowski, and the two drivers seemed to hold no ill will between them.

Fast forward to the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway early this season, and Edwards was noticeably irked, to say the least, at Keselowski.

The two made contact early in the race that resulted in Edwards’ No. 99 car spending some 80+ laps in the garage for repairs. Returning to the track with revenge in mind, Edwards spun Keselowski intentionally (he admitted his intent on national television immediately after the race), sending Keselowski airborne and over, somewhat reminiscent of the final lap in the race at Talladega in 2009.

Again, an incident between these two gave NASCAR mainstream publicity, as it was discussed the following Monday on morning news shoes, including ABC’s Good Morning America.

To read more, visit AutoRacingDaily.com.

Photo of Brad Keselowski by Amanda Vincent

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Retaliation: How Far Is NASCAR Willing to Let It Go?

When you feel that someone has done you wrong, you find a way to show them how you feel about it. In NASCAR, that principle of retaliation is an underlying theme. Ask any NASCAR fan, and they can probably tell you of at least one confrontation their favorite driver has had with another due to getting payback for an on-track incident. So, just what caused the big commotion this time around? We’ve all seen drivers intentionally wreck each other before, but it seems that maybe the line was crossed on Saturday night.

On Saturday night, as the action unfolded during the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealer’s 250 at Gateway International Raceway, it was the last lap move for the lead that caused a big stir. Some fans cheered when the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge being driven by Brad Keselowski was wrecked by Carl Edwards in the No. 60 Aflac Ford. Other fans, like me, watched in disbelief. Crews anxiously waited for the smoke to clear to see if their drivers had made it through the melee. Team owners, one in particular I’m sure, couldn’t believe their eyes. I am a fan of both Edwards and Keselowski, and as I watched Edwards take the checkered flag, it almost made me sick.

Edwards blatantly turned Keselowski to take the lead coming off of turn 4, which set off a chain reaction. After Keselowski hit the outside wall, his car came back across the track, and he clipped the back of the No. 16 Ford being driven by Edwards’s teammate Colin Braun, which sent Braun spinning across the start/finish line before hitting the wall hard. Then Keselowski came to a stop next to the inside wall where he was hit by another driver.

My breath caught in my throat as I watched Braun, who is my favorite Nationwide driver, hit the wall. I still couldn’t breathe as the sheet metal flew as more drivers wrecked and Keselowski got nailed by a driver who couldn’t get stopped in time. It was a few seconds after the smoke started to clear that I finally let out the breath I had been holding.

Edwards could have gotten someone injured, or worse, killed, doing what he did. I thank God that all the drivers involved in that last lap crash were okay.

Before you start thinking I am viewing this from one side, let me say that I know Keselowski had gotten into Edwards prior to that, which is what caused Edwards to do what he did. However, I saw nothing wrong with what Keselowski did when taking the lead from Edwards after the white flag flew. He got into Edwards enough just to nudge him up the track. To me, that’s an example of the old “bump and run” right there. Or maybe it was an accidental bump caused by Keselowski’s car getting loose when he tried to pass Edwards on the low side. Either way, I immediately knew Edwards would not be happy with that move and would show Keselowski how he felt about it.

I guess what bothered me the most was that Edwards put Keselowski, as well as other drivers, in harm’s way. As he was being interviewed in Victory Lane, Edwards almost seemed proud of what he’d done.

Did NASCAR really want a driver like that standing in Victory Lane? I was secretly hoping they would penalize Edwards on the spot and say that the win would go to Reed Sorenson who finished 2nd. At least Sorenson didn’t try to wreck anyone to finish toward the front (and he had bigger problems than someone bumping him for position to finish where he did!).

Just how far is NASCAR willing to let Edwards go before they step in and do something? Twice this season Edwards has intentionally wrecked Keselowski. Both times the crashes have been a lot worse than what Edwards thought they would be. But what can he expect when wrecking someone at such high speeds?

I recall Edwards making a comment once that NASCAR was going to let someone get killed before they did something to get the drivers under control during races. It seems those words may ring true if Edwards and Keselowski have any more run-ins.

Then again, maybe the bottom line here is Keselowski himself. There is no denying he has an aggressive driving style. He’s had run-ins with pretty much every driver on the circuit at some point, whether it’s in the Cup or Nationwide series. It’s just how he is. He refuses to let other drivers bully him; he fights back. He’ll push the envelope during races to make passes or claim the lead. It’s a personality trait that just ruffles the feathers of the other drivers. Even the fans seem to dislike that about him too.

It was a little over a year ago that Keselowski wrecked Edwards to win the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega. It was a move that put Edwards, other drivers, and fans too, in danger. So, yes, I know Keselowski has wrecked Edwards to get a win. Did I want the win taken from him then, like I wanted it taken from Edwards on Saturday? You bet your bottom dollar I did.

Of course, NASCAR’s “have at it” policy this season has led to some other on-track confrontations among different drivers. With lesser penalties for aggressive driving, I guess we’re all seeing the product of what can happen when NASCAR loosens the reigns just a bit too much.

The last time Edwards outright wrecked Keselowski, he was only put on probation for a few weeks. This time around, will Edwards be penalized for wrecking him again? Honestly, I will be surprised if he isn’t. I feel a penalty is definitely necessary this time. Not penalizing Edwards will be the closest thing to NASCAR directly saying it is okay to wreck another driver for the win with no regards for their safety or the safety of the other drivers.

A thought that crossed my mind after the race was that if it had been a driver other than Keselowski, would Edwards have wrecked them for the win? I say no. To me, it just seems like Edwards has a personal vendetta against Keselowski.

Getting even is okay when it is done within reason. Settling the score on-track is something that always leads to excitement and gives the fans and media alike something to talk about, but it can also be the reason things could one day go terribly wrong.

I’m afraid that this latest incident may cause Keselowski to seek his own revenge against Edwards in a later race. If he does, then Edwards will no doubt retaliate again. My biggest concern is that this rivalry will escalate and one day, either Edwards or Keselowski will indeed take things just a bit too far. Is that something NASCAR really wants to let happen?

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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In the Middle

I was up all night Saturday reading through arguments and discussions while at the same time having my own with a few respectful fans. The topic was Carl Edwards getting into Brad Keselowski at the NNS Gateway race. Throughout the night I felt like I was the only person who was standing on the middle ground in all of this.

My opinion is simple. First of all, I think we need to leave the past in the past. This wasn’t Atlanta, nor did it have anything to do with Atlanta, and that was a main argument point I saw on Twitter.com. Some fans think that this was payback again, but why bring a past race into it? It’s not that; it was the fact of Brad bumping Carl in the turns and taking the lead from him.

My second point is that no, I don’t necessarily condone wrecking someone last minute for a win, but isn’t that racing? You do what you have to do for a win - isn’t that what NASCAR is condoning by letting the racers “have at it?” What’s the point of saying “let let them be aggressive and get into each other” if when they do it, everyone is going to demand that NASCAR park or fine them? Yes, Carl could’ve bumped Brad, but no one knows what someone will do for a win. He wanted it and he got it. NASCAR let it slide, so fair must be fair in this case.

Now onto my third point, I find it absolutely ridiculous that NASCAR’s fan base insists on dividing themselves whenever someone wrecks another. Who cares about “teams” - when did NASCAR suddenly become The Twilight Saga? Why can’t we group together and have an intelligent conversation? I think we need to quit arguing, picking sides and thinking about what ifs and think about what did happen. Brad is alive and uninjured, and both drivers said positive things in their interviews.

I want to end this with two questions for you all to think about: 1) Would this topic be so controversial if fans would let go of the past, and 2) If Brad can have respect for good racing, why can’t the fans?

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

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Photo: Carl Edwards poses with his winning car, which shows damage from a last-lap incident with Brad Keselowski, and trophy in victory lane at Gateway International Raceway. (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

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When A Line Is Crossed

Saturday's Nationwide race was filled with great racing all night long. It was clear that Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards had two great cars. The last lap was going to be great, you already knew. But I don’t think anyone was prepared for what would happen.

The final laps were in play. Entering the first two turns Brad’s car got loose and slid into the side of Carl, causing both to almost wreck. Brad and Carl have some rivalry when it comes to bumping one another. Brad’s unintentional bump would make Carl mad.

As Brad and Carl neared the final set of turns, Brad’s car became loose again. As Brad gained control of his car once again, Carl then turned left and rammed into Brad. Brad then went into the wall, causing a crash behind him.

Many say Carl had every right to do this, while many say Carl did a bad thing and should be fined. My feelings on this run deep. At first I said OK, maybe that was an accident. I watched the replays and studied it closely. As I watched, it was clear to me Carl turned left into Brad. But I still didn’t want to push any judgment on Carl; it wasn’t until Victory Lane that I knew it was done intentionally.

"I just couldn't let him take the win from me," Edwards said as he was being interviewed in Victory Lane, a clear sign that he did wreck Brad on purpose. Carl then went to say it was payback from the earlier bump in the race.

"We had a great restart. My guys built me a great car. We came to the checkered flag, and I hate to see stuff tore up, but we came here to win and he took it from us there in Turn 1.” Was it really right of Carl Edwards to do? No.

No, Carl Edwards crossed the line. There’s "boys have at it" and then there’s just wrecking someone. What Carl Edwards did was uncalled for. You may be thinking why and getting ready to throw stones at me, but here are my reasons.

Carl Edwards wanted the win; Carl knew Brad was going to win. Even Carl said he couldn’t let Brad take the win. I’m not saying Carl is a bad guy or bad racer; however, what he did was wrong. It’s one thing to bump someone, aka the "bump and run," but what Carl did was turn hard left into Brad and wreck him.

I am a huge Brad Keselowski fan, I won’t lie to you. So yes, I stand behind my driver on this. Brad has done some things in the past I wasn’t too happy about, but he has overcome them. Brad has become more mature in the past months of racing. He is more patient with his racing; he doesn’t need to run over people. Meanwhile, Carl, it seems, is showing his true colors. Atlanta was the first straw for me with Carl, but I overcame it because I hate holding grudges.

In all honesty, and I know the stones will come flying at me, I think Carl should be fined. He needs to realize that doing stuff like this is only going to hurt some or dare I say it, kill someone. This is the second time he has done it, and what’s worse is not only was Brad involved, but so were other Nationwide drivers who just wanted a good finish. I’m all for what goes around comes around, but Brad hasn’t touched Carl since the Atlanta race. In all honesty, Brad should be the one getting payback at Carl, but Brad hasn’t.

Seeing that was a shock, to say the least. Seeing Brad once again get wrecked by Carl is something I didn’t want to see, not in that way. I know it's racing, and I know with racing comes these accidents. Accidents in racing are scary as it is, but they are even scarier when they are done intentionally

.

Brad was later interviewed and wouldn’t you know, he was happy. He felt like it was fun racing; however, Brad did feel that Carl intentionally did wreck him.

"He turned left into me and wrecked me on purpose. I gave him the lane, and he still wrecked me," Brad said, and he did give Carl more than enough room. There was no reason for there to be any contact between the two.

I know I am going to make a lot of people mad at me for this. I know a lot of people won’t agree with me, but it’s my opinion for one, and I know what I saw during that race. If the roles were reversed and Brad had done to Carl what Carl did to Brad, I wouldn’t be very happy with Brad - I would feel what I feel right now.

I know NASCAR won’t fine Carl for this, but in a way I hope they do. Maybe it will open Carl’s eyes and he will see that wrecking people like he does to Brad is wrong and very uncalled for.

I hope someone sees my point of view and understands how I feel on this whole thing. Truly what Carl did was wrong, and Brad walked away again unharmed, but next time Brad or someone else may not be OK. I hope who all read this understand that they don’t have to agree with me.

Racing is racing, and in racing there is wrecking and crashes. However, there are some crashes that could be avoided - and Saturday's crash was one of them.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

___________________________
Photo: Coming to the checkered flag, Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski tangle in the battle for the victory during Saturday's Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250. (Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)

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Is Edwards Really to Blame for Last Lap Wreck?

Commentators were unsure, teams were angry, and fans were thrilled. After tonight's Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway, even NASCAR is unsure of whether the last-lap incident was intentional or just hard racing.

It seems that tonight's altercation went beyond just NASCAR and its fans as Carl Edwards was the number one trending topic on twitter.com--which I personally have never seen. As I was reading tweets about Carl and the incident, I realized most people either felt that Edwards did what was within his limitations in regards to NASCAR's rules--or they felt that Edwards had inadvertant plans to kill Keselowski. Brad's father, Bob, felt that the latter was true. I believe that Brad's father and fans have no right to blame Carl. Bob Keselowski made the comment that Carl nearly put Brad into the grandstands in Atlanta--but what about Talladega when Carl literally had pieces of his car fly into the grandstands? If Bob Keselowski wants to preach about safety and "killing" other drivers, he may want to direct his comments towards his son, Brad, as well.

The fact that fans can casually make comments about a professional racecar driver wanting to kill another is preposterous. No one driver wants to kill a colleague. Do they want to win races? Of course! The point of being involved in one of the most watched racing series in the world is to win races and win championships. If Brad had been nose to bumper with Carl leading coming out of turn 4, he wouldn't have budged. He may have made an even more controversial move, if you can imagine what that would be like.


If anything, Brad came out of turn 4 hot and trying to get everything he could--so he slid up and the back of his car slid against the left front of Edward's nose, sending Keselowski sailing--and Edwards to the front. It was the end of the race, it was to be expected. But no fan, no commentator, no driver could have expected the brief race on the front-stretch to the checkered flag to be so divided and controversial.


Tonight's incident would have been minute if the incident had happened further back in the pack instead of being at the very front. I've heard people say that the hit Keselowski took was what made Carl's controversial move "bad." Was that not the exact case last fall at Talladega? Not only did Keselowski take Edwards out, Ryan Newman got the brunt of it as well. There were drivers who were innocent bystanders in tonights race which made the incident all the more "horrific," but don't forget about last fall. In my mind, last fall was more horrific, considering fans were injured in the process. Atlanta was between Edwards and Keselowski, and although that was pure pay-back for Talladega--the fact that no fans or other drivers were involved was a blessing.

The incident at Talladega left Edward fans

in shock, and others notice Keselowski.

I will admit, I'm not the biggest fan of Keselowski--and am quite the ed-head... but putting my personal feelings aside, I will say that I think Carl's last-lap move was half desperation to win, and half payback for Keselowski's nudge on the prior turn. Everyone knows of the prior Edward/Keselowski incidents--first at Talladega, and then payback at Atlanta. I believe that both drivers put their differences aside following the horrific accident at Atlanta where Edwards intentionally wrecked Keselowski and sent him into the air. Of course this was prior to the spoiler being re-introduced into NASCAR... but nonetheless both Edwards and Keselowski have been sent sailing into the air by one another.

Carl's move was a black or white move. There was no gray area in it. He abided by the rules put before him and then got scolded. If NASCAR penalizes him for the incident, they will be setting a horrible precedent for races to come. Dave Burns, Rusty Wallace, and Ricky Craven, the commentators in the booth for the Nationwide Race, were unsure of whether or not the incident would be perceived as NASCAR getting back to it's roots, or just dirty driving. Some may say that in the past, Carl has made some dirty moves--but what driver hasn't? Earnhardt was known for his "Intimidator" persona, and applauded for it. Guys like Stewart and Harvick are known for their no bull attitude on and off the track... but they all do it within NASCAR's ruling.


There is no doubt that Carl is not 100% right in every move he makes on the race track, but is it not obvious that neither is Brad? The Nationwide Series race at Gateway International Raceway was definitely a race fans will remember, but if NASCAR were to deprive Edwards of the win or points, they would be going against everything they've been preaching since February; Pre-Daytona 500 and Pre-Budweiser Shootout. By letting the boys race, you're giving them free reigns to make last-minute decisive moves such as the one that was made tonight. NASCAR was made famous because of the 1979 Daytona 500 fight--and for all we know, tonight's drama could be the next big incident to publicize why NASCAR racing is as intense as it is. And as with all other sports--by Wednesday, Keselowski and Edwards could have buried the hatchet.

The opinions in this article are of the author and do not reflect upon Skirts & Scuffs or other contributors.
Photo Courtesy NASCAR.com, Sports Illustrated, and PitRoadScene.com

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Keselowski charges to Nationwide win at RIR

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

RICHMOND, Va. (April 30, 2010) — After a late caution turned a runaway into a challenge for Brad Keselowski, a late four-tire call proved decisive, as Keselowski stormed to the front from fourth place during a green-white-checkered-flag finish to win Friday night's Bubba Burger 250 Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway.

Keselowski, who led 189 of 252 laps, had an advantage of almost two seconds when Paul Menard slammed the Turn 2 wall on Lap 245 of a scheduled 250 at the .75-mile short track.

"I'm coming," Keselowski radioed to crew chief Paul Wolfe, steering his car toward pit road for a four-tire stop.

Kyle Busch and Justin Allgaier stayed out on old tires, while Jamie McMurray and Greg Biffle each took two. Busch led the field to green on Lap 251 with Allgaier beside him, McMurray on the inside of the second row and Keselowski alongside in fourth.

Biffle surged forward from the fifth spot, and by the time the cars reached Turn 3 on the next-to-last lap, Keselowski and Biffle had separated themselves from the pack. A lap later, Keselowski passed to the inside and ultimately crossed the finish line .261 seconds ahead of Biffle.

McMurray finished third, Busch fourth and Carl Edwards fifth. Keselowski extended his series lead to 59 points over seventh-place finisher Kevin Harvick.

The victory was Keselowski's second in as many weeks to go with last Sunday's victory at Talladega Superspeedway.

"That's what you pay me to do, R.P.," Keselowski radioed to team owner Roger Penske after powering his No. 22 Dodge across the finish line.

"Man, this is awesome to watch you, Brad," Penske replied.

Keselowski and Wolfe's decision to pit for tires proved to be the winning move.

"If we lost this race, and I didn't take tires, I'd be so mad," said Keselowski, who won for the eighth time in the series. "We came down pit road and got those tires and made the right move on Greg on the last lap, and it all worked out."

Busch started from the pole but couldn't hold Keselowski off on old or new tires.

"We didn't have the car tonight," Busch said. "We just didn't have anything for the 22 tonight. He was stellar."

Keselowski and Busch were the class of the field for the first 100 laps. Busch started from the pole and stayed out front for 58 laps, before Keselowski nosed ahead at the start/finish line on Lap 59.

By the time Scott Lagasse's blown right front tire necessitated the third caution of the race on Lap 95, Keselowski had opened a lead of more than five seconds over Busch and had reduced the number of cars on the lead lap to 16.

From that point on, though, it remained Keselowski's race. He surrendered the lead only once the rest of the way—when he pitted for the four tires before the final restart.

Bubba Berger 250 results:

1. Brad Keselowski
2. Greg Biffle
3. Jamie McMurray
4. Kyle Busch
5. Carl Edwards
6. Joey Logano
7. Kevin Harvick
8. Reed Sorenson
9. Brendan Gaughan
10. Matt Kenseth
11. Kelly Bires
12. James Buescher*
13. Mike Bliss
14. Jason Keller
15. Justin Allgaier
16. Jason Leffler
17. Steve Wallace
18. Coleman Pressley
19. Paul Menard
20. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*
21. Trevor Bayne
22. Kenny Wallace
23. Clint Bowyer
24. Tony Raines
25. Steve Arpin
26. Michael Annett
27. Willie Allen
28. Brian Scott *
30. Shelby Howard
31. Eric McClure
32. Hermie Sadler
33. Johnny Chapman
34. Scott Lagasse Jr.
35. Joe Nemechek
36. Morgan Shepherd
37. Josh Wise Ford
38. Kevin Lepage
39. David Gilliland
40. Mike Wallace
41. Mark Green
42. Derrike Cope
43. Brian Keselowski

*Rookie

PHOTOS AND TEXT FROM NASCAR MEDIA

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Keselowski deducted 50 points for rule violations at Talladega

NASCAR announced Wednesday that three NASCAR Nationwide Series teams have been fined and docked points due to rule violations during this past weekend’s event at Talladega Superspeedway. The No. 22 piloted by race winner and Nationwide points leader Brad Keselowski, the No. 75 driven by Bobby Gerhart and the No. 05 piloted by Willie Allen were penalized.

Paul Wolfe, crew chief for the No. 22 team, was fined $10,000 for violating Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules) and 20A-12.1A(8) (unapproved left front spring). Wolfe was fined an additional $10,000 for violating Sections 12-1, 12-4-J and 20A-12.3T (unapproved right front shock absorber) of the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series rule book.

Jodi Geschickter, owner of the No. 22 team, was penalized with the loss of 25 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship owner points for violating 12-1, 12-4-J and 20A-12.1A(8), and lost an additional 25 owner points for violating 12-1, 12-4-J and 20A-12.3T.

Keselowski was docked 25 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship driver points for violating 12-1, 12-4-J and 20A-12.1A(8). He also surrendered an additional 25 driver points for violating 12-1, 12-4-J and 20A-12.3T. The rule violations for the No. 22 team were discovered during post-race inspection on April 25.

Keselowski remains the Nationwide points leader in wake of the penalty, but his lead was trimmed from 60 to 10 points over Kevin Harvick.

Bob Schacht, crew chief of the No. 75 team, was fined $5,000 for violation of Sections 12-1, 12-4-J and 20A-12-E (reinforcement extended forward of the coil spring mounting pad). Schacht was fined an additional $2,500 for being in violation of 12-1, 12-4-J and 20A-12 (use of hollow bolts in truck trailing arms and panhard bar). The infractions were discovered during opening-day inspection on April 22.

Gerhart drove the No. 75 to a 25th-place finish in Sunday's race.

Also Newt Moore, crew chief of the No. 05 team, was fined $2,500 after being found in violation of 12-1, 12-4-J and 20A-12.1B(8) (non-magnetic steel rear jacking bolts). These infractions also were found during opening-day inspection.

Allen failed to qualify for the Nationwide event at Talladega.

PHOTO FROM NASCAR MEDIA

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Shell/Pennzoil moves to Penske

Shell/Pennzoil, currently a primary sponsor of the No. 29 Sprint Cup Series entry of Richard Childress Racing with driver Kevin Harvick announced on Wednesday that it would be taking its primary sponsorship dollars elsewhere -- to Penske Racing.

Beginning in 2011, Shell and Pennzoil we provide the primary colors on a No. 22 Sprint Cup Series car at Penske, and Kurt Busch, who currently drives the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge for Penske will move over to that No. 22.

"Kurt is a champion, a great driver, and has been an enthusiastic ambassador for Miller Lite over the past four years," MillerCoors Chief Marketing Officer Andy England said. "We want to thank him for that, and we look forward to chasing the 2010 Sprint Cup championship with Kurt and the whole team at Penske Racing."

To read the rest of this article, go to Cup Series News & Notes.

Photo of Kurt Busch courtesy of NASCAR Media.

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He Won't Back Down

Brad Keselowski. Many hate him, while many love him. I, for one, love him. He is a great driver with great talent that a lot of fans don’t see because of their hate for him. Brad has many wins in Nationwide to the wild win at Talladega. But the way he won’t back down has fans divided.

Many people do not like Brad's aggressive driving. People complain that he goes out there and just wrecks the drivers to get what he wants ... well, what driver doesn’t? Can we honestly say there isn’t a driver who races that wouldn’t wreck someone to gain position? Some of the greatest drivers in history were very aggressive, such as Tim Richmond, Darrell Waltrip and of course my favorite, Dale Earnhardt.

Now I hate comparing drivers to others, but when you look at Dale Earnhardt, people hated the way he raced - they said he was no good. But at the same time, the fans loved him. The fans loved to see him race and wreck someone, bash and beat someone. People loved it, and Brad Keselowski is bringing that back to NASCAR. I love watching Brad race with the big boys and not back down. He keeps them on their toes and I love that.

When I hear Brad say how he won’t let anyone walk all over him and he won’t let someone push him down, I think we as fans and people can relate to that. Because do we really like to be pushed down, or to be told what to do? No, we don’t - and that’s the stand Brad is taking. He doesn’t want to be pushed down; he won’t back down for what he loves doing, which is racing.

Lately I’ve noticed a great change in Brad. His finishes and racing are getting better and better as the races go by. Whatever setup they have over at Penske is working great, and I mean great.

My goal in writing this is in the hope that maybe you can see Brad somewhat like I see him: a great upcoming racer who doesn’t get the respect and praise that he should. Some may not agree with me and that’s fine, but that’s just part of life.

Brad in a lot of ways has helped me in school and such. I used to not stand up for myself. I used to let people walk all over me, but when I heard Brad say he won’t let people bully him, it got me to thinking, why should I? Brad is a great inspiration to some, whether it's through his words or his racing. I know the feeling I get when I see him going three-wide or four-wide - it’s a great feeling, and actually, great doesn’t even cut it.

To sum this up, Brad Keselowski has the talent, has the heart and the great guidance to be the best. I’ve seen it a lot from him and I know soon we will see him in Victory Lane.

I close with a great quote by Brad Keselowski:

“When you are willing to tear down your own house just to get to someone else’s that is the epitome of defeat.”

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.
PHOTOS FROM NASCAR MEDIA

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Keselowski hopes short-track success will extend to Martinsville

After standout performances in last week’s Sprint Cup and Nationwide races at Bristol, Brad Keselowski finds himself a rookie at Martinsville. The driver of the No. 12 Penske Dodge will make his first Cup start at the short track in Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500.

Keselowski’s limited experience at the 0.526-mile speedway consists of four starts in the Camping World Truck Series. His best finish was 18th in a truck owned by his father, Bob Keselowski, in 2005. The last time he competed at Martinsville was in 2007, finishing 20th in a truck for J.L. Pennington.

In the three years since he has raced at Martinsville, Keselowski has found success at another short track, Bristol. In six Nationwide starts, he has one win, three top 5s, including last week’s second-place finish, and one top 10. In his lone Sprint Cup start at Bristol, Keselowski placed 13th, his best finish this season. He led 26 laps and ran in the top 10 for most of the race.

Though Bristol and Martinsville are very different, crew chief Jay Guy believes Keselowski’s talent for short-track racing will carry over to Martinsville.

“Martinsville is probably the toughest track to visit for the first time, but I’m very confident that we can have a good run this weekend. Short-track racing is something that Brad has shown he has the ability to do well,” Guy said.

Keselowski has made progress in his first full-time Sprint Cup season. Last week’s top-15 finish at Bristol came two weeks after Keselowski had been running as high as fourth at Atlanta. After falling back a spot to fifth, Keselowski’s chance at a top-5 finish was marred when Carl Edwards wrecked him in the closing laps, causing Keselowski’s car to go airborne. Keselowski finished the day 36th.

After five races into the 2010 season, Keselowski and the No. 12 team are 30th in the Sprint Cup driver and owner standings.

He will start 30th in Sunday's race. Qualifying was rained out Friday and the field was set according to owner points.

The Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville also marks the first Sprint Cup race with the new spoiler, which replaces the much-maligned rear wing. The wing has been criticized for its looks and negative impact on competition. It’s also been speculated the wing played a part in causing racecars to go airborne in both races at Talladega last year, as well as Keselowski’s car in the Atlanta wreck.

Keselowski participated in testing with the spoiler at Talladega and earlier this week at Charlotte. He has one Sprint Cup victory with the wing, at Talladega last April.

Keselowski said the spoiler’s return will be “a great thing for our series” and will likely improve the quality of racing.

“It’s a more traditional look that the fans have said they want. We’ve had some great racing this year, but the spoiler gives the car a little more down force that will, hopefully, allow us to put on an even better show,” Keselowski said.

The driver of the No. 12 is confident Penske Racing is prepared for the change.

“It will take some time for us to adjust, but we have very talented people working here at Penske Racing that will make it as seamless as possible.”

PHOTO FROM NASCAR MEDIA

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Live from Las Vegas: What's Gone on So Far

Busch.

Keselowski.

Danica.

Kim Kardashian?

What a weekend we've already had here in Vegas. We have an all-Penske pole weekend, rain coming and going, Danica Patrick's last race for four months, a battle of the Busch brothers, track records being made, and so much more.

Personally, my fun started on Thursday.

My morning started off by pulling into the Southpoint hotel, where some of the haulers were being kept. They were sitting in a parking lot behind the hotel and were open to the public to see. I walked in and out of the different haulers and even watched as some of the cars were being tweaked. I talked with some of the drivers of the haulers and even ran into Steve Addington, crew chief for Kurt Busch, who was helping out with Brad Keselowski's car. Haulers pulled in over time and the fans did as well. Daytona 500 winner Jaime McMurray got a spot right in the middle for all to see, with his new sponsor McDonald's already on his truck.

After I was done drooling over the hotness of the haulers, I headed to the ESPN Zone Las Vegas for the fifth annual Rookie of the Year Cook Off. This year's participants were Nationwide rookies Brian Scott, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Colin Brain, James Buescher, and Sprint Cup rookies Kevin Conway and Terry Cook. The winning team, who called themselves “Le Chef Dum Dums” because they bribed the voters – children from the local Boys and Girls Clubs – with Dum Dum lollipops, won with their mac'n'cheese.

With little time to spare, I made it in time to Pole Position Raceway, an indoor go-kart track made famous locally by Kurt Busch. I arrived a bit early, in time to watch Kevin Harvick race at a Coca-Cola sponsored event (he rain into a wall before his race was red-flagged for a dead car on the track). When his event was over, Kurt Busch and the rest of his participants arrived for the Second Annual Kurt Busch “Sprint for the Kids” Go Kart Race. Participants included Busch, Brad Keselowski, Sam Hornish Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr., and Kelly Bires, media members Jeff Gluck and Marty Smith as well as local up-and-coming racers. The event raised about $30,000 and everyone had fun ... well, maybe not Marty Smith, who got into an accident and has his helmet fly off (you can see the clip at NASCAR Now on ESPN.com).

I then hopped over to a Jimmie Johnson question and answer session. To be honest, it wasn't all that great. Fans just asked “can I have your autograph?” and “do you remember when you did this...?” Thank goodness for a moderator who knew what they were talking about.

Then qualifying day came. I headed to the track decked out in my Dale Jr. gear, with plans to switch to Brad Keselowski when I found his hauler. I hit up the “Neon Garage” and took pictures with the super-sized Target shopping carts promoting Juan Pablo and even watched a couple get married in Victory Lane. Only in Vegas, right?

Qualifying was intense, with 18 guys breaking Kyle Busch's old record. The official new record-holder? Kurt Busch. Only in Vegas. :)

I hit up a quick Rusty Wallace Incorporated autograph session with Rusty, Steven Wallace and Brendan Gaughan. The line wound through the entire Southpoint Hotel & Casino and lasted an hour. Nothing like seeing a race tire being carted through a casino to make your day complete.

Today has been interesting since the rain has been coming and going. Nationwide qualifying made it in just before the morning rain began, with Brad Keselowski taking the pole (and a new track record) and Cup practice almost finished both sessions before the rain started.

As I write this, driver introductions for the Sam's Town 300 just concluded but the rain is coming down – hard. Will we actually get the race in? Not sure.

But stay tuned to Skirts and Scuffs – I'll keep you posted!

Oh, and Kim Kardashian … her perfume line is sponsoring Mike Bliss' No. 36 tomorrow and she will be co-Grand Marshall of the race. She is not here yet though, but I will make sure to give you a play-by-play of her events. Or not.

Let me know what you want to know about!

Follow me on Twitter at @FarrahWrites for up-to-the-minute updates throughout the entire weekend.

The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not reflect those of this site or its other contributors.

Photo Courtesy: Farrah Kaye

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The Keselowski Katch Up – Auto Club Speedway

Nationwide: Brad Keselowski's run in the Nationwide race was uneventful until the last lap. On the last restart, Keselowski started 4th when Greg Biffle tapped the back of leader Joey Logano, making him loose. Biffle took over the lead and Kyle Busch, Logano and Biffle battled for the lead.

When Keselowski got into the pack and they headed towards the finish line, he and Logano headed towards the top of the track. Keselowski bumped the back of Logano, sending him spinning into the infield. Keselowski took 3rd.

Cup: Keselowski ran in the 20s for most of the race and besides a bit of trading paint with David Reutimann for a lap, he pretty much went unnoticed until around 27 laps to go, when he took a solo spin around the track and brought out the 6th caution of the day. After pitting for four new tires, he headed back on track. He remained unnoticed and ended in a respectable 21st.

So far this year, Keselowski is starting off not-so-hot. With his big win in the No. 09 last year at Talladega and his third in points in the Nationwide Series, I think Keselowski had a lot to prove, especially with moving to a new team. Under the mentoring of Kurt Busch I think he can start doing better. We only have had two races in, so I suppose it's hard to judge.

The boys are off to Vegas this week (and this reporter will be there!), where unfortunately in the Cup race, last year Keselowski crashed the No. 25 GoDaddy.com Chevy on lap two. Hopefully this year he does better. But then again, this is Vegas … and anything can happen here!


The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not reflect those of this site or its other contributors.

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