"I'm not dialing out": When Brad Keselowski kept his options open on Roger Penske's team amid Silly Season buzz

Brad Keselowski's contract with Team Penske was set to expire at the end of the season in 2020. While Penske had announced the contract extension for teammate Ryan Blaney, there was no certainty regarding Keselowski's future. He was in no hurry to decide on his future amid the NASCAR silly season.

The 2020 season was a good one for Team Penske. All three of its racers finished in the top ten in the year-end standings. Blaney won at Talladega, while Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski made it to the playoff finale. Logano, the 2018 champion, ultimately finished in third position with two wins in Las Vegas and the summer race in Phoenix.

Keselowski was struggling ahead of the 2020 season and had not been in the championship picture for two years. The #2 finished eighth in two back-to-back seasons. He began the 2020 season by crashing in the Daytona 500. With his contract ending at the end of the season, Keselowski kept his cards close to his chest.

“I’m not dialing out. But if somebody dials in, I’ll certainly listen for sure,” Brad Keselowski told Pat DeCola in a NASCAR interview.

This fueled more buzz about his potential Cup team for the 2021 season. The team had just extended the contract with Ryan Blaney and was looking at the future. Austin Cindric, who drove the #22 for Team Penske in the Xfinity Series, was looking to replace the #2 on the back of some dominating performances.

The No. 48 of Hendrick Motorsports would be vacant after Jimmie Johnson’s last year in racing that year. In addition, there were seats available in Chip Ganassi Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Stewart Haas Racing. Keselowski had been with Team Penske since 2010 and his last contract extension came in 2017. Keselowski chose to keep the door open and was in no rush to commit early.

"I really haven’t thought about (the game plan for an extension). I haven’t put any emphasis on it. I’ve been trying to … I had a baby over the offseason, trying to enjoy that. Then we had the team change right after that, trying to make the most of that and get off to the right start here the first few weeks.” Keselowski added in his interview.

Keselowski proved himself right as his focus on his racing led him to having his best season since his 2012 winning campaign.

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Brad Keselowski remained competitive with Team Penske before joining RFK Racing

Brad Keselowski (2) speeds down the stretch after turn four at the Phoenix Raceway 2018- Source: Imagn

Brad Keselowski had a terrific 2020 NASCAR Cup Series, where he went on to win four races and made it to the playoffs to reach the finale. But Chase Elliott led for 154 laps in the final at Phoenix and won his first championship that season. He finished the season with 5035 points.

Eventually, all the rumors came to a close as he re-signed with Team Penske on a one-year extension. He left the next year after another top-ten finish and was replaced by Austin Cindric. He would join RFK Racing as a driver and co-owner, driving the #6, where he continues to race today.