“He’s the Guy”: Brad Keselowski Lets Slip His Desire to Steal Trackhouse Prodigy Amid Interest in a Third Charter

The NASCAR silly season is on a roll, with multiple charters up for grabs. With teams plotting moves to build and expand their racing projects, Front Row Motorsports has already started the domino effect by purchasing a third charter. And it looks like RFK Racing and Brad Keselowski could be following suit. But which driver has the co-owner got his eyes set on?

With the soon-to-be-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing camp, Chase Briscoe and Noah Gragson are undeniably front runners to fill vacant charters next season. However, Keselowski isn’t concerned with the drama unfolding in that garage. Rather, he has his eye on the next NASCAR rising star, Connor Zilisch.

Brad Keselowski has a nose for talent

Currently, RFK Racing runs a two-team operation, but according to Keselowski, a three-car team makes more sense, at least from a financial standpoint. On Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, Keselowski revealed, “Three [charters] is definitely the best number [to have].” While RFK Racing has not been speculated to buy one of SHR’s charters, it certainly won’t shut the door on the prospect of fielding a third car. Especially if they get hold of Zilisch, who is currently on contract with Trackhouse Racing.

Kevin Harvick asked the 2021 Cup Series champion, “Who’s the best young driver you would put in that third car? Hypothetically speaking, who would be the best fit for your company?” Keselowski revealed, “I think right now, the best young talent that I see at least, that could drive a Cup car, is probably Connor Zilisch. When I keep my eyes open, and I watch him race, he’s the one that I see has the most potential… If you told me, ‘Brad, go put a young driver in, make him a star, and here’s all the money to do it,’ he’s the guy.”

The 17-year-old sensation has already started making a name for himself with his stints in the Craftsman Truck and ARCA Series. In his first national series race start, Zilisch took command of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports truck and finished 4th. He is expected to return for three additional runs this season. Moreover, his two starts in the ARCA Series this year have resulted in straight wins at Iowa and Dover.

Zilisch has also won in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock class at Hickory in April, in addition to 2 IMSA LMP2 class races at Daytona 24H and Sebring 12H. So it’s understandable why a veteran like Brad Keselowski is watching the young driver closely. But, given that he is under contract at Trackhouse Racing, it is hard to see him make a switch this early in his career. At least not until this chaotic, silly season passes. That said, did you know it was Kevin Harvick who first realized how talented the 17-year-old was?

On the same episode of the Happy Hour podcast, Harvick told Brad Keselowski how he came across Connor Zilisch during a karting race his son, Keelan, was participating in. “He was racing go-karts with Keeland. I recognized that he had that generational talent to be able to do the things he’s doing in a car right now,” revealed Harvick. The 2014 Cup Series champion approached Zilisch’s father and asked what future he saw for Connor. “He said, ‘We’re going to go run some spec Miatas, and I’m gonna make him go to school.’” Harvick knew that may not be the right decision.

He continued, “I told him, ‘I don’t know if that’s the best decision you could make with what he can do in this kart.’” Understanding where Harvick was coming from, they got him a test with Silver Hare. “He went up, and William Byron was there the day before. [Connor] went one second faster than William Byron did at VIR (Virginia International Raceway),” Harvick said, adding, “Next thing you know, he was driving a race, and then he’s gone on to do all the things that he’s done.”

Speaking about the early days of racing, Keselowski also shared his cool story, which he would like to relive again.

Dale Earnhardt Jr’s contribution to Keselowski’s rise in NASCAR was instrumental

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Back in 2007, Keselowski was in a rough spot after securing his first full-time Busch Series (now called Xfinity) ride with Keith Coleman Racing. Unfortunately, the team decided to shut down their racing operation, leaving the driver stranded after his first-ever breakthrough season. However, fate had other plans in store for Keselowski, and his Truck Series performance in Memphis caught Dale Earnhardt Jr’s attention. Next thing you know, he left a voicemail to the driver offering him a seat in the No. 88 car at JR Motorsports.

This indeed was a huge turnaround for Keselowski, as he went on to win six races along with back-to-back third-place championship finishes. Recalling the moment he received the voice call from Dale Jr, he said, “I landed in Detroit and turned my phone on, and I had a voicemail from Dale Earnhardt Jr. And I remember thinking, ‘This is the coolest thing ever.’ I think I talked to him on a Monday or Tuesday, and next thing I knew, I was flying up to North Carolina, and my world just flipped.”

This was the time when Dale Jr was also involved in a public feud with Teresa Earnhardt and was unsure if he would continue running JRM. Therefore, Brad Keselowski’s intervention kind of worked in the favor of both: JRM kept prospering, and the driver was also able to elevate his racing career – so