“He had it in his blood from the beginning”: When President Obama honored NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski at the White House

Former President Barack Obama once congratulated NASCAR veteran Brad Keselowski and his crew on winning his maiden 2012 NASCAR Cup Series championship at the White House. Roger Penske, the owner of Team Penske ended the Cup championship drought with Keselowski in 2012.

Following the year, then-President Barack Obama praised Keselowski for his competitive spirit and determination throughout the 2012 season. Driving the #2 Dodge for Team Penske, Keselowski secured the championship by finishing 15th in the season finale title deciding race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, beating Jimmie Johnson, who suffered mechanical issues late in the race.

Obama in 2013 welcomed Keselowski and #2 Penske Dodge team to the White House to honor Keselowski's NASCAR Cup Series championship and spoke highly of their successful title triumph in his address. Here’s what Obama said (via obamawhitehouse.com):

“We’re here to congratulate Brad Keselowski for winning his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. People who have known Brad a long time aren’t surprised, I gather, that he’s up here.”

Obama further shed light on Keselowski’s deep-rooted connection to racing, having grown up in a family immersed in the sport. He started from working as a crew to getting into the car himself. The former president said:

“He practically grew up on the racetrack with his dad and uncle – tinkering on cars and working the crew for their family-owned race team before he got behind the wheel. He had it in his blood from the beginning – his racer’s mentality, his commitment to the team, and his belief that you’ve always got to keep pushing to be your best.”

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President Obama praised Brad Keselowski for his work towards wounded warriors

Obama, who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017 praised Keselowski’s work though Checkered Flag Foundation which helps veterans and first responders on their road to recovery. The foundation has been supporting these individuals since 2010.

On Keselowski’s deep appreciation for military veterans and their sacrifices, here’s what Obama said (via obamawhitehouse.com):

“For Brad, our veterans are an important part of his team. I'm going to quote him, ‘I couldn’t do what I do on the racetrack without these men and women making the sacrifices they do for me.’”

During his 2012 title winning campaign, Brad Keselowski won five races, 13 top-five finishes, and 23 top-10 finishes with an average finish of 10.08 and led 735 laps in 36 races.

Watch Brad Keselowski in action in the third NASCAR Cup Series race of the season at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) on Sunday (March 2).