Brad Keselowski is the epitome of a well-recognized NASCAR Cup Series driver who had to work his way through to get into the sport. Coming from Rochester Hills, Michigan, a town renowned more for its basketball aficionados, breaking into the racing scene as a driver made him a known figure in the NASCAR community.
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Reflecting on his roots after the season finale in Phoenix, Keselowski shared some personal history during an interview with Stapleton42. He explained his family’s Polish heritage and their migration to Rochester Hills, where they found opportunities working for Henry Ford. Keselowski’s story touches on how he was not born with the privileges many kids enjoy today, especially ones belonging to racing families.
Brad also touched on his family’s personal side, revealing that his parents, Bob and Kay Keselowski, met in Rochester Hills. He shared a glimpse into his mother’s life, noting she was a divorced mother of three before meeting his father.
My dad will always be my hero. He was quiet and understated, but that didn’t change the impact he had on me or that I watched him have on everyone who knew him. I am forever grateful for what I learned from this man, and I will remember him every day. https://t.co/NiG822YfpD pic.twitter.com/eUZWkPtUEG
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) December 22, 2021
And it was in his family home that he started sim racing. Keselowski spent his early years immersed in the world of motorsports, toiling away in his father’s race shop. He wasn’t just the kid sweeping floors and mowing lawns; he was part of a racing lineage. His father, a racecar driver himself, devoted his time to the mechanics, while his mother played an integral role in the business operations.
Keselowski recalling the contributions of his mother, said, “She ran the front office. So, she did the travel, she paid the bills, made sure all the paperwork stuff was legit. So, that my dad and uncle could just work on the car. So, if a check came in from a track she took it to the bank you know things like that.”
As the family’s involvement in racing deepened with his father launching a truck team, his mother’s role expanded. What started as a part-time effort soon became a full-time commitment, with her presence becoming essential at the garage.
Keselowski’s mother reads all of his tweets?
With his father, Bob, having passed away in December 2021 after a valiant fight against cancer, Brad’s mother remains a crucial support system within their close-knit family. Her familiarity with the racing world has not just been limited to her days managing the front office at her husband’s garage; it extends to keeping tabs on her son’s virtual conversations.
Brad shared a personal anecdote on a NASCAR podcast back in March 2018, illustrating just how closely his mother follows his online presence and said, “Charlotte this past season, 600 I wrecked that on like lap 25 right? So, we go home and my mom was with me and I started tweeting when I got back to the house. And my mom was sitting next when we were watching the race. I hear her phone dinging…”
“She has notifications on for my tweets, every one of them… There was a couple of those nights when I tweeted some things and I did really wish she didn’t read,” added the #6 Ford Mustang driver.
As Keselowski gears up for the upcoming season with a new crew chief, it remains to be seen whether the shuffle of talent RFK Racing can propel him back to the forefront of racing success.
