Brad Keselowski Rips Into Retirement Speculations With Fiery 3-Word Declaration, Chasing Mark Martin’s Legacy

Brad Keselowski knows a thing or two about defying expectations. As fans and analysts dissect Martin Truex Jr.’s recent retirement announcement, Keselowski finds himself lumped into speculations about NASCAR’s “elder statesmen” calling it quits. At 40, Keselowski knows these whispers are inevitable, but he’s not quite ready to take his foot off the gas. While retirement chatter swirls around him, Keselowski is more focused than ever on something else — something far from the idea of slowing down.

With Truex stepping away, Denny Hamlin and Keselowski will become the elder statesmen of the NASCAR garage. But rather than view his age as a countdown clock, Keselowski seems to draw energy from his veteran pursuits. Inspired by none other than the legendary Mark Martin, who raced well into his 50s, Keselowski hints he may still have plenty of laps ahead. However, if you think he’s slowing down, his fiery, three-word response says it all.

Brad Keselowski has time before retiring from NASCAR

When asked about his future in NASCAR, Keselowski didn’t hold back. “I’ve got time,” he said, declaring his intent to continue in NASCAR. While some drivers may see their 40s as the twilight of their careers, Keselowski sees it as the perfect moment to carve out a legacy comparable to Mark Martin’s. He reflects, “I just think about Mark Martin driving until he was 50. If he can do it, I can do it. That’s still like another 10 years from now.”

Keselowski wants to follow the footsteps of the NASCAR legend Mark Martin who did not retire until he was 54. Following a career that spun decades driving cars on the race track, Martin even came back as a consultant. Martin’s legacy is all Keselowski needs to continue to race in NASCAR and not step away from the sport he loves so much. As co-owner of RFK Racing, Keselowski feels the weight of balancing driver and owner roles but finds the partnership invigorating. Recently, he’s been hitting a stride, with strong finishes at Darlington and Charlotte giving him a new burst of confidence. “I left the Coke 600 saying, ‘Oh, I’ve got 10 years left in me.’”

Brad Keselowski isn’t holding back when it comes to setting the record straight for his future in NASCAR. Recently, he took to X (formerly Twitter) with a message that left no room for doubt about his intentions. Wrapping up his gratitude to fans and sponsors for their support this year, Keselowski didn’t miss the chance to address the retirement rumors head-on.

10). Finally, thanks to my partners and fans for all your support this year. Couldn’t be here without you!

And anyone who thinks I’m ready to retire can kiss my tail. I have a lot of fight left in me and already can’t wait for 2025. Cya then

— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) November 11, 2024

“And anyone who thinks I’m ready to retire can kiss my tail,” he declared, making it crystal clear he’s nowhere near done. Keselowski emphasized he’s still got “a lot of fight left” and made a bold statement to cap it off: “Already can’t wait for 2025. Cya then.”

For a driver like Brad Keselowski, who’s spent years competing at the highest level, this fiery response underscores just how much he’s looking forward, not back. For the driver/team co-owner, these achievements only reaffirm what he’s known all along: “They don’t make a drug that good as being able to win races.” And as long as he feels that rush, retirement is the last thing on his mind. Now that Keselowski is planning on staying in NASCAR for longer, he has a few changes in his mind that he would like to see the sport implement. Start off with the playoff format.

Brad Keselowski wants the playoff format to change

Brad Keselowski is no stranger to voicing his opinion on NASCAR’s playoff format after this season’s championship weekend. With Ty Majeski, Justin Allgaier, and Joey Logano emerging as champions in the Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series, respectively, Keselowski had a moment of reflection on his flight home.

He took to social media to make a post on X to express a lingering feeling he couldn’t shake: while Joey Logano’s title was well-earned, Keselowski felt the playoff format itself still leaves something to be desired.

In his post, Keselowski shared that he believes Logano’s championship was justified but argued that the current system doesn’t truly represent what a season-long fight for the Cup Series should be about. “Two things can be true at the same time,” he wrote. “Joey Logano deserved to win the championship; this format doesn’t feel ideal for rewarding the NASCAR Cup championship.”

SONOMA, CALIFORNIA, JUNE 07: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #6 King’s Hawaiian/Despicable Me 4 Ford, looks on in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 07, 2024, in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

This wasn’t just an off-the-cuff remark, either. Keselowski has expressed similar sentiments before. Whether his comments will spark any change remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain: Keselowski isn’t backing down from this debate anytime soon. Do you think that NASCAR will make changes to the controversial playoff format for 2025? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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