Keselowski interested in future Cup ownership

Brad Keselowski

Although Brad Keselowski elected to shutter his racing operation following the 2017 Camping World Truck Series season, on Friday he gifted [BKR Truck Series drivers Chase Briscoe and Austin Cindric] with the F150s from their respective inaugural wins.

Hopefully, Keselowski's hiatus from team ownership is temporary. Like his mentor Dale Earnhardt Jr., Keselowski provided an opportunity for a number of drivers to hone their skills in NASCAR's feeder series before moving on to the next level. Ryan Blaney, Daniel Hemric, Tyler Reddick and now Briscoe and Cindric have all come through BKR.

And with ever-aging ownership in the Monster Energy Cup Series, NASCAR needs to cultivate its next generation of team owners. Just looking at the Championship 4, Barney Visser, who owns Furniture Row Racing, is in his mid-60s. Gene Haas, the principal owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, turned 65 last month. Joe Gibbs turned 77 last week, and Keselowski's owner, Roger Penske, celebrated his 80th birthday in February.

Keselowski's foray into the cultivation of aspiring talent full-time started with Parker Kligerman in 2011. While he was only able to keep the operation afloat for seven seasons, it remains Keselowski's dream to revive BKR one day and perhaps have the organization blossom into a NASCAR Cup operation.

"Absolutely. It's 100 percent my dream," Keselowski told Motorsport.com. "There's a lot of things that have to happen to make that a possibility-including the support of a manufacturer and the health of the sport being at a high point. But it's my intention to get to that position in the long-term future."

Currently, Keselowski has no intentions of selling the BKR building. It is indeed his hope to return to an ownership role when he hangs up his helmet for the last time.

"It's going to be up to my generation as not just only as owners or pit crew members or drivers but also fans to take this sport to the next generation as it has been handed to us," Keselowski said. Motorsport