NASCAR: Brad Keselowski out at Team Penske for 2022
By Asher Fair
Brad Keselowski is officially in his final NASCAR Cup Series season with Team Penske following the confirmation of Austin Cindric for 2022.
On Thursday morning, Team Penske confirmed that reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric is set to replace 2012 Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski behind the wheel of the #2 Ford for the 2021 season.
Last October, it was announced that Cindric would be replacing Matt DiBenedetto behind the wheel of the #21 Ford at the Team Penske-affiliated Wood Brothers Racing following the 2021 season.
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But this “announcement” was always seen as unofficial, considering the fact that Keselowski entered the 2021 season as a pending free agent after signing a one-year extension last August.
Cindric was always seen as a candidate to drive the #2 Ford next year if Keselowski ended up not returning to the organization.
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For the last several months, it has been rumored that Keselowski is set to move to Roush Fenway Racing as not only a driver but as a team co-owner beginning next year.
Multiple reliable sources reported that this move was likely as soon as the rumors started to heat up, and those same sources reported that it was effectively a “done deal” a little bit later on. While this specific move still hasn’t been confirmed, Keselowski himself has confirmed that the 2021 season is his 12th and final season driving for Roger Penske’s team.
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) July 15, 2021
Keselowski would presumably replace Ryan Newman behind the wheel of the #6 Ford, leaving Newman without a ride for next season unless Roush Fenway Racing decide to expand to three cars for the first time since 2016.
Chris Buescher hasn’t officially been confirmed as the driver of the #17 Ford for next year, but the team have said that they see him being a part of the organization for the next several seasons.
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Meanwhile, Cindric is set to join Ryan Blaney, who is piloting the #12 Ford on a multi-year deal, and Joey Logano, who is piloting the #22 Ford on a multi-year deal, next year at a team that appears to be poised for success over the course of the next several years with drivers aged 22, 27 and 31.