CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Brad Keselowski doesn’t want to trade his job to be a NASCAR official because with so much criticism and stress from those on the outside, the former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion believes it looks like one of the worst jobs within the sport.
On Tuesday, the Team Penske driver was questioned during his time on the Charlotte Motor Speedway NASCAR Media Tour about what one thing he would change in NASCAR if he could.
Admitting he could get in hot water with such a question either with NASCAR or his wife Paige Keselowski, in typical fashion, he didn’t hold anything back.
“I would change to where the leader of the sport is at the race track every weekend,” Keselowski said.
The leader that he was referring to was NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France.
For years, France has fought backlash from fans, competitors and teams about his lack of visibility at the sport’s events. His father, Bill France Jr., and grandfather Bill France Sr. were fixtures at the track every weekend.
Two years ago, retired NASCAR driver Tony Stewart was critical of France’s lack of appearances on race weekends and suggested that he should be involved in driver council meetings instead of receiving information second-hand from executives.
France has maintained that he relies on his administration to handle business at the race track allowing him to have the freedom to come and go.
“It’s important for any company that relies so heavily on outside partners to have a direct interface,” Keselowski said.
“This is such a big shift with so much going on week to week, and with some respect, I would say that it’s impossible for the sport to be managed with someone being here every week because the travel situations being what they are and the different things that come up, and I completely understand that.
“But I think on the other side of that, to some extent, you have to be here.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
