NASCAR Cup Series

Analyzing Brad Keselowksi’s likely move to Roush Fenway Racing in 2022

Updated May. 18, 2021 8:22 p.m. ET

By Bob Pockrass
FOX Sports NASCAR Writer

Brad Keselowski driving and having an ownership stake in Roush Fenway Racing appears to be a done deal, according to multiple industry sources with knowledge of the situation.

Keselowski, Roush Fenway Racing President Steve Newmark, Keselowski’s agent, a Team Penske spokesperson and a Ford spokesperson all declined to comment on whether Keselowski will drive for the organization and be a co-owner in 2022.

But in addition to sources indicating that the deal is done, there are a couple of signs that Keselowski will leave Penske at the end of the season and head to Roush Fenway. The general manager of his former truck series team, Jeremy Thompson, is already working out of the Roush Fenway Racing shop, according to sources. Keselowski was initially scheduled to do the Next Gen tire test for Team Penske two weeks ago at Texas but then was replaced by Ryan Blaney.

At first look, this doesn’t seem to make too much sense for the 37-year-old Keselowski, who has won 34 races and the 2012 Cup title in his 12 seasons with Team Penske. That's 13 more wins and one more title than Roush has in that time.

Since the start of 2015, Roush Fenway has gone winless six of the past seven years (including the first 13 races of this year), while Keselowski has won every year for a total of 19 times.

But looking deeper, there are many indicators of why this could make sense.

Keselowski has always had an interest in team ownership, and this gives him a piece of an organization, setting him up for a racing role after his driving career is finished. It also gives Jack Roush, who is 79 years old and has scaled back his involvement in recent years, a racer to take a leadership role. Keselowski also is a fellow Michigan native and entrepreneur.
Keselowski has talked about how salaries for drivers have decreased. Ownership of the race team potentially fills some of that gap, with the potential of the team being worth more in future years. Roush Fenway, co-owned by the Fenway Sports Group (Boston Red Sox, Liverpool, etc.), also could be willing to pay more for a proven winner and champion.
Helping revive the Roush organization into the elite of NASCAR teams would cement Keselowski’s legacy in the sport as not only a great driver for a great team but also a great driver who returned an organization to being a perennial championship contender.
Being a co-owner would involve Keselowski more heavily in the competition side of an organization, giving him more influence on how things are run. Keselowski is known as someone who has lots of ideas, and this could allow him to put more of those ideas into action.
The ownership piece could give Keselowski peace of mind from knowing he will spend the next several years at one organization.
There could be potential synergies for Roush Industries and Keselowski Advanced Manufacturing, the non-racing business arms of Roush and Keselowski.

Obviously, Keselowski heading to Roush Fenway impacts the futures of other drivers. Chris Buescher is expected to return to Roush Fenway next season, and Ryan Newman does not yet have a contract for 2022.

Newman has yet to decide whether he will retire after 2021. With Buescher and Keselowski already in seats, Roush Fenway would have to start a third car to keep Newman – something that isn’t totally out of the question, according to those knowledgeable about the situation.

Or Newman – whose 20-year full-time Cup career has taken him from Penske to Stewart-Haas Racing to Richard Childress Racing to Roush Fenway – could find another organization that wants a veteran driver.

As far as Keselowski’s seat at Team Penske, the organization has an option on Matt DiBenedetto, who currently drives for the Penske affiliate Wood Brothers Racing.

Team Penske announced last year that Austin Cindric, the defending Xfinity Series champion and son of team president Tim Cindric, will replace DiBenedetto in 2022 in the Wood Brothers No. 21 car.

It would surprise no one if Cindric ends up in the No. 2 car that Keselowski will vacate and if Team Penske picks up the option on DiBenedetto and he remains at the Wood Brothers, where DiBenedetto’s personality seems to be a good fit.

Penske could obviously stick with the original plan of Cindric in the Wood Brothers car and put DiBenedetto in the No. 2 car, or Penske could find another driver for the non-Cindric seat.

Following a year in which he made the playoffs, DiBenedetto sits 17th in the standings but still seeks his first career victory. Those results are respectable and could be enough for Penske to pick up his option – but not enough to guarantee that will happen.

In DiBenedetto’s favor, there is no one else in the Penske pipeline except for Cindric, and with Alex Bowman appearing set to re-sign with Hendrick Motorsports, no proven race winners currently are running well enough to be obvious Penske targets. Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick, who is 15th in the Cup standings, might be the best young driver potentially available who currently is racing in Cup.

Bob Pockrass has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s. He joined FOX Sports in 2019 following stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @bobpockrass. Looking for more NASCAR content? Sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass!