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Before Brad Keselowski became an owner at RFK Racing, the driver was also an owner of a race team for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He founded the team in 2007 and it fielded now-renowned drivers such as Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney.
However, Brad Keselowski Racing shut down its operations after a ten-year run in the stock car racing scene. Many were curious about the reasons behind the decision to close the team.
What were these reasons? Let’s find out.
Brad Keselowski was thinking of his long-term plan
The decision to shut down Brad Keselowski Racing in 2017 was influenced by the owner's long-term plan. While Brad Keselowski remained mum about the larger details, part of the reason was to create a NASCAR Cup Series team.
The now-40-year-old driver intended to use the BKR facility for the proposed Cup team.
Another reason was Keselowski's uncertainties about his future in the sport. He explained that securing a seat got more complicated as he was getting older. In the same year Keselowski closed down BKR, the driver signed a multi-year extension with Team Penske. He said,
“My contract with Team Penske and the process related to it were definitely a consideration. It is tougher to get deals done now, and it’s only going to get harder. I’m no longer a driver who’s just starting out, and as I get older, it’s more difficult to justify losing money, especially as I look toward the future.”
While Keselowski said profitability was among the reasons for the closing of the race team, he said it wasn’t a huge factor. The driver told the media in 2017 that he didn’t build the team expecting to make money in the first place.
Five years later, the Michigan native became a co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing after he purchased an ownership stake in the team. The Concord-based outfit was then rebranded to Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing. He has been driving for the team since 2021, and his current teammate is Chris Buescher.
Brad Keselowski Racing's achievements during its ten-year run
BKR Racing bagged several wins during its ten-year run in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The victories were delivered by some of the most notable drivers currently competing in the Cup Series, namely Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and Tyler Reddick.
The team’s first win was earned by Blaney at Iowa Speedway in 2012 after filling in for Parker Kligerman who was relieved due to poor performance. Two years later, Keselowski won at Bristol Motor Speedway, marking a milestone of winning a race in three NASCAR national series.
In 2015, Tyler Reddick won at the Daytona International Speedway, a first for both the driver and the team. Former Team Penske teammate Joey Logano also added a race win to the 2015 season at Martinsville Speedway.
When the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champ decided to shut down BKR in 2017, he acknowledged the pain of letting go of drivers Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe. He helped his employees find new opportunities, with some going to Blaney and others staying in his camp.
