The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Keselowski, Penske agree to extension
Crew chief Wolfe also will continue with No. 2 Ford.
Team Penske has locked up 2012 NASCAR Cup champion Brad Keselowski with a multiyear extension.
Keselowski, 33, has driven for Penske throughout his 10-year career in NASCAR’s top series, earning 23 wins and the series title five years ago. His crew chief with the No. 2 Ford, Paul Wolfe, also agreed to a multiyear extension with Penske. Terms of the agreements were not disclosed.
“In the time that Brad has driven for Team Penske, he has risen to the top echelon of stars in NASCAR,” owner Roger Penske said Tuesday. “Brad and Paul have established a terrific, winning combination and they are both real leaders within our team.”
Keselowski has two Cup wins so far this season, at Atlanta and Martinsville, and is sixth in the points standings.
Keselowski joined Penske near the end of the 2009 season and Wolfe joined him before the 2010 Xfinity Series season. They won the 2010 Xfinity drivers’ championship with six wins and a series-record 26 top-five finishes.
Wolfe then joined Keselowski on the No. 2, and they have earned six trips to the NASCAR playoffs.
Earnhardt defends crew chief: Dale Earnhardt Jr. thinks too many of his fans are blaming crew chief Greg Ives for the No. 88’s struggles in Earnhardt’s final season. “Our struggles are no one individual’s responsibility,” Earnhardt said. Ives, in his third season with Earnhardt, was criticized during Sunday’s Brickyard 400 for his decision to send the No. 88 to the pits even though it was good on fuel before the end of the second stage. Had Earnhardt stayed out, he would have come off a restart inside the top five. Instead, he was 24th and soon wrecked out of the race.
IndyCar redesign passes early test: Juan Pablo Montoya and Oriol Servia gave the redesigned IndyCars two thumbs up Tuesday after spending the day testing the sleek, stylish cars on Indianapolis’ 2.5-mile oval. “I think they definitely made the right move at the right time,” said Montoya, who has won the Indianapolis 500 twice. “I think the core fans will really like the look and, again, I think the racing will be better and allow people to be a lot more aggressive.”