Brad Keselowski calls for NASCAR to have 'same rules as NFL' in key area regarding young drivers

Brad Keselowski recently shared his take on why NASCAR should have an age restriction on drivers entering the Cup Series. Keselowski, a driver and team owner with RFK Racing, was the guest on the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download hosted by Kelley Earnhardt.

At one point in their conversation, Kelley Earnhardt mentioned how she thinks about the ages of drivers in NASCAR. She revealed that at JR Motorsports, the team she co-owns with Dale Jr., they have a lot of young drivers with a lot of talent. However, she raised her concerns with connecting those drivers with fans and sponsors because they don't get enough opportunities to build or showcase their personalities.

This prompted Brad Keselowski to mention that NASCAR should follow the example of other major leagues. He said:

"I think Cup should have same rules as NFL and these other leagues where you can't be in Cup until you're in your 20s, whether it's 20, 21, 22, whatever. That's for a couple of different reasons. One, you need an opportunity for them to grow who they are and mature for not just marketing reasons, but even for competitive reasons. You want people in Cup that have a certain level of maturity that just is very rare to find with somebody in their teens ... racecraft and just comprehension of what's going on." [54:20]

Keselowski claimed that NASCAR should also think of protecting the lower levels of the sport, such as the Late Model Series, the ARCA Series and so on. The RFK driver said they won't be healthy series if there are 14-year-old drivers racing in them.

Brad Keselowski added that because you can compete in the Cup Series at 18, the lower levels have drivers as young as 14. According to Keselowski, it all starts at the top and "flows down."

Brad Keselowski shares his take on NASCAR's current playoff system

During his conversation with Kelley Earnhardt on the Dale Jr. Download, Brad Keselowski also shared his thoughts on the current playoff system. It's worth mentioning that the system came under scrutiny from insiders, drivers, and fans after Joey Logano's Cup championship triumph last season.

As per Logano's former teammate, Brad Keselowski, the format, while not perfect, is acceptable. He said:

"The current format in my opinion has some flaws, you have to pick the flaws you're okay with having. So that's the conversation, what flaws are we okay with having with whatever system."

Keselowski claimed that from NASCAR's perspective, the playoff format has undergone "a radical shift" as it went from its original format of being all-season long to becoming a one-race at Phoenix where the winner takes all.

The 40-year-old added that while he would make some changes if it were up to him, he also understands that the playoff format makes the sport more engaging for fans.