Brad Keselowski has voiced strong criticism of NASCAR’s shift toward more road course events, igniting debate among drivers about whether these additions serve the sport’s traditions or undermine them. The discussion around the Brad Keselowski NASCAR road course opinion intensified after recent schedule expansions and speculation about further new street races.
NASCAR’s Schedule: A Shift Toward More Road Courses
For much of its history, NASCAR’s Cup Series featured just two road courses: Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen. In recent years, the league has broadened its schedule, introducing races at the Indianapolis Road Course, Daytona Road Course, Road America, Charlotte Roval, and Circuit of the Americas. International locations like Mexico City and street circuits in Chicago further contributed, although some of these events are no longer on the calendar. Currently, six road or street courses remain part of the Cup lineup, while officials are hashing out a possible new street race in San Diego.
Drivers Divided on Road Course Expansion
Not every driver supports this shift. Instead, several prominent competitors have spoken publicly about the drawbacks of too many road and street races in a sport long centered on ovals. Brad Keselowski, the 2012 NASCAR Cup champion and driver for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, is one of the most vocal among them. He commented on social media:
“We went from 2 to 6 road course races, possibly 7 next year,”
—Brad Keselowski, Driver
“NASCAR was successfully built as a primarily oval racing series. IMSA was built as the primary road course series in North America. IMSA will always do road racing better than NASCAR and that’s ok … Yes, TOO many Road courses in NASCAR.”
—Brad Keselowski, Driver
Keselowski’s remarks reflect a sentiment that NASCAR’s identity is best preserved on ovals rather than by mimicking series like IMSA, which specializes in road racing.
Denny Hamlin, three-time Daytona 500 winner, echoed similar concerns during his “Actions Detrimental” podcast:
“I’m not a road course fan,”
—Denny Hamlin, Driver
“I still believe we have too many of them on the schedule … Six is a lot, considering that we are NASCAR. We’re short track racing, oval racing, full contact type racing.”
—Denny Hamlin, Driver
Hamlin, however, distinguished his views by supporting Chicago’s street course, calling it valuable enough to retain but expressing indifference toward most other non-oval events.
Voices From the Past: Racing Legends Join the Debate
Veteran figures in the sport have also weighed in. Richard Petty, a legend in NASCAR history, recently criticized the influence of road courses on championship outcomes, especially after Shane van Gisbergen’s victory in Mexico. Petty said:
“You got somebody that’s 30th in points that’s going to make the playoffs,”
—Richard Petty, Former Driver
“Hey man, what happened to the guy that 15th, 16th, or 18th (that’s) been running good and finished good everywhere? You’re making a championship situation by winning a road course, which is not really NASCAR to begin with. From that standpoint, I think they’re going to have to jockey around and change some of this kind of stuff.”
—Richard Petty, Former Driver
Petty’s concerns center on road course wins possibly overshadowing overall consistency, raising questions about whether recent changes are fair to career-long oval specialists.
Implications for NASCAR’s Future
The increasing number of road and street circuits in NASCAR’s Cup Series has stirred intense feelings and complicated discussions about the sport’s core identity. With even iconic voices like Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, and Richard Petty weighing in, NASCAR officials may be forced to re-evaluate the balance between honoring tradition and exploring new venues. The ultimate resolution—whether to trim road courses or continue expanding into new cities like San Diego—will likely shape the path and perception of NASCAR for years to come.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Brad Keselowski Polish?
A. Best wishes to Brad Keselowski, a seasoned NASCAR driver with Polish roots, competing in the NASCAR Chicago races this weekend. Brad races the No. 6 Ford Mustang Dark Horse full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series.
