Plans in place: Roush, Keselowski set for full transition, but no time soon

Posted on July 21, 2021 by Zack Albert

The first phase of Roush Fenway Racing’s transition to a new ownership dynamic with Brad Keselowski begins next season. The next phase, which would entail a Keselowski shift from driving to a greater leadership role with the organization, still lacks a fine point on it.

Team owner Jack Roush and Keselowski detailed the framework of their new partnership Tuesday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, with Keselowski becoming a minority owner and driver of the team’s No. 6 Ford. Those roles begin after the 2021 campaign, when Keselowski’s long-running duties with Team Penske end. As for when an ownership torch-handing between the two Michigan natives might occur, neither is ready for their current roles to end any time soon.

“I’ve been asked to say that I’m passing my baton to him, which I am,” Roush said, “but I still have one hand on the thing, so I’m not gonna give up completely for a while.”

In the short term, Roush Fenway is getting a proven winner at the Cup Series level, one who has been reliably counted on for multiple victories each year. Keselowski has been in the Championship 4 field in two of the last four seasons and at age 37, he stands to have several productive years left in his driving career.

Just how many driving years isn’t a finite amount just yet. When Roush spoke in terms of just how long, he invoked the name of fellow Hall of Famer Mark Martin, a bell-cow driver for Roush Racing’s early years who competed in his final Cup Series race at age 54. Following that model would make the ownership transition less of a five-year plan and more like 10 or 15.

“The good Lord willing, right?” said Keselowski, who stood by a Roush No. 6 Ford driven by Martin in 1998 during his Tuesday media session. “There’s some things I control, some things I don’t control with respect to that. If my mind and body are sound to do it, we’re able to make the right moves with the team on and off the track to be competitive, then I’ll go as long I can.”

The future is certain. The exact timing of it, less so. And that’s all OK by Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark.

“It really is fluid, and it makes it easier because he’s an owner from Day 1, right?” Newmark said. “So he’s buying in Day 1 and he drives for us until he retires. As you guys can appreciate, it’s hard to pick, say, for any athlete, ‘you’re going to retire this date’ because you have no idea what’s going to happen the intervening years. As long as he’s still running competitively, competing for wins and championships, he’ll stay in that seat. And it’ll be a collaborative discussion if it looks like he’s ready to transition — for family reasons or otherwise — and when he does that, it’s all set up for him to take a greater and more daily role on the leadership side of the competition group.”

Roush isn’t ready for the full transition to kick in just yet, either. At 79, the venerable team owner remains a popular fixture on pit road and in the garage, with direct oversight of his two-car operation.

Roush has been at it on the NASCAR side of things since forming his Cup Series team in 1988, and his involvement in drag racing and sports-car series predates that. As he expressed interest in the sport’s influx of new owners and the advent of the Next Gen stock car for 2022, Roush said he intends to be ever-present amid the changing landscape.

“There are no retirement plans for me in my immediate future,” Roush said. “I intend to keep going to the race tracks the way I have and to be as much of a nuisance and distraction as I have been to my drivers and crew chiefs in the past. Over a period of time, Brad will earn his independence and he will gain a significant position of ownership in the team.

“One of the things that’s been a challenge for me is to answer the questions I’ve gotten over a period of time — ‘When are you going to retire? What is your succession plan?’ Well, Brad Keselowski and the Next Gen car and the things that we can do together in the near term and the future that we see long-term is my retirement plan, and I just hope I can take lots of green flags and lots of checkered flags before we get there.”

Posted on July 20, 2021July 20, 2021 by Staff Report

NASCAR officials opted against penalizing Kyle Busch for bumping the pace car during Sunday’s Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Busch did not appear on Tuesday’s penalty report. Competition officials had said that Busch’s actions would be addressed in the department’s weekly briefing, but no action was taken.

Busch started his Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota from the pole position in Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 and led the first six laps before a rain shower dampened the track, prompting the day’s first caution period. Busch’s car skidded into the outside retaining wall and sustained significant damage, relegating him to a last-place finish in the 37-car field. Teammates Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. also lost control in the melee.

Before his day ended, Busch circled the track under the yellow flag and made contact with the pace car before parking on pit road. He did not return to the race and was critical of NASCAR’s decision to start the event. “We started the race under a mist,” he said. “It never should have gone green to begin with, but then it kept getting worse and worse lap over lap.”

Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, later joined NBC Sports’ broadcast team to explain the sanctioning body’s process for starting the race with inclement weather looming in the vicinity of the 1.058-mile track.

Posted on July 20, 2021July 20, 2021 by Staff Report

NASCAR officials issued a pair of $10,000 fines to two Cup Series teams for lug-nut infractions after Sunday’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The violations of Section 10.9.10.4 (tires and wheels) in the NASCAR Rule Book for a single unsecured lug nut on each car were found after Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at the 1.058-mile track. That meant a fine for each team’s crew chief.

The two teams found with lug-nut violations (and their respective crew chiefs/drivers):

• No. 12 Team Penske Ford (crew chief Todd Gordon; driver Ryan Blaney)
• No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet (crew chief Travis Mack; driver Daniel Suarez)

No penalties were issued for Cup Series driver Kyle Busch, who bumped the pace car during the race’s first caution period with his damaged No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

No post-race penalties stemmed from Saturday’s Ambetter Get Vaccinated 200 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Posted on July 20, 2021July 20, 2021 by Zack Albert

Tuesday’s news that Brad Keselowski would enter a partnership with Roush Fenway Racing next season clicked some puzzle pieces into place for 2022. Other pieces in the ever-changing tumult of the NASCAR Cup Series’ team-and-driver alignments remain unsolved, including one of the prime names involved — Ryan Newman.

The Roush Fenway organization will have a new driver of its flagship No. 6 Ford next year in Keselowski, who will leave Team Penske at season’s end to take the split role of driver, minority owner and head of the team’s competition committee. The team’s full driver lineup is still to come (Chris Buescher currently drives Roush’s second car, the No. 17), but that leaves Newman looking for a new role for next season, though the door remains open that the 43-year-old driver may remain with the team in a part-time capacity.

RFR president Steve Newmark indicated that its deal with Keselowski was reached in March and that talks of expanding to a three-car Cup Series operation soon followed. Ultimately, Newmark said, the organization opted to continue as a two-car effort but with the possibility of keeping Newman with a partial schedule.

“So I’ve talked to Ryan regularly, as recently as yesterday, and we’ve talked to him about whether he’d be interested in a part-time role with us, what he wants to do next year,” Newmark said, “and I think it’s fair to say that he’s still trying to make that decision on what’s his best path and what his best direction is. I don’t think he has a timeline on when he’s going to kind of solidify his plans for 2022.”

Keselowski indicated he had been involved in those talks with Newman, saying he was bullish on keeping the veteran driver in the fold if sponsorship and support allowed.

“I did have a discussion with him to share that interest, and too early to tell what that’ll be,” Keselowski said. “And of course, depending on the proper partnership to fund it, but if there’s a partner out there to fund it, I think it’s a no-brainer for us to try to do.”

Newman joined Roush Fenway in 2019, leading the No. 6 team to a playoff appearance in a consistent first year together. He missed three races last season after a severe crash in the final lap of the Daytona 500, but recovered from injuries to finish out the year once the racing calendar resumed in May after the COVID-19 outbreak.

This season, Newman sits 27th in the Cup Series standings with just one top-five result and three top-10 finishes. But Newmark was quick to credit Newman’s role in elevating the team’s competition meetings and providing a steady presence as a 20-year veteran and an 18-time winner at the sport’s top level.

“I will say unequivocally that I have a ton of respect for Ryan and his professionalism and what he’s brought to our team,” Newmark said. “We didn’t achieve our collective goals and there were a lot of factors that kind of intervened in that, but it’s just fair to say that we really respect Ryan and appreciate the relationship with him and want to help him do whatever he wants to do next. He deserves that.”

Posted on July 20, 2021July 21, 2021 by Staff Report

Roush Fenway Racing Team President Steve Newmark announced Tuesday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame that Brad Keselowski will come on board as a driver with a minority ownership stake in the organization, starting in 2022. Keselowski is leaving Team Penske, where he has driven full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series since 2010 and has amassed 34 of his 35 Cup wins and a series championship (2012).

The Rochester Hills, Michigan, native will stay in the Ford camp. The news comes after a July 15 announcement from Team Penske that moves Austin Cindric into the No. 2 Ford for the 2022 campaign and also confirmed Keselowski’s departure from the team at the conclusion of this season.

Roush Fenway Racing currently fields the No. 6 Ford for Ryan Newman and the No. 17 Ford for Chris Buescher. Keselowski will take over the No. 6 ride in 2022. Keselowski will also assume a leadership role within the organization on the competition committee. The team will provide additional details on driver lineup, partners and other team assets at a later date.

“I am thrilled to be able to share the news about this next venture with my fans, peers, and the industry,” Keselowski said in a team release. “This presents an opportunity to continue my on-track success with a strong team and a long-term commitment, but also dive into my passion of team ownership where I know I can be an asset to the future of the team. I am optimistic about what Jack (Roush), John (Henry) and I can accomplish together, especially with a new era for our sport on the horizon (with the Next Gen car). Our goal is to win races and compete for championships at NASCAR’s top level, and we plan to do just that.”

Jack Roush was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in the Class of 2019. The 79-year-old team owner has fielded entries in the Cup Series since 1988 and has compiled 137 victories at that level, including series championships with Matt Kenseth (2003) and Kurt Busch (2004). He has also guided drivers to five Xfinity Series titles and one championship in the Camping World Truck Series. The organization was first known as Roush Racing. Red Sox majority owner John Henry became an investor in the team in 2007, and the name was changed to Roush Fenway Racing.

“I’m truly excited about this partnership with Brad,” Roush said. “I think it will bring a lot to the organization, from not only Brad’s ability behind the wheel, but a rejuvenation and fresh perspective across our teams. I’ve had the opportunity to watch Brad for a number of years, as he has fought and clawed his way up the ladder, molding himself into a champion and one of the top drivers in our sport. I’ve always admired his resolve and determination. I’m very pleased that he has chosen to be a part of our organization and I’m proud to partner with him moving into the future.”

Since 2011, Keselowski has qualified for the NASCAR Playoffs in 10 of 11 seasons. His streak of 11 consecutive seasons with a victory is tied with Kevin Harvick for the second-longest among active drivers. Entering the Olympic break, the 37-year-old sits ninth in the Cup Series points standings with a victory at Talladega — his sixth of his career there — seven top fives and nine top 10s.

In a statement released on July 15 on Twitter, Keselowski said that “getting to drive for Mr. Roger Penske in the No. 2 has been a tremendous opportunity, and I am proud of the success we’ve had together. His guidance has helped me both be a better competitor, but even more so, a better man. …

“Making the decision to part ways with Team Penske to embrace a new opportunity and challenge was a difficult one, and one I did not take lightly.”

This will be Keselowski’s second turn at an ownership role with a team on the NASCAR national series level. From 2008-15, he headed up Brad Keselowski Racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Cindric, Tyler Reddick, Chase Briscoe and Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney were among the drivers who piloted trucks for Keselowski during those years. His team compiled 11 race wins, including one for Keselowski as an owner-driver in 2014 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

During his availability to discuss elevating Cindric into the No. 2 Ford, Penske revealed that Keselowski had shown an interest in an ownership stake during talks. “He wanted to have ownership and the way we’re structured, that wasn’t available,” Penske said.

Denny Hamlin, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing and is a co-owner of 23XI Racing with Michael Jordan, is another Cup Series veteran who is doing the dual role of driver and owner at NASCAR’s highest level. Other drivers who are either currently holding both roles or have done so in the past across NASCAR’s national series include Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart.

Keselowski got his start in the Cup Series with Rick Hendrick driving two races toward the end of 2008 season. Keselowski then drove part of the 2009 season for Hendrick, James Finch and ultimately Roger Penske. Keselowski got his first Cup win that year for James Finch in April at Talladega Superspeedway.

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Staff Report

Log on to NASCAR.com for a major news announcement from Roush Fenway Racing coming to you live from the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET.

Join us at NASCAR.com/presspass or on NASCAR’s official social handles at Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.

You won’t want to miss it. Bookmark one of these pages and come back for the announcement just before lunchtime on the East Coast.

Posted on July 19, 2021 by Staff Report

NASCAR officials said Monday that they were satisfied with a meeting about the Next Gen car’s crash-test findings and that chassis distribution would begin later this week.

NASCAR competition officials met with an independent panel of experts in the biomechanics and safety field last week. The panel had been established for a full review of data and findings from last month’s crash test of the new model, set to debut in the 2022 Cup Series.

The positive nature of the meeting cleared the way for initial chassis distribution to teams, scheduled to begin at the end of the week, according to Monday’s memo. Technique Chassis, LLC of Concord, North Carolina, is the vendor for Next Gen chassis.

A Next Gen car was crash-tested June 30 at Talladega Superspeedway. The prototype was fitted with a crash-test dummy and controlled by a robot. In the days since the test, rumors about the car’s safety swirled but were subsequently shot down by NASCAR officials.

Posted on July 18, 2021July 18, 2021 by Zach Sturniolo

LOUDON, N.H. — After Sunday’s Foxwoods Resorts Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, NASCAR’s Senior Vice President of Competition Scott Miller met with members of the press.

The event was scheduled for 301 laps, but due to darkness following an early rain delay, the race was deemed complete at the conclusion of Lap 293.

“I don’t think it got by any of us that it was getting dark,” Miller said. “We knew that by the time we got the facility dry enough to resume competition, we knew we were going to be up against darkness. Depending on cautions and the rest of that, we knew it would be close.”

As the field completed Stage 2, NASCAR informed teams that officials would monitor racing conditions and, if deemed unfit for racing, crews would be notified that 10 laps remain with no overtime attempts.

“We let the teams know so that it didn’t affect any of their strategy that we were definitely up against darkness,” Miller said. “It could have come earlier if there had been more cautions, so we just felt like it was getting too dark and we needed to call it.”

The rain delay followed a Lap 6 incident in which race leaders Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. crashed in Turn 1 as precipitation developed before the scoring tower called a caution. Busch’s day ended early while Truex rebounded to finish 12th.

“We were consistent with how we’ve always handled that,” Miller said. “Again, we rely on driver communication through the scanners, spotters, all of our people out in the corners. It obviously didn’t work out today. We got caught out by kind of a quick sort of pop-up (shower) there in Turn 1. The corner got wet really quick.

“We can always look at being more conservative, but we did do and follow the same protocols that we always do under those circumstances.”

MORE: Miller addresses rain, Kyle Busch bumping pace car | Kyle Busch reacts to early wreck

Posted on July 18, 2021July 20, 2021 by Terrin Waack

Three spots. Four races. That’s all that remains until the NASCAR Playoffs begin.

Aric Almirola became the 13th different winner of the 2021 season Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He was well below the cutline entering the 22nd points-paying events, sitting all the way down in 27th and 232 points outside the picture. Now he’s essentially guaranteed a postseason chance.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Official results | Race recap

The three drivers currently safe from elimination despite a zero in the win column are Denny Hamlin (+283), Kevin Harvick (+82) and Tyler Reddick (+5). Austin Dillon is then in 17th – the first out – followed by Chris Buescher (-121) and Matt DiBenedetto (-143).

Those straddling the line – Reddick and Dillon – are teammates at Richard Childress Racing, too. Reddick is in his second season behind the wheel of the No. 8 Chevrolet. Dillon has driven the No. 3 Chevy since 2014.

“As we get closer to the playoff, though, we will need to have a clean race and get a win to secure our spot,” Reddick said. “I know our team can do it and we will keep battling.”

Before Sunday, both Reddick and Dillon were a part of the 16-driver field. Reddick had a 96-point buffer in 15th, and Dillon was up by 104 points in 16th. Almirola’s win bumped them, but their finishes didn’t help cushions. Reddick placed 13th, while Dillon was 17th.

“We had to overcome a few different things – overshooting the pit stall and scrubbing the wall – but even though that cost us track position, I steadily worked my way back up inside the top 10,” Reddick said. “There were a few different strategies in play at the end when we were racing against the darkness. I hate we didn’t get to run the full distance, because I think we could have finished better than 13th.”

The race did end eight laps early, completing 293 of the 301 laps, due to darkness. NASCAR threw the red flag nine laps in as rain fell. It lasted one hour, 41 minutes and 22 seconds.

RELATED: Cup Series point standings

The four tracks remaining on the schedule are Watkins Glen International (Aug. 8), Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course (Aug. 15), Michigan International Speedway (Aug. 22) and Daytona International Speedway (Aug. 28). The Cup Series has never raced Indy’s road layout, and Daytona is constantly referred to as a wild-card venue.

Reddick is still seeking his first career win. Meanwhile, Dillon has three career wins — the Coca-Cola 600 in 2017, the Daytona 500 in 2018 and at Texas Motor Speedway last year. Reddick has one top-five (Homestead-Miami Speedway) and 11 top-10 finishes this year. Dillon has one top five (Daytona) and six top 10s. Reddick didn’t qualify for the playoffs in his 2020 rookie season and turned out 19th in the final rankings. Dillon made the playoffs by virtue of a win — his fourth career trip to the postseason — and was eliminated in the Round of 12.

“There’s a lot of fight left in this team so don’t count us out of the NASCAR Playoffs battle yet,” Dillon said. “We’ll take these next few weekends to regroup before Watkins Glen.”

Posted on July 18, 2021 by Staff Report

Which channels have NASCAR programming this week? We answer that and give the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

Note: All times are ET.

MORE: How to find NBCSN | Get the NBC Sports App | How to find FS1 | Get FOX Sports App

Monday, July 19
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Tuesday, July 20
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of 2021 Radioactive — Part 1, FS1

Wednesday, July 21
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of 2021 Radioactive — Part 2, FS1
9 p.m., NASCAR Presents: This Racing Life (re-air), FS2
9:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of 2021 Radioactive — Part 1 (re-air), FS2
10:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of 2021 Radioactive — Part 2 (re-air), FS2

Thursday, July 22
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Legends Show, FS1

Friday, July 23
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Hometown Show, FS1