Brad Keselowski Has Unique Ties to 4 of 2022’s First-Time Winners

Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick secured his first career win on July 3 after a fierce battle with Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott. He became the fifth first-time winner in the 2022 Cup Series season, four of whom have a unique tie to RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski.

Reddick has been a full-time Cup Series driver since the 2020 season, but he truly began his national series career in the Camping World Truck Series with Brad Keselowski Racing. He made 16 starts in 2014 before running full-time in both 2015 and 2016.

Reddick won two races for the team, and he finished second in the championship standings behind Erik Jones in 2015. He then ended the 2016 season ninth in the standings after securing his third career win.

Reddick was the fourth first-time winner in 2022 that spent time at BKR. He joined Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric, Phoenix Raceway winner Chase Briscoe, and Circuit of the Americas winner Ross Chastain on the list.

“Brad just — Brad had a vision but there was also something about that place that was really special,” Reddick said during his post-race availability. “There was a lot of great people. They all loved to be there. It was a tight-knit family. Just we worked really hard there at BKR, and everyone I know that’s ever drove there really loved being there.”

ALL the latest NASCAR news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on NASCAR newsletter here!

Sign up for the Heavy on NASCAR Newsletter!

---

Several Drivers Have Secured Wins for BKR

Brad Keselowski Racing was not in existence for a significant amount of time. The organization only spent 10 years competing in the Camping World Truck Series. However, the team captured 11 wins with six different drivers.

Ryan Blaney, who was Keselowski’s teammate at Team Penske for four seasons, was the first man to take the Truck Series team to Victory Lane. He captured a race at Iowa Speedway in 2012 before winning at Pocono Raceway one year later. Blaney added two more wins for the team, one in 2014 and one in 2015.

Cindric, Reddick, Briscoe, and Blaney all reached Victory Lane in the Brad Keselowski Racing entry. The list also includes Keselowski, who took his own Truck to Victory Lane at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2014.

Joey Logano rounds out the list with a dominant race at Martinsville Speedway in 2015. He won the pole, led 150 of the 258 laps, and he held off Matt Crafton to capture his first-ever Truck Series win in what was his seventh career start.

---

Another Former BKR Driver Captured a Championship in 2021

There are several drivers that achieved success both during and after their time with BKR. This list also includes a driver that did not win during his time with the Camping World Truck Series organization.

Daniel Hemric, who now runs full-time in the Xfinity Series for Kaulig Racing, spent the 2016 season running full-time for BKR. He finished fifth in the championship standings after posting 17 top-10 finishes and 11 top-fives while Johnny Sauter won the Truck Series title.

Hemric moved on up to the Xfinity Series after the 2016 season, where he has primarily remained while driving for multiple organizations. Though he spent one season in the Cup Series with Richard Childress Racing before Reddick took over the No. 8.

Hemric only has one win in a national NASCAR series, but it was the most important of his career. He held off Cindric on the final lap at Phoenix Raceway in 2021, and he won the race by a matter of inches. This particular battle secured the Xfinity Series championship for Hemric and Joe Gibbs Racing.

READ NEXT: NASCAR Legends Expect Some Issues in Atlanta Return

0 Comments