NASCAR Daily News Headlines * November 2, 2009

Keselowski To Run For Penske In Final Three Races

In September, Penske Racing announced that Keselowski would join the team full-time beginning in 2010. The talented 25-year-old native of Rochester Hills, Mich. will drive the No. 12 Penske Dodge in the Cup Series next season and he will also compete for the team in the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge in the 2010 Nationwide Series.

Over the final three Cup Series events of 2009, Keselowski will step in for David Stremme and work with the Penske Dodge team in the car that will become his full-time ride next season.

“Penske Racing wants to give Brad an opportunity to work with the team and get to know the race car as we prepare for the 2010 season,” said Roger Penske. “These three races will provide a good base for both Brad and the team as we head into next year. Penske Racing also thanks David Stremme for his contributions to the team this year. We wish David the very best moving forward.”

Keselowski has competed in 12 Cup Series races to date this season, posting four top-10 results, including his first series win as he captured the checkered flag in April at Talladega.

“I am very excited to begin working with the Penske Racing team and I look forward to competing in the No. 12 Penske Dodge in the final three Cup Series races of the year,” said Keselowski. “We all have high expectations for next season and beyond and being able to race with the team this year will only help us as we look toward 2010.”

In addition to his Cup Series success with limited seat time this season, Keselowski is also currently ranked third in the Nationwide Series championship standings. With four wins, two poles and 20 top-five finishes, Keselowski trails only Cup Series standouts Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards in the driver rankings.

Single-File Racing, NASCAR Says New Rule Not To Blame

“A lot of 500-mile races, when you listen to the teams, they work on their cars, they get their cars to handle and then they log laps during a small portion or the middle third of the race in order to have their equipment ready for the end of the race,” Pemberton said in the garage after the event. “It’s not uncommon of any 500-mile race that you see that. … [The accidents that] happened today, we didn’t have any major incidents in the corner.

“The two wrecks that happened, they happened in the free zone where we weren’t monitoring the bump-drafting or anything like that.”

Pemberton said cars might have gotten a little more strung out than usual, but drivers were just learning how to deal with the new rule in the turns. After the restart on lap 109, the remainder of the 191-lap race was fairly dicey.(scenedaily.com)

ABC’s Overnight Ratings Down

The rating is 5 percent lower than the 4.0 ABC earned overnight for its broadcast of the fall Talladega race in 2008, when the event was run on the first weekend of October. The 3.8 is 11.8 percent higher than the 3.4 ABC earned overnight for its broadcast of the Texas Cup race on the first Sunday in November of 2008.(scenedaily.com)

Mayfield Attorney Wants Paid

Mayfield brought suit against the governing body after being suspended indefinitely for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy. Court documents have since revealed he tested positive for methamphetamines. Diehl wished Mayfield luck with his case, but said, "I'm going to get paid."

Mayfield recently advertised a Nov. 20 auction to sell an executive home, log cabin, ranch home, shop and an engine barn, 475 acres of divided and personal property, construction equipment, tractors, cars, trucks, shop and race equipment, jewelry and guns in Catawba, N.C., County.

Diehl, whose fee is $1,000 per hour, said he doesn't believe Mayfield is as financially strapped as has been reported. He said his firm has asked to be paid and will seek legal action if this doesn't happen.(espn.go.com)

Race and Commercial Breakdown for the 2009 AMP Energy 500