Keselowski Turning Heads and Preparing for Challenges of Gateway Int’l Raceway:
Brad Keselowski has turned a lot of heads in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series garage with the seven events he has run in so far in the 2004 season.  But perhaps the most heads were turned two weeks ago at the Kansas Speedway when the 20-year old Keselowski made his way through the field into the top ten and passing for the seventh position when he was caught up in an accident by another race truck.  Keselowski has run in the top ten at several events that he has competed in, unfortunately he has not had the luck on his side to put one of those finishes on the sheets when the checkered flag falls.

“Kansas was really disappointing because we had a really fast truck and we were in position to make it to the end of the race with fuel and tires,” said Keselowski.  “We made the adjustments that were necessary during the race and the truck was handling great toward the close of the race.  I felt like we would definitely get a top ten and maybe even a top five.  But I have to put Kansas behind me and get ready for Gateway this weekend.  It is a tough race track, but one that we have a lot of good runs on.”

K Automotive Motorsports has made six starts on the 1.25-mile Gateway International Raceway and earned one win in 2002, three top five finishes and four top ten finishes.  The team has also only started outside the top ten once in six starts.  Keselowski is certainly still a rookie in the series, but he understands the challenges presented by Gateway.

“This is a 1.25-mile race track that drives like it’s an eighth-mile track,” said Keselowski.  “The corners are very different, the straight-aways carry a lot of speed into the corners and then you are hard on the brakes.  This track is really hard on motors and drivelines along with the fact that the driver is shifting and concentrating every second of the race.  This is one of the most difficult tracks on the circuit, but as my confidence grows in the series, my ability to be more aggressive on these tracks also increases.  This is one of those tracks that I know a lot about from our notes, but not a lot about as a driver.  I will be using the two hours of practice on Friday to learn the track and get ready for another top ten qualifying run for K Automotive.”

The Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 will take the green flag on Saturday, July 17 at 9:00pm ET.  The race can be seen Live on Speed Channel or heard live on MRN Radio and XM Radio – Channel 144.