CONCORD, N.C. -- It's only two Sprint Cup races, and maybe not even that if Brad Keselowski can't get the No. 25 Chevrolet of Hendrick Motorsports to go fast enough during qualifying.

But in making it official Tuesday that Keselowski will attempt to make his Cup debut Oct. 11 at Lowe's Motor Speedway and then also will attempt to make the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 2, team owner Rick Hendrick was even more emphatic and clear about where the 24-year-old driver is headed.

“

Everyone in our organization has been blown away by his talent, and his feel for the car. He is the future of the company.

”

-- RICK HENDRICK

"Everyone in our organization has been blown away by his talent, and his feel for the car," said Hendrick, who later added that he considers Keselowski "the future of the company."

Hendrick certainly didn't hold back on the accolades for Keselowski, who currently drives the No. 88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports -- owned by Hendrick driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- full-time in the Nationwide Series. Keselowski earned the first two Nationwide wins of his career earlier this season, and currently resides third in the points standings.

Hendrick Motorsports works closely with JR Motorsports in helping fund and field Keselowski's Nationwide ride. But Hendrick's Tuesday announcement -- and the adjectives he used to describe how he feels about Keselowski's talent and immediate future -- only added to the fairy-tale quality of the young driver's meteoric rise to the top of his sport.

It was only a little more than a year ago when Earnhardt first tabbed Keselowski over other more seasoned veterans to drive the No. 88 in the Nationwide Series, and almost immediately started singing the driver's praises loudly enough to catch Hendrick's attention.

"I think Brad has proven he's got the talent," Hendrick said. "He's done a lot for our organization already, both with JR Motorsports in the Nationwide car and for us [at Hendrick] in the [new] car. He's the future of our company, and we don't want there to be any pressure. We just want him to get out there and learn and get the seat time."

Keselowski added: "There are a lot of young drivers out there throughout the Nationwide ranks who have gotten opportunities. But I can't think of anybody who has gotten a better opportunity than I have here with Hendrick Motorsports. It's a dream come true. The last year and a half has been a dream come true. I didn't think it could get much better than that, but it just continues to."

Hendrick downplayed the possibility that getting a young driver seat time during the Chase might not be wise. Critics have charged that rookies first learning to drive at the Cup level have no business being on the track with veterans who are trying to decide the season's championship.

"He knows it's important, and we all know it's important in the Chase, not to take any chances that might cause problems and jeopardize any of the Chase players," Hendrick said. "This is a learning seat-time experience for Brad and our organization. ... He's definitely showed us he's got all the talent in the world, and we look forward to bringing him along."

Keselowski is driving the No. 25 for Hendrick Motorsports during the two-day test for Cup teams at Lowe's Motor Speedway that began Tuesday and will run, weather permitting, through 9 p.m. Wednesday. Hendrick said Keselowski will continue to work with long-time Hendrick crew chief Lance McGrew, both during the test sessions and during his attempts to run in the Cup races.

"As he's developed on the Nationwide Series here with two wins and running for the championship, we think it's time to give him some seat time in the real deal," Hendrick said. "He and Lance have had some good chemistry. Lance has worked with young drivers before, and he's been super-impressed with Brad's talent and knowledge of the car. He's pointed out things in the COT that our other drivers didn't even point out to the [Research and Development] team. So they're pretty pumped up."

So is Keselowski, who knows that to make these two potential Cup starts reality he will first have to qualify the No. 25 car into those events based on speed. If qualifying were to get rained out at either event, he would not be in the starting field.

"I know other drivers that would kill for this opportunity. I'm looking forward to having some fun with it and taking advantage of it," Keselowski said. "The first thing we've got to do is make sure we're in the races, getting that covered. Then we'll try to see that we finish them."

Also: 1on1 with Rick Hendrick