The winning combination of Brad Keselowski and Paul Wolfe has been terrific for Penske Racing and we are excited to announce that they will continue to work together.
But no mention (yet) of what Mr Busch is going to do
Sorry, Johnny - I had reposted the AP story before I saw your post. Deleted my original one. It makes me smile, too.
"Bad" Brad & Crew Chief Get Penske Contract Extensions
Add your rating: Currently 0/5 stars.12345.Rating: No Rating Posted by Dave Fulton on December 1, 2011 at 4:33pm in GeneralView Discussions.I like this news. These guys can become a force if somebody doesn't mess it up.
Dec 1, 12:52 PM EST
Penske signs NASCAR driver Keselowski to extension
By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Brad Keselowski was rewarded for a breakthrough season at NASCAR's top level with a contract extension from Penske Racing for both the driver and his crew chief.
The team said Thursday the extensions for Keselowski and crew chief Paul Wolfe were for multiple years, although the specific length and financial terms were not disclosed. Team owner Roger Penske called the duo a "special pairing."
"Although Brad, Paul and the No. 2 team fell short of winning the Cup Series title this season, we know they will continue to be championship contenders for years to come," he said.
In his second season with Penske, Keselowski won three races and earned a berth in his first Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. He did it by winning three races - after breaking his ankle in a crash while testing - to climb his way through the standings in a late summer push to make the Chase.
Keselowski ended the season ranked a career-best fifth in the final standings. Penske teammate Kurt Busch, the 2004 series champion, finished 11th.
Keselowski first teamed with Wolfe in 2010 in the Nationwide Series, where they won six races en route to the championship. The team also set a series record with 26 top-five finishes, and by completing all but one lap over the entire season.
Wolfe was then moved to the Cup team, and helped turn around the No. 2 Dodge after a bumpy first season for Keselowski in NASCAR's elite division.
"It's great to know that Paul and I will continue to work together to bring wins and championships to Penske Racing and its sponsors," said Keselowski. "We've definitely built something special here with this team and we'll continue to get better to reach our goals. I'm already fired up about 2012 and the future with the Blue Deuce."
Wolfe said he had instant chemistry with Keselowski.
"It's been a great experience working with Brad - we just seemed to click right away - and we will continue to build on the consistency and success we've experienced with the team," Wolfe said. "We're already working hard to get ready for another run at the championship next season."
Keselowski has also become one of NASCAR's most vocal drivers, and he was fined $25,000 by series officials two weeks ago for comments he made critical of electronic fuel injection.
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no problem dave i dont get bent out of shape over things like that---it proves we reading the good stuff
I have already gone on record on live radio last Saturday predicting Bad Brad as the Cup Champ next year. I like that kid and the Keselowski family and I have a history that goes back to 1969. 
Long story that one.
I see Roger having a long successful run with Brad and Paul Wolfe in the same vein as he did with Rusty for all those years. Kurt will probably be let go unless he matures a bit as he's not worth the trouble. Much rather have Brad lead the team with Hornish or Kligerman in the other cars if I were Roger.
Tim, I think everybody likes the Keselowski family. In all of my years of attending races there are three races that stand out in my mind head and shoulders above all others in ranking the genuine response, popularityand happiness level of fellow NASCAR competitors to a particular driver/owner win. They are:
* Junie Donlavey's Only Career Winston Cup car owner win, with Jody Ridley driving at Dover.
* Dale Earnhardt's Daytona 500 win
* Bob Keselowki's Lone NASCAR win at Richmond in the 1997 Craftsman Truck Series driving for brother Ron.
Driving for his brother Ron, on September 4, 1997 in the Virginia is for Lovers 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Richmond International Raceway, Bob Keselowski, at age 45, beat a field laced with Winston Cup and Busch Series drivers and drove his Mopar Performance Dodge Ram to victory lane. It was a huge win on a huge racing weekend that also included the Busch Series and Winston Cup Series and record crowds at all three races under the lights with a national tv broadcast. The race was so big that 16 trucks failed to qualify. Several of those trucks that didn't make the show were driven by national champions in several NASCAR touring series as well as some NASCAR regional weekly champions. One truck that couldn't make the field was driven by a fellow named Kevin Harvick.
When the swirling smoke had cleared from beneath the MUSCO lights, the brothers Keselowski had beaten trucks owned by Rick Hendrick, Richard Childress, Darrell Waltrip, Ken Schrader, Jack Roush, Petty Enterprises, Dale Earnhardt, Geoff Bodine and Ernie Irvan, among others. The Richmond crowd, always fans of the underdog, went wild. Drivers, owners, and crewman poured from the Busch Series and Winston Cup garage to congratulate the Keselowskis who had taken their underfunded team to a huge win at a Winston Cup track against hugely funded teams.
That win would be the only NASCAR win recorded by the Keselowski family until the arrival of Bob's son and Ron's nephew on the scene. His name is Brad Keselowski and he carries with him a racing work ethic that has a family history. He isn't a pretty boy. He hasn't had it all handed to him on a silver platter. I am proud to have been at the first NASCAR win recorded by the Keselowski family. I am certain it will not be the last.
These are the 16 drivers that didn't make the field for the only race Bob & Ron Keselowski won in NASCAR:
Failed to qualify: Joe Buford (#70), Philip Morris (#81), Jeff Spraker (#39), Tommy Baldwin (#22), Mike Ewanitsko (#42), John Blewett (#05), Greg Marlowe (#12), Rob Rizzo (#27), Robert Huffman (#87), Kevin Grubb (#55), Terry Cook (#88), Kevin Harvick (#75), Andy Houston (#65), Eric Norris (#02), Doug George (#92), Dana Dorman (#93)
Finish Order for 1st Keselowski Family NASCAR win - Richmond - 9/4/1997 - 52 Trucks Entered
Fin St # Driver Sponsor / Owner Truck Laps Money Status Led Points
1 10 29 Bob Keselowski Mopar Performance (Ron Keselowski) Dodge 200 34,175 running 82 180
2 4 24 Jack Sprague Quaker State (Rick Hendrick) Chevrolet 200 26,675 running 0 170
3 25 3 Jay Sauter GM Goodwrench Service (Richard Childress) Chevrolet 200 15,425 running 16 165
4 9 17 Rich Bickle Sears DieHard (Darrell Waltrip) Chevrolet 200 9,325 running 0 160
5 3 98 Kenny Irwin, Jr. Raybestos (Jim Herrick) Ford 200 10,300 running 0 155
6 7 53 Ken Schrader Penda Truck Accessories (Ken Schrader) Chevrolet 200 8,525 running 48 150
7 2 2 Mike Bliss Team ASE Racing (Jim Smith) Ford 200 9,375 running 49 146
8 19 99 Chuck Bown Exide Batteries (Jack Roush) Ford 200 6,625 running 0 142
9 12 61 Randy Tolsma IWX Motor Freight / Dole (Steve Coulter) Chevrolet 200 6,575 running 0 138
10 26 20 Butch Miller Orleans Hotel & Casino (Walker Evans) Chevrolet 200 6,575 running 0 134
11 29 6 Rick Carelli RE/MAX International (Marshall Chesrown) Chevrolet 200 6,475 running 0 130
12 6 80 Joe Ruttman LCI International (Jack Roush) Ford 200 6,375 running 0 127
13 22 43 Jimmy Hensley Cummins Engines (Petty Enterprises) Dodge 199 6,275 running 0 124
14 17 85 B.A. Wilson ICSE Control Systems (B.A. Wilson) Ford 199 5,225 running 0 121
15 11 66 Bryan Reffner Carlin Burners & Controls (Dale Phelon) Ford 199 6,425 running 0 118
16 1 16 Ron Hornaday, Jr. NAPA Brakes (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.) Chevrolet 199 6,825 running 5 115
17 28 44 Boris Said Federated Auto Parts (Mark Simo) Ford 198 6,326 running 0 112
18 8 86 Stacy Compton Valvoline Instant Oil Change (David Hodson) Ford 198 6,025 running 0 109
19 14 52 Mike Wallace Purolator PureOne Filters (Ken Schrader) Chevrolet 198 4,975 running 0 106
20 23 06 Billy Pauch Greenfield Racing (Dick Greenfield) Dodge 197 5,150 running 0 103
21 32 83 Joe Gaita Lamb & Robinson Drywall (Joe Gaita) Ford 197 4,900 running 0 100
22 33 19 Tony Raines Pennzoil (Kurt Roehrig) Dodge 196 5,875 running 0 97
23 21 4 Wayne Grubb Link-Belt Construction (William Grubb) Chevrolet 195 4,850 running 0 94
24 20 04 Brad Teague M-R Motorsports (Mike Rose) Chevrolet 192 4,825 running 0 91
25 5 7 Barry Bodine Bodine Racing (Geoffrey Bodine) Ford 189 4,900 running 0 88
26 15 41 Randy Renfrow Itco Tires / Ultra Wheels (Greg Turnage) Ford 186 4,775 engine 0 85
27 34 31 Tony Roper Concor Tool & Machine (Bob Brevak) Chevrolet 163 5,750 engine 0 82 28 36 18 Jerry Marquis Dana Corporation (Kurt Roehrig) Dodge 162 4,725 engine 0 79
29 30 37 Scot Walters Red Man Golden Blend (Clarence Brewer) Chevrolet 120 4,675 steering 0 76
30 24 72 Tammy Jo Kirk Rogers Construction (Doc MacDonald) Chevrolet 75 5,650 engine 0 73
31 35 35 Kelly Denton Ortho Lawn & Garden (Charles Hardy) Chevrolet 67 4,625 engine 0 70
32 27 03 Kirk Shelmerdine Community Cash Chevrolet 57 4,600 engine 0 67
33 16 47 Jeff Green Red Man Golden Blend (null) Chevrolet 47 4,600 handling 0 64
34 31 14 Rick Crawford Circle Bar Motel & RV Park (Tom Mitchell) Ford 34 5,600 engine 0 61 35 13 60 Tobey Butler Farris Concrete (Mike Farris) Chevrolet 19 5,600 engine 0 58
36 18 28 Ernie Irvan Federated Auto Parts (Ernie Irvan) Ford 18 4,800 clutch 0 55
New RR rule... no aqua! (I think Jeff has been down in Florida... maybe Dustin doesn't like aqua).
