When Brad Keselowski likes a race track, REALLY likes it, he simply cannot get enough of it.
Such is the case with Bristol Motor Speedway. The 28-year-old winner of the last two Sprint Cup events at BMS decided several months ago when August race week rolled around, he would stay as busy as possible.
So his goal while at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile next week is not to just complete the 950 laps of the UNOH 200 Camping World Truck Series event, Food City 250 Nationwide Series race and Sprint Cup IRWIN Tools Night Race, but to be the one doing the burnout after each one.
“I just really enjoy racing at Bristol,” said Keselowski. “It’s a track that I’ve been comfortable on from my very first lap. I will always seriously consider running the Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series races there each (year) because it’s a good race track for me.”
Keselowski, whose first win at BMS came in the August 2008 Food City 250 while driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr., is a bit more anxious than usual to get some laps on the concrete oval. Since NASCAR last raced at Bristol in March, the track’s surface has been altered through a milling process, removing the progressive banking in the top groove of the turns. Tony Stewart, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer took part in a June tire test and believed the alteration would result in less racing space on the revamped surface.
“This time around, running those races will mean a little more as it will give me a chance to get on the new surface prior to Saturday night,” said Keselowski. “I feel like I’ve had a pretty good handle on Bristol Motor Speedway over the last few years, but with the new surface it will almost be like starting over. Plus, I want to get a (NASCAR Camping World) Truck Series win and Bristol gives me a good shot to do that.”
Keselowski begins his quest for a Camping World Truck Series win when the green flag drops on the UNOH 200 Doubleheader Wednesday night, Aug. 22 at 8 p.m. After a day off, he will race in the Food City 250 under the lights Aug. 24 and complete his race week work Aug. 25 with the IRWIN Tools Night Race. Both races get under way at 7:30 p.m.
BMS PR
