Don't expect a kinder and gentler Keselowski (AP Photo/Greg McWilliams)
Carl Edwards intended to send the brazen Brad Keselowski a stern message last Sunday at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Based on the soaring red Dodge on the frontstretch with three laps remaining, the message was stridently sent. The message was delivered to Keselowski; however, Keselowski took the message, wadded it up, and tossed it in the wastebasket.
Keselowski has not been timid since the ill-famed airborne incident, as he participated in multiple interviews. If you expect to see a reformed Keselowski at Bristol this weekend, you are unreservedly mistaken. The Penske Racing driver has no intention of altering his approach and driving style.
When asked if he needed to change, Keselowski quickly responded with, “Heck, no. I think the exact opposite.”
“So, it’s very important to me that I make no change at all. That’s my plan going forward,” he went on to say.
Keselowski’s stated that his assertiveness gave him an advantage over other young drivers endeavoring to rise through the NASCAR ranks.
“It’s not possible to get a Cup ride right now without being aggressive, and without having some swagger in your step. Does that make you a jerk? To some people, yes. To some people, no. it depends on where you’re coming from. If you look at the sport right now, there are no new drivers coming in,” he said.
Keselowski was perhaps the most sought after driver in last season’s silly season. Penske Racing initially targeted Keselowski to replace Ryan Newman after the 2008 season, but the driver respectfully declined. He remained with Junior Motorsports in the Nationwide Series, leading many to believe that he was the heir apparent to Mark Martin at Hendrick Motorsports. Martin is still an elite driver and has no intention of hanging up his helmet.
Keselowski was ready for the Sprint Cup Series, and with no room at the inn at Hendrick Motorsports, he agreed to join Penske Racing.
Keselowski has not attracted many allies due to his aggression on the track. However, he remains undeterred by his lack of garage cronies.
Like it or not, Keselowski is not going to change until he decides that it is time for a new methodology. You can send him airborne, punch him in the face, kick in the stomach, but he will get right back up, and race you the exact same way he raced you last week. Another driver, regardless of who they are, is not going to bully Keselowski in to modifying his technique.
Keselowski clearly did not approve of Edwards’ revenge tactics, and has already plotted his revenge. His revenge is unconventional, however.
“But my retaliation against him is to do absolutely nothing differently…(trying to pay him back) shows a distraction on my end instead of the main focus of going out there and winning races. If I’m worried about wrecking Carl Edwards, I’m not worried about winning the race,” he said.
“The message will come across to him and others that wrecking me intentionally won’t work. They’re risking a lot with very little-to-no reward.”
Keselowski went on to say that Edwards wasted the risk of wrecking him, because the Brad Keselowski you saw at Atlanta and prior to Atlanta is the same Brad Keselowski you will continue to see from here on out.
“If the same move happened tomorrow, if we ran Texas next week and he restarts on the outside of me, I’m not going to do anything differently.”
Comments
Good for Brad on not being intimidated by Carl's cowardly move.
As usual..the media has taken this to the extreme...all the what ifs and he said they said she said what if they said and they could have said...and when they said it they meant this or that. I would blame it on the off week..but it is the trend of the media no matter how many races we have each week to hash and rehash and "sum up" and then sum up the "sum up". Let it go guys...obviously Brad has.......
Dont worry,there is a waiting list to get even with Brash Brad!!!!!
I am soo sooo glad someone like Carl got even with him! After hitting Carl 4 times, seems Brad was getting away with Nascars 'HAVE AT IT POLICY LONG TIME AGO"
All these brash drivers who talk a bad rap, drive and hit other drivers, but when the so is on the other foot, become like Brad K a safety advocate!!!!! when Brad got out of the car at ATLANTA he sounded like Ralph Nader!!!!!
I dont think he wants anymore of Edwards, and when Denny Hamlin, and others gets another chance, just let him keep it up I think the message is loud and clear!!!!!!!!
I still don't see why BK gets blamed for that earlier incident in Atlanta when it was Carl who came down on BK. It would be one thing if BK went up there and knocked him out of the way, but in this case, BK was right on the yellow line. It was one of those racing deals, but if you want to give blame, it was Carl's fault for the contact.
who cares whos fault it was. protect the fans and let them race.thats why its called racing.who ever has a car left at the end wins.
He definetly makes it exciting you have a bunch of whiney rednecks not just drivers Brad is a northern boy he don't fit in to kindly doing what hes doing cause some of those boys don't have enough brains to get out of the rain DW and some of the others will badmouth him till he gives it up. Don't forget Rustys kid runs somebody over every week nothing said about that.
Mr. Dunn, are you really a journalist, making-up cr*p is hardly journalism... when another competitor blatantly turns-into you on a straight at 190mph, and is 150 laps down, and the result is a 3 race suspension, Kes has no reason to accept your self-serving "strident message" comment...
Everyone has been waiting for someone who didn't take crap, drove aggressively, sees what he wants and takes it. Now you don't want him ...I remember someone else like that...now he's a martyr for the sport. Make up your minds. BTW..biased article and pretty much garbage.
Good point Vicki!! Everyone has a name for Brad. Now you have coined Carl the Coward!! I love it !!
should be Concrete Carl the Coward
pedaltothemedal, read the entire article. It's obvious you missed the point, or it went over your head.
Hope Edwards misses his next backflip and gets braindamage
Mark Martin always says, I race someone the way they race me. Many drivers feel that way. Eventually, Brad's "move you over or take you out style" will catch up with him. Not only do you need 'friends' at Talledega & Daytona to not get hung out to dry everytime, but you can be taken out and never touched by a competitor. To the Anti-Carl people, there are quite a few Cup and N-wide drivers with a beef with Brad. If you're old enough to remember (especially)the early days of Dale Sr., he had a "race you rough" style too. It was interesting-kept the fans coming and the cameras rolling but today with big sponsor dollars, and a "kinder, gentler, PC NASCAR" (and yes, I don't like it either), Brad's style or a young Dale Sr's style won't fly for long. Before you slam me, wait for a couple of restrictor plate tracks and see how Brad is treated. Will he be shunned? avoided? or maybe....taken out but never touched. We'll see-one thing's for sure, the boy keeps things interesting!
he already has brain damage,call it bi-polar
Jeremy... I'll assume you're the author... I read the entire article, so, what's the point I missed... looks like to me your blame is 100% on Kes. Concrete Carl's skirts are a bit dirty too, and deserves a "strident message". So, again, you made-up stuff to fit yourself...
Keselowski drives like he's behind the controls of a bulldozer. He'll change his style when he's outside of the top 35 in owner points and has to qualify on speed. He's only 21 points ahead of that line and they'll start using 2010 owner points after Bristol, so he better watch out.
I have a feeling the table has been set for Brad to never finish a race this season. I know of several drivers that aren't named in any of the articles that wanted to take him out at Kansas last year. Drivers never seem to forget. It's too bad...I really think Brad has a lot of talent but his ego is going to drive it into the ground.
Good to finally see alittle HEART back in NASCAR!!
"If you look at the sport right now, there are no new drivers coming in,” he said.
Well there are many that would love his seat, Danica Patrick will be there in a year or so. The reason their not coming in is because there are no seats, I would love to give someone else his seat, anyone else!! I haven't liked him for the past few years, he thinks because he drove for Jr he is great but he's nothing but a punk!!
Like the way Brad drives, even though it may be a little too aggressive at times. Penalty to Edwards was far too lenient.
Keselowski is a racer, through and through. He races hard from the very first lap until the checkered flag. Most of the rest of drivers just run laps until the last 50 miles or so. If NA$CAR can come up with about 42 more Brad Keselowski's, they will be showing stock car racing just like it used to be. I'm so sick and tired of these 'politically correct whinning cry-babies, I could puke. Bring it on Brad. You're giving real race fans just what they paid their hard earned bucks to see.
Please, pedaltothemedal, show me where Keselowski was blamed. The article is fact based, with actual quotes for Keselowski himself. I personally admire Keselowski's refuse to back down demeanor. Not a negative word was said about Keselowski. Not every article written has a self-serving agenda, so don't assume that it does. The article's simple point is that Keselowski is not willing to change and that it will take much more than an intentional wreck to change him.
The word strident seems to bother you. It just means loud, insistent, or harsh. Or commanding attention by a loud or obtrusive quality. Is not wrecking someone on purpose sending a loud an harsh message.
First let me say I am a Brad Keselowski fan!!! That kid has more heart and drive than alot of others out there today. Brad is what this sport has needed for many years. Its funny how blank our memories get over the years..... Brad Keselowski is not the first driver with this style, he reminds me of a young Darell Waltrip except Brad doesnt talk half as much. So NASCAR fans what is it you want to see out there? The plain Jane vanilla crap we have had for the past few years or a young hungry talent going for it? I choose Brad
You can carry Edwards' water all you want but I am fairly certain that everyone is aware of what Edwards is, namely a sneaky little creep who would sucker punch someone to win. Even though he tries to come across as a nice guy he has shown his true colors time and again, ask Harvick or Earnhardt Jr. they have both seen this cheap shot punk up close and can attest to the fact that this boy has issues. Having said that I think that letting things work themselves out on the track is way better than the bland, vanilla,boring crap NASCAR has brought us the last six or seven seasons. And finally I think that your thoughts on Keslowski getting pushed around or hung out are all wrong- I think that you will see Edwards getting that treatment since there are more than a few who owe him for past cheap shots and since he is on probation the time is definitely right. We will see and it should be interesting.
Then only good thing about the Edwards deal at Atlanta is that it didn't take out other drivers. Brad too is wrong about one thing. He says the only wany to get a cup ride is to drive the way he did the last 2 yrs. That isnt the case, look at guys like Jeff Burton, Kasey Kahen, Martin, Junior, they didnt wreck people to get cup rides. I really doubt Brad would have the following he has if he had been driving for a team like Gibbs or Roush the past couple of yrs.
Brad should just be reminded that the way he races will be how he is raced with. Not condemning him, I'm just saying.
Brad should just be reminded that the way he races will be how he is raced with. Not condemning him, I'm just saying.
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