Catchfence

2011 NSCS Brad Keselowski - Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger

Ford 400

Homestead-Miami Speedway

November 20, 2011

TV: ESPN at 3:00 PM ET Radio: MRN/Sirius Channel 90 at 2:00 PM ET

No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger News and Notes

• · This Week’s Charger… The No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team will race chassis PRS-804during Sunday’s Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (HMS). This is a new chassis to the No. 2 fleet.
• · No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge in 2011… After 35 points-paying events, Keselowski and the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team are ranked fourthin the 2011 Chase for the Championship standings. Keselowski sits 65 points behind series leader Carl Edwards following an 18^th-place finish in the Kobalt Tools 500 at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) last Sunday afternoon.
• · Approaching 350… The victory by Sam Hornish Jr. in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at PIR last Saturday gave Penske Racing 349 all-time race victories. One of the most-successful teams in professional sports, Penske Racing will attempt to grab win No. 350 this weekend at HMS.
• · Shedding the Dark Horse Label… Thanks to three wins, 10 top-five finishes, 14 top-10 results and 19 races led for a total of 287 laps, Keselowski’s breakout 2011 Cup Series season should have him poised to enter 2012 as a legitimate contender for the championship.
• · Cheers To The Champion… The featured tag line on the rear bumper of the “Blue Deuce” this weekend in Homestead will be “Cheers To The Champion.” Keselowski gave it a valiant effort, but will come up just short of the championship in his first year behind the wheel of the Miller Lite Dodge and this message serves as a congratulation to the eventual champion.
• · Deuces Wild…When Brad wins a race during the 2011 Chase for the Championship, two lucky fans will win their own “man cave,” compliments of Miller Lite. The man cave gear includes a “kegerator,”a dart board, Miller Lite neon sign, a basketball game and pub furniture. Visit MillerLite.com/Brad to enter.
• · The Rest is History… In 30 combined Cup Series starts at HMS, Penske Racing drivers have recorded three top-five finishes and seven top-10 results. Team Penske drivers have captured one win, 14 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes at Homestead and they have led 629 laps in open-wheel competition.

Brad Keselowski on his first year driving the iconic No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge

“This has definitely been a dream season for me in my first year driving the ‘Blue Deuce.’We were able to show progression as the year went along and that was one of the most important things for me. This was basically a new team and for us to compete for the championship in our first year together really bodes well for our future. With the success that we had this year, it changes the goal and expectations for 2012. Now we want to fire out of the box strongnext season, compete for wins early, and show everyone that we are going to be a legitimate team for years to come. I’ll take a little time to myself over the off-season, but I’m already excited about going to Daytona next year.”

Brad Keselowski on racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway

“I like going to Homestead and I enjoy the racing that it provides. One of the coolest things about that track is just how wide it is. I think it’s really a racy track. I like how you can run the top, middle and bottom. It’s kind of got a Michigan feel, so to speak, and it’s a good race. You want a venue like that to settle the championship, a place where it’s all in the driver’s hands and up to them to get the job done.”

Crew chief Paul Wolfe on Homestead-Miami Speedway

“We’re bringing another new car to the track for the fourth consecutive weekend and we’re excited about how it will race. Our cars have really progressed over the last couple of months. We’ve seen a lot of gains across the board. The intermediate tracks have been up and down for us this year, but I feel like we can go to Homestead this weekend and have a strong finish to the season. The key to running well at Homestead – and this is true of almost any track we visit – is keeping your car turning well in the middle of the corners while maintaining good drive on corner exit. It’s been a great year. Although we came up a little short in the championship, we are focused on finishing inside the top five in the standings. That would be a good accomplishment for everyone on this Miller Lite Dodge team.”