Tomorrow, a man from Rochester Hills has a chance to do something no one from the state of Michigan has ever done.
28 year old Brad Keselowski is the son, nephew and brother of race car drivers.
But he’ll have the bragging rights at the Thanksgiving dinner table this year, if he becomes the first Michigander to win stock car racing’s biggest prize: the Sprint Cup title.
Keselowski currently leads in the NASCAR points standings going into the season’s final race at Homestead, Florida. He only has to place 15th or better to take the NASCAR crown.
But there are two hurdles for Keselowski to overcome. First he’s only finished in the top 15 in Homestead once in four tries. Second, his nearest competitor is five time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.
On Friday, Keselowski was asked if he’s been able to block out everything going on around him and concentrate on the race. “I’m not going to lie to you and say that I’ve blocked everything out but I’m enjoying it,” Keselowski told reporters, “And that’s just as important.”
Keselowski drives from motor racing icon Roger Penske. Penske was asked would it be significant in a team sports town like Detroit for a local man to win NASCAR’s biggest prize.
“If we could bring back to Michigan and to Detroit the NASCAR championship, I think it's a big deal. And for the state, for the city, and obviously for Rochester Hills, for Brad,” Penske told reporters, “ He's a big Detroit supporter, and if I could do that, it would be a great time for us, and I'm sure that everyone that loves racing will say, hey, it's about time.”
If he does win, this wouldn’t be the first title for Keselowski. He won NASCAR’s junior circuit, the Nationwide series championship in 2010.
