Keselowski Will Join Penske Team

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Brad Keselowski's long courtship with Penske Racing ended Tuesday when he finally took an offer to move to the Sprint Cup Series.

Keselowski, who had been hoping to move into a Cup ride with mighty Hendrick Motorsports, will instead drive the No. 12 Dodge next season. He'll replace David Stremme, and run full schedules in both the Cup and Nationwide Series.

"This was the hardest decision I've ever had to make in my life,'' Keselowski said. "But I woke up this morning feeling confident I had made the right one. It was clear to me this is the direction I want to head."

Keselowski said he relied upon advice from Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt, who own his current Nationwide team, as well as Rick Hendrick. He had turned down the No. 12 before this season in hopes of graduating into a Hendrick ride in 2010, but Mark Martin's decision not to scale back next year meant there wasn't a seat to offer NASCAR's hottest prospect.

"I have the blessings of Dale, Kelley and Rick to come out and do this,'' he said. "I am where I am at today because of their support.''

Terms of the contract were not announced, and a release sent by the team said only that Keselowski will drive for Penske next season.

Hendrick sent a message across the garage two weeks ago, warning other teams that wherever Keselowski drives in 2010 "he'll always be close enough for me to get him and bring him back.''

Penske team president Tim Cindric would not address Hendrick's vow.

"We're not going to comment on contracts and how long they are,'' he said. "Brad has given us every indication that he's committed, and I am not aware of any promises to go back, or to have him back.''

Keselowski certainly talked the talk, insisting he's looking forward to adding to Roger Penske's storied racing history. Although Penske is the most successful owner in American open-wheel racing, he's yet to win a NASCAR title. His current Cup lineup includes Kurt Busch and three-time IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr., while 23-year-old prospect Justin Allgaier races in the Nationwide Series.

"My intent is to come to Penske Racing and build a home for my long-term career,'' he said. "There are very few teams that have the resources that can compete with Hendrick Motorsports, and this is one of them. I want to be the guy who comes to Penske Racing and gives them their first NASCAR championship.

"For everything they've accomplished, that's the one thing that's been missing.''

Keselowski, who is third in the Nationwide standings with three wins this season, will race for that series title next year. He won his first career Cup race with a dramatic last-lap pass of Carl Edwards at Talladega in April while driving a James Finch-owned car.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=512173&pid=512172&uts=1251978295

http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Latest NASCAR Photos

MONTREAL, QC - AUGUST 29: Carl Edwards, driver of the #60 CitiFinancial Ford celebrates by performing a backflip after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Napa Auto Parts 200 on August 29, 2009 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carl Edwards

Getty Images

Getty Images North America

Latest NASCAR Images

American Sprint Car Series driver Jessica Zemken works on her car with NASCAR driver Tony Stewart after qualifying for an auto race in Dundee, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/ Charles Berch)

** HAmerican Sprint Car Series driver Jessica Zemken talks with NASCAR driver Tony Stewart before qualifying for a Sprint car auto race in Dundee, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/ Charles Berch)

American Sprint Car Series driver Jessica Zemken is push started by NASCAR driver Tony Stewart during qualifying for an auto race in Dundee, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Berch)

Hendrick Motorsports engineer Richie Parker, center, stands in the inspection line with the crew from Brad Keselowski before the NASCAR Carfax 400 Sprint Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009. Richie Parker was born without arms, but that didn't stop him from working his way through college at Clemson _ then combining the engineering degree he earned with his boyhood love of cars to go to work for Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR's equivalent to the New York Yankees. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Hendrick Motorsports engineer Richie Parker, right, stands in the inspection line with the crew from Brad Keselowski before the NASCAR Carfax 400 Sprint Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009. Richie Parker was born without arms, but that didn't stop him from working his way through college at Clemson _ then combining the engineering degree he earned with his boyhood love of cars to go to work for Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR's equivalent to the New York Yankees. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Hendrick Motorsports engineer Richie Parker, center, talks to a Tony Stewart crew member as they wait in the inspection line with the crew from Brad Keselowski before the NASCAR Carfax 400 Sprint Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009. Richie Parker was born without arms, but that didn't stop him from working his way through college at Clemson _ then combining the engineering degree he earned with his boyhood love of cars to go to work for Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR's equivalent to the New York Yankees. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols exchanges comments with NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace seated above the Cardinals' dugout during a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, on Tuesday, September 1, 2009. (Chris Lee/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/MCT)

MCT

NASCAR Nationwide driver Brad Keselowski smiles before the morning practice session in Montreal , Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. Keselowski signed with Penske Racing on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009, to drive in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series next season. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz)

FILE -- This is a July 2, 2009, file photo showing Bobby Labonte climbing into his car during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Coke Zero 400 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Yates Racing is taking Bobby Labonte out of its No. 96 car for seven upcoming races because of sponsorship issues.(AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

A member of the NYFD signs the hood of the NASCAR racecar custom-designed to commemorate 9/11 during a marketing event Monday, Aug. 31, 2009 in New York. Driver Benny Gordon and North South Motorsports will race the car to commemorate 9/11 on September 11, 2009 at the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)