Will Become Just The 35th Driver to Reach Milestone
When the green flag flies at Martinsville Speedway Sunday it will mark a career milestone for Brad Keselowski. He will have accomplished something only done by 34 other drivers, starting his 600th NASCAR Cup Series race.
The run began on November 2, 2008, at Texas Motor Speedway. At the time Keselowski was a heralded prospect, who had scored two wins in what was known as the NASCAR Nationwide Series, now the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS). He was a young driver with recognizable talent but one who was just trying to earn a place in the NASCAR’s premier series.
“I just wanted to have a career and was trying to prove myself,” said Keselowski, who will be driving the BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang at Martinsville. “To think that I’ve had another 599 since then is pretty cool. I just want to sit down with a 24-year-old me and tell him that was going to happen.
Just what would he tell the younger version of himself? Keselowski says he would like to strategically educate, providing tips on various race tracks, but mostly importantly he’d like to tell that 24 year-old prodigy to just to enjoy the ride. And what a ride it has been, scoring 36 Cup Series victories and the 2012 Championship.
“When I first got in a cup, I just wanted to be here. I didn’t think about anything outside of that,” Keselowski added. “I didn’t think of the stats. I didn’t think about the accolades, I just wanted to be here and I’m lucky to be here.”
Since the first Cup Series race in 1949, nearly three thousand drivers have made at least one Cup Series start. Being only the 35th to do it places Keselowski in rare company. To achieve that though takes stamina, and maturity.
“Honestly, over the years it’s gotten easier for me,” Keselowski said. “Mentally I’ve accepted the challenge. I know what it is. I don’t get nervous. I’m just ready.”
Keselowski began building his reputation in 2004 driving for his father, Bob Keselowski, in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, then expanded into what was the NASCAR Busch Series (now NOAPS) by 2006 with owner Keith Coleman. A breakout 2007 truck performance at Memphis, winning the pole and leading 62 laps for Germain Racing, caught the attention of Dale Earnhardt Jr., leading to a midseason opportunity with JR Motorsports. There, Keselowski won six Nationwide (now NOAPS) races from 2008 to 2009, earning his shot at NASCAR’s top level.
Over the course of his career Keselowski has become one of the most successful and respected competitors of NASCAR’s modern era. The Rochester Hills, MI native is a two-time national series champion (2012 Cup/2010 Nationwide) with 36 NASCAR Cup Series victories, and more than 75 combined NASCAR wins across Cup, Xfinity Series, and Craftsman Truck Series competition. Now in his 17th full-time Cup season, he ranks among the top active drivers in wins, top 10s, and laps led.
While six hundred is a big number, he says he is far from the finish line.
“I’d like to get to eight hundred,” said Keselowski. “I think that’s a good goal.”
About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, in its 39th season in 2026, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988, and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content, and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit https://www.rfkracing.com/ and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.
