November 28, 2009
By Brenda Benedict
Denny Hamlin has spoken out about Brad Keselowski and he doesn’t like Brad’s attitude or aggressive driving style. But apparently the fans don’t agree with Hamlin.
Last week I wrote about Keselowski and suggested it was time for him to tone it down a bit. I felt that because he is making the transition to the Sprint Cup series full-time, he needed to make some friends in the Cup garage. I wrote:
“It is time for Keselowski to devise Plan B and adjust his style. His aggressiveness worked to get him noticed and move him up to a better ride. Now it’s time to find a balance so his stay in the Sprint Cup Series will be long and successful. “
But the fans don’t agree with me. I heard from readers who expressed frustration with my viewpoint. They feel that Keselowski is making racing more interesting.
- “Brad Keselowski’s fans are sick of the cookie cutter drivers and cookie cutter tracks.”
- “Denny Hamlin is a spoiled crybaby. That is what is killing this sport”
- “Yes, he is aggressive. That’s racing!!!!!! Get over it.”
- “Imagine a young Dale Earnhardt Sr. if you will. That was his style and that’s what fans want to see.”
Keselowski was also voted the Most Popular Driver in the Nationwide Series by the fans. He received the award at last Monday’s awards banquet. It was the second consecutive year that he has been given this honor.
When receiving the award, Keselowski acknowledged his difficulties.
“I know I haven’t always done the best job of making friends on the race track – just throwing that out there. But I’d like to think I’ve got some friends off the race track and in the garage. I appreciate all their support.
Keselowski also thanked some others, including NASCAR President Mike Helton, “who I got to meet a couple weeks ago.” Keselowski was comically alluding to being called to the NASCAR hauler at the Phoenix International Raceway after an on-track altercation with Hamlin.
Keselowski seems to see it like the fans, “We just got in a pushing match. I don't really hold any grudges. It's just the way racing is, I guess.”
Kyle Busch expressed his impatience with the Keselowski-Hamlin feud after the awards banquet Monday. “I guess it's fun for the fans to see that in the sport. It's not fun for us drivers. Here you're messing with dumb kids that are still in junior high school."
Busch even went further and suggested that five drivers team up and wreck Keselowski in each of the first five races of the 2010 season so he has to qualify on time in the sixth. "I'm going to be the leader. I'm going to ante up everybody else.”
Keselowski’s racing style coupled with his results is what makes Keselowski so popular. He finished third in the Nationwide points standings with four wins and 28 top 10 finishes with an average finish of 6.9 in 2009. Those fantastic numbers have resulted in Keselowski’s move to the Sprint Cup Series where he will be driving the #12 Penske car.
As we look forward to the NASCAR season gearing up again next February, the Brad Keselowski show will be one of the most interesting storylines to follow. When Keselowski was interviewed after his Sprint Cup win in the April race at Talladega. His words express his thinking and explain why he is so successful and so popular with the fans.
“I was here to win and I've got no other reason to be here than to win.”
You can follow me at Twitter @nascarfaithful
The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.
