Team Penske announced on Tuesday that REESE and Draw-Tite will serve as main sponsors for Brad and his No. 2 Ford Fusion for two races during the 2018 season. The Deuce will don the new lead sponsors in March at Martinsville Speedway and in September at Richmond Raceway. REESE branding will also be showcased on the No. 2 Ford throughout the 2018 MENCS season.

The agreement is part of a multi-year partnership between Team Penske and Horizon Global towing and trailering brands. The company will also serve as a full-season associate sponsor on the car driven by Simon Pagenaud in the Verizon IndyCar Series this season.

“Horizon Global is a Michigan-based, automotive-focused company, like Penske Corporation, and we welcome them to the Team Penske NASCAR and INDYCAR programs beginning this season,” team owner Roger Penske said. “We look forward to helping build the company’s REESE and Draw-Tite brands through motorsports and they’ll have some great opportunities working with two series champions in Brad and Simon.”

Horizon Global designs is based out of Troy, Michigan, not too far from where BK grew up in Rochester Hills. This company has been known for distributing an extensive list of towing, trailering, cargo management, and other accessory products for the automotive aftermarket. BK has been involved with Horizon Global since 2012, partnering with the company for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where they sponsored his trucks for the majority of their runs.

As a result, Brad’s strong relationship with Horizon Global Americas President John Aleva helped the two sides come together for the possibility of extreme growth.

“We couldn’t be more enthusiastic to expand our motorsports involvement with Team Penske in 2018,” said John Aleva, President of Horizon Global Americas. “Over the past six seasons, we have developed a strong relationship with Brad and have seen first-hand how beneficial motorsports has been to our company. Taking the next step to grow our program with Team Penske is something we couldn’t pass up.”

BK will join the Horizon Global team at the North American International Auto Show on Thursday, January 18th, in Detroit.

The post Draw-Tite and REESE Join The 2 Crew appeared first on BradRacing.com | The Official Web Site of Brad Keselowski www.bk30beta.www.bk30beta.bradracing.com.

“Like Coach Saban, Roger expects excellence throughout our race team. He is dedicated and committed with disciplined leadership to build the total program. And, we all demand that of ourselves, which means we expect to win at Talladega again, and ultimately, another championship” Brad said.

Brad Keselowski is a massive football fan as he cheers for the blue and maze, Michigan Wolerines. There isn’t a huge rivalry at the moment considering they are not in the same conference, but Alabama’s nation-wide success drives other programs like Michigan to train and prepare even harder for what is to come from the Crimson Tide.   

“Like Coach Saban and his teams at Alabama, there is a winning tradition at Team Penske. We hope to add to that legacy with another Talladega Superspeedway triumph, and ultimately another championship.”

Keselowski’s day was jammed packed as he was able to view an Alabama football practice with a behind the scenes tour of the Mal Moore Athletic Complex. Throughout the day, he interacted with the student body to promote the Alabama 500 race. Probably the most rewarding event of the day was when Keselowski was introduced as a guest for Coach Saban’s weekly radio program ‘Hey Coach.’ Brad was presented with a custom-made No. 2 jersey during the weekly broadcast. The Penske team didn’t come empty handed as Coach Saban received a Team Penske pit crew shirt.

Tonight, Alabama will play Georgia in the National Championship game on ESPN at 8pm ET. Nick Saban will be up against one of his most infamous former assistant coaches, Kirby Smart. He is currently 11-0 against former assistants. Coach Saban will try and capture his sixth career national championship, which would tie the late Bear Bryant for the most all time and in Alabama history.

The post A Winning Tradition appeared first on BradRacing.com | The Official Web Site of Brad Keselowski www.bk30beta.www.bk30beta.bradracing.com.

That was the sentiment expressed by Brad Keselowski at the annual NASCAR Awards, held at the end of each season to honor the top drivers, and celebrate the Cup champion.

Winning does not define you as a professional athlete, handling defeat builds character and in Brad Keselowski’s memorable speech showcasing Martin Truex’s Jr. first championship, he displays the strong character that has made him so likable in NASCAR. Overall, NASCAR isn’t just won on the track, as Keselowski demonstrated via a humble speech to the champion of the 2017 season Martin Truex Jr.

The video below displays rivals Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski exchanging friendly jabs with the question, “What are you buying Brad Keselowski for Christmas?” at the 13:20 mark.

As the crowd erupts in laughter they amuse the crowd for a couple more seconds. 

Kurt Busch: I swear, that guy’s reading a road map as he’s driving.

Brad Keselowski: Is it a left?

Ryan Newman: Sometimes in the middle of the straightaway.

Watch NASCAR drivers roast each other during Champion's Week in Vegas

The post Brad Reflects on Season at NASCAR Awards appeared first on BradRacing.com | The Official Web Site of Brad Keselowski www.bk30beta.www.bk30beta.bradracing.com.

After all, the day nearly ended in catastrophe before BK and his team even got going. So finishing where they did, in the fifth position, was no small feat. And it gave Brad a 19-point cushion on the fourth and final championship spot.

“It was a long day for everybody on the Wurth Ford Fusion team,” Brad said of the AAA Texas 500. “This is the best we ran on a mile-and-a-half in some time, so I’m happy about that. I’m disappointed with the way the race started. It probably cost us 10 or more points, but I’m happy with the rebound.”

However, it wasn’t all good news for the 2 team at Texas. The race win by Kevin Harvick, along with a great points day from Martin Truex Jr. locking the No. 78 into the championship, leaves just that one spot left in the championship.

Brad currently holds that spot, but a win at Phoenix next week by one of the other four playoff drivers: Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott or Jimmie Johnson, would serve to knock Brad from title contention, regardless of his own result. That potential outcome will make for a heart-stopping weekend in the desert.

“We’ll need to go and have a solid race at Phoenix next week and hope none of the other guys win,” BK said. “It’s doable, but it’s going to be a nail-biter next week for sure.”

That edgy action will likely echo Sunday’s race. As it so often seems to in the NASCAR playoffs,
drama took its course early in the second race of the Round of 8.

Incidental contact between the No. 2 and the No. 18 car of Kyle Busch on the opening lap caused a flat tire on the Wurth machine, sending the Deuce, which started the race from P10, down pit road. After a frantic pit stop to change out the worn rubber, the 2 Crew got BK back out on the track. But he resumed the race one lap down, in 39th position, a long road ahead of him to get back to the front of the field.

However, staying focused with championship determination proved to be a recipe for success on Sunday for the No. 2 team. BK pushed forward through the 85-lap first segment, finishing it in P26 even though his Ford was loose on a corner entry and tight on exit. But Kes was clearly resolute to fight through any and all issues he encountered along the way on this day.

Early in the second segment, he caught his first break of the day, when a caution flag came out with the 2 as the first car one lap down. The lucky dog put him back on the lead lap and positioned him well to squeeze his way up to 14th position by the end of the second segment.

From there BK willed his Wurth Ford machine up to 11th position on Lap 178, then not only broke into the Top 10, but the Top 5 before Lap 200. Maintaining a Top 5 position from there on out proved to be a task he was up for, despite several late caution periods near the close of the race, which kept fans on the edge of their seats.

For BK, the fifth-place finish was a masterclass in overcoming adversity. And NBC Sports commentator Kyle Petty said it best regarding the heart of a champion show by the entire 2 Crew on Sunday.

“There are moments in every season and every career that you look at and say, ‘That is a championship level performance’. What Brad Keselowski, Paul Wolfe and that Penske team did today is championship level,” Petty. “They fought their way back.”

The Top 5 finish was BK’s 15th of the season, leaving him two shy of a career-high in that department. Despite earning no bonus points for leading laps or Top 10 stage finishes, Brad still solidified his grip on the fourth championship spot, as he’ll take a 19-point lead over fifth place Hamlin to Phoenix.

However, the looming prospect of a new race winner out of the Round of 8 contenders will keep things competitive from the first green flag through checkers at Phoenix. Coverage of the Can-Am 500 begins at 2 p.m. ET Sunday on NBC with the green flag scheduled to wave at 2:37 p.m. ET.

The post BK Nabs Texas Top 5 With Determined Bounceback Effort appeared first on BradRacing.com | The Official Web Site of Brad Keselowski www.bk30beta.www.bk30beta.bradracing.com.