NASCAR: 10 future Hall of Famers among 2020 drivers
By Asher Fair
Future NASCAR Hall of Famers: #9 – Brad Keselowski
In the slide about Kurt Busch, it was referenced that five other active drivers have won at least 31 races and one Cup Series championship, and none of the four who had been discussed at the time were even remotely close to not being considered for future Hall of Fame induction.
The fifth one isn’t close to that lack of consideration either.
Brad Keselowski has only ever driven for Team Penske as a full-time driver, and he has competed full-time since 2010. In just his third full season back in 2012, he won a championship, and he did it during an era that had been dominated by Jimmie Johnson. At that time, he had only nine career wins to his name.
Tony Stewart won the 2005 and 2011 championships, and Johnson won each championship from 2006 to 2010. Any new champion would’ve been surprising in 2012, let alone a driver who entered the year with just two years of experience and just four career wins. He more than doubled his career win total with five that year to win the title.
Keselowski, who is up to 24th place on the all-time wins list with 34 victories, has only ever had one winless season, his first, driving for Team Penske, and he has won at least three races in each of the last five years.
With 10 consecutive winning seasons, the 36-year-old driver of the #2 Ford could very well find himself challenging Richard Petty’s record of 18 straight before he retires.
Only 16 retirees have amassed at least 34 wins and a championship, and all of them are in the Hall of Fame. Keselowski has a great chance to keep adding to his win total before he joins them.