Smack: Grading the 2009 season at halfway mark (cont'd)

3. Hendrick. Penske. Red Bull. Gibbs. Almost every team in the garage has been connected to Brad Keselowski for next season. If you're the driver, which do you choose?

Joe Menzer: Well, you didn't mention Stewart-Haas, which if you listen to Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch and others essentially is a Hendrick satellite operation. Why not there?

David Caraviello: Well, first of all, we don't which of those are real possibilities and which are just speculation. There's a lot of junk being thrown against the wall right now on this topic. But if I'm Brad, and Hendrick doesn't have room for me, and Penske is going to make a change in a No. 12 car that's won plenty of races in the past and already has sponsorship, I'm there. There are indeed a lot of ifs there, though.

What to do?

Brad Keselowski is ready to move up to the Cup Series, but the fit has to be the right one.

• Audio: SHR a nice option
• Audio: Brad talks 2010

Raygan Swan: First I have to say that I'm so proud of myself because I can spell Brad's last name now without looking it up. That said, I think he stays within the Hendrick family, and yes, Joe that could mean Stewart-Haas, the sister team.

Joe Menzer: Right, Raygan. Stewart-Haas could run a third team and BK essentially stays in the Hendrick family.

David Caraviello: But wait -- wasn't Danica Patrick touring the Stewart-Haas shop the other day? Let the speculation run wild!

Raygan Swan: Ugh, it's so frustrating that Go Daddy would likely pick her over sponsoring Brad! Just because Brad doesn't have sex appeal! Not fair.

Joe Menzer: Danica Schmanica. She's not coming to NASCAR. Frankly, I don't think she could handle it -- and by that, I mean the whole 36-race grind, the longer races, the beating and banging and mental one-upmanship.

David Caraviello: Well, as we've Smacked previously, if Danica thinks she's jumping straight into Cup, she's kidding herself. But going back to Keselowski, yes, it comes down to the best option. And who presents that right now? A fourth team at Gibbs that may or may not happen? A third team at SHR that Tony would have to find sponsorship for? JR Motorsports, which is at the Nationwide level right now?

Raygan Swan: I don't think Brad can go to Gibbs because it's already a Generation Me team. No one is over 30! They've got their hands full and I think Brad would like to stay with a Chevy.

Joe Menzer: It could come down to whichever team has enough paint in the budget to spell out Keselowski week after week after week on the car. I mean, times are tough out there.

Raygan Swan: Right, the sponsors are less likely to sign the checks, but then again it's not like Brad is a big risk. He has three top-10 finishes in like nine starts ... Joe, you know the stat.

Joe Menzer: Ah, yes. The incriminating stat that TNT put up during last Saturday's race. I don't have it in front of me. But I believe in six starts, Brad K. had the same number of wins and top-10 finishes as Junior had during his season tenure at Hendrick: 18 starts, 0 wins and three top-10s for Junior; six starts, one win and three top-10s for BK.

David Caraviello: There goes Joe, busting on Junior again. Wouldn't be Smack without it. I understand Brad wants to make the step up, and I don't blame him. But this is a tough environment in which to do something like that. He's really going to have to make a good choice.

Raygan Swan: I agree David, and the No. 12 car could be a good option, but not if he still wants to do a Nationwide season for JR Motorsports correct? That would pit Dodge versus Chevy. And I think Stremme fits on the list of disappointments this year, by the way, speaking of the No. 12 car. So much was said about his season with Rusty Wallace and a new lease on life after getting booted by an open wheeler.

David Caraviello: Yes, Raygan, Stremme has been kind of invisible, and with a race-winning driver out there looking for a ride, you wonder what may shake down at Penske. But it's just a strange situation, because Brad seemingly has all these options that, right now, aren't really options at all. Many of them could come to fruition. Or, given the economy, none of them could.

Joe Menzer: Junior had a number of top-fives and top-10s when he got off to a great start at Hendrick at the beginning of 2008. I have to note that, lest Junior Nation attack my inbox again. But Keselowski still has the same number of wins in Cup the last three years as Junior.

David Caraviello: Joe, Junior Nation has your inbox squarely in the crosshairs, my friend.

Joe Menzer: Ah, right. Because we in the media are to blame for his struggles since he came to Hendrick, right? I almost forgot.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.