Michigan native Keselowski heads home for Cup attempt

BROOKLYN, Mich. (Aug. 13, 2009) – This weekend, Brad Keselowski will suit up for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series attempt at his home track Michigan International Speedway. Born roughly 100 miles from the racetrack, the Rochester Hills native cut his racing teeth running local tracks in quarter midgets and late-model stock cars. He has two NASCAR Nationwide Series runs under his belt at Michigan’s two-mile oval, and he hopes to translate some of that success onto the Cup circuit for Friday’s qualifying session. That’s when Keselowski will attempt to put Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 25 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet into the field for the 400-mile event at Michigan. Qualifying will be televised Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET on SPEED. Race coverage will begin Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN, and the green flag is scheduled to drop at 2 p.m. Keselowski will drive Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 25-537, which is the same car he drove to a seventh-place finish at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in May. "I'm so excited to come back home to the Michigan area and have the opportunity to race at this track,” Keselowski said. “I've been able to be at home this week and spend time with my family, which is always good. To race in front of my hometown fans, though, is so exciting for me, and I would love nothing more than to give them a good finish. We had such a strong car at my last race with Hendrick Motorsports at Chicago, and I really think we can do it again. (Crew chief) Tony (Eury) Jr. made some great calls in the pits, and I'm really excited to be able to work with him again." Keselowski and Eury combined for a strong effort in their last Cup event on July 11 at Chicagoland Speedway. The rookie driver started 29th and climbed his way into the top 10 by Lap 240 at Chicagoland Speedway. But with 15 laps left in the 267-lap affair, Keselowski was racing for position when he made contact with another competitor. He finished 32nd.