Photo – Christian Petersen/Getty Images
While most of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage will take a much deserved weekend off for Father’s Day next weekend, driver Brad Keselowski won’t and will drive the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Iowa Speedway on Sun., Jun. 19.
Keselowski will make his sixth XFINITY start of the season at the NASCAR-owned short track, but the 2012 Cup champion said it was more than just liking the track as the reason for giving up some coveted downtime.
“There were a lot of factors,” said Keselowski. “One, I really like the race track at Iowa and I have been fortunate enough to win a handful of races there before. We kind of balance that XFINITY Series schedule between three drivers with myself, Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano. Last year I skipped those races to be with my daughter. She ended up being born a week or two before that and I wanted to be with her.
“I kind felt like I had a good opportunity to win the race and I skipped out on them last year and kind of owed it to the team to run it this year. I don’t expect that to be every year but this year it felt like the right thing to do for those guys and the sponsors.”
Keselowski’s decision to enter the American Ethanol E15 250 next weekend is a nice gesture for Team Penske, but it’s bad news for the rest of the competition. Expected to be one of the few full-time Cup competitors to compete in the 14th race of the season, the Rochester Hills, Michigan native is also likely to be one of the top contenders for the race.
In honor of Father’s Day coinciding with Wide Opening Weekend, Keselowski has agreed to partner with the track in offering a special ticket package. ‘Brad K’s Father’s Day Special for 2’ will allow fans to save 25% off retail pricing on two (2) Upper Grandstand Tickets, two (2) Casey’s General Stores Fan Walk Passes, and two (2) Racing Electronics Headsets and Scanners, when purchased as a bundle.
“The Father’s Day weekend race will be special now not only as a dad myself, but also as I think back on all the time I spent at the racetrack with my father and what a great bonding experience that was – a lot of terrific memories,” added Keselowski. “I look forward to seeing a full-house and hopefully celebrating in victory lane.”
Looking for his fourth win at Iowa and third with Team Penske on Sunday afternoon, the trip to Iowa Speedway also allows the opportunity for Keselowski to keep an eye on his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams driven by Daniel Hemric and Tyler Reddick, who will race Friday night at Iowa.
In five XFINITY starts this season, Keselowski has a best finish of third at Texas Motor Speedway with three additional top-ten runs. Entering Saturday’s Menards 250 presented by Valvoline at Michigan International Speedway, Team Penske is looking for its first win of 2016.
Keselowski won the inaugural XFINITY Series race, the U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway in 2009.