Brad Keselowski clears the air about his Hendrick Motorsports departure

In a recent podcast appearance with Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski told the story of how he had, and then lost, the Hendrick No. 5 car. How different NASCAR would have been if Keselowski was with HMS instead of Team Penske in the 2010s.

Brad Keselowski has done just fine for himself. A NASCAR Cup Series champion, he has earned 36 wins, and will be a sure-fire Hall of Famer in the future. His time with Penske could have been spent elsewhere if it hadn’t been for Mark Martin having a resurgence.

Long story short, Keselowski signed a contract to take over the No. 5 car at Hendrick after 2009. Then Martin went on to win five races and finish second on the season. His fifth time as runner-up. Rick Hendrick wanted to repay that with two more years in the 5 car. Keselowski’s contract was terminated.

After a video of Keselowski’s fallout at Hendrick Motorsports made the rounds on X/Twitter, the driver had to clear the air. Yes, Keselowski had a contract. No, he wasn’t “screwed” out of his seat. No one could have seen Martin having that insane run in 2009.

Mark M. and Rick H. didn’t screw anyone.
I’m happy with how my career has turned out.

This moment was just an unexpected turn that makes for a fun story of what ifs. That’s all https://t.co/VRkmC9Zg1V

— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) June 20, 2024

Brad Keselowski has no hard feelings. As a driver and co-owner at RFK Racing, he is right where he needs to be. But it is fun to wonder what could have been.

There are stories like this all throughout NASCAR history. Drivers almost taking the wheel of one car. Signing a tentative contract with an organization only for it to fall through before it goes into effect. It is what makes the history of the sport so interesting and enthralling.

Now, Keselowski is the one who is looking to sign young prospects.

Brad Keselowski taking notice of Connor Zilisch

If you are a Cup Series owner who is looking to hire a driver you can rely on for the next 10-20 years, a true franchise-defining talent – well, there might be a few coming up the ranks at the moment. For many reasons, drivers like Corey Heim, Christian Eckes, Chandler Smith, Carson Kvapil, and others are named for Cup rides.

However, there is a class of drivers under 20 that are on the rise. Jesse Love, William Sawalich, Gio Ruggiero, Brent Crews, and most often brought up, Connor Zilisch. Keselowski is big on Zilisch and his talent. To be clear, the young driver has caught the eye of many organizations.

It is no mistake that Justin Marks of Trackhouse Racing signed Zilisch to a development deal. He is seen as a generational talent. While it would be difficult to pull him from Trackhouse, Keselowski would like to sign him as well. At least, hypothetically, if he had a third RFK team.

“I think right now the best young talent in the garage or I don’t know if it’s fair to say in the garage, but that I see at least, that could actually drive a Cup car is probably Connor Zilisch,” Keselowski explained on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour.

So, it is clear that Zilisch is a hot commodity. When you have a Cup Series owner and driver like Keselowski singing your praises, it’s evident how talented you are.