Jason Keller

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Jason Keller
Keller in 2008
Born (1970-04-23) April 23, 1970 (age 53)
Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.
NASCAR Cup Series career
2 races run over 1 year
Best finish58th (2003)
First race2003 Pontiac Excitement 400 (Richmond)
Last race2003 EA Sports 500 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
519 races run over 20 years
2010 position22nd
Best finish2nd (2000, 2002)
First race1991 Nestle 200 (Lanier)
Last race2010 Ford 300 (Homestead)
First win1995 Kroger 200 (IRP)
Last win2003 GNC Live Well 300 (Milwaukee)
Wins Top tens Poles
10 175 11
Statistics current as of December 4, 2011.

Jason Keller (born April 23, 1970) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. Previously, he was a mainstay in NASCAR's second-tier series, competing in 519 Nationwide Series races between 1991 and 2010. On May 15, 2010, Keller made his 500th career start, the first driver in series history to do so.[1]

Racing career

Early career

Keller was born in Greenville, South Carolina, and began his racing career on kart tracks, moving up to Late-Model Sportsman dirt-track racing at the age of 16. He drove the #57 Chevy owned by Jack Finley of Easley, South Carolina.

Keller made his Busch series debut in the 1991 May race at Lanier Speedway. He piloted the #54 Air Products Buick home in 29th after starting 8th.

Air Products would sponsor his family-owned team from 1991 to 1994, during that time using the numbers 54 and 45, before finally settling on the #57, a number Jason would use until the end of the 2003 season. Keller grabbed his first top-10 finish in his 7th start at the North Carolina Speedway in February 1993.

His first top-5 would come one year later in the fall race of 1994 at Dover Downs. 1994 would be his first full season, and he finished 17th that year in the points. He did miss a race that season, but up to December 1, 2005, Keller has not missed one since. He won three poles in 1994, his first career coming at Rougemont.

In 1995, Keller received backing from Budget Gourmet, and rewarded them by finishing 4th place in the standings. His first career win occurred in August, as he outpaced the field at Indianapolis Raceway Park. In addition, Keller had 6 top-5s and 12 top-10s that season.

Slim Jim came on board for the 1996 season. Keller secured another top-10 finish in points (6th) with a 10 top-10s season.

Keller struggled through 1997 and 1998, finishing 13th and 16th in the points respective years. He only had 4 top 5s and 17 top 10s in those two years. In 1998, Keller's family owned team had no decals on the car, and that forced the team to sell to the newly formed ppc Racing team.

Breakout

In 1999, with sponsorship from IGA, Keller won 3 poles (Spring Bristol, IRP, Richmond spring) and 2 wins at Bristol Motor Speedway (spring) and IRP. With 5 top 5s and 12 top 10s, Keller came home 8th in the standings.

In 2000, Keller's ppc team received funding from Excedrin. This began to this date, Keller's best streak in his career. In four years (2000–2003), Keller wrapped up 7 wins (one at Dover, two at Nazareth, one at Rockingham, one at Richmond, one at Milwaukee, and one at Talladega.) He won 4 poles, and finished 2nd twice in the standings (2000 and 2002), 3rd (2001), and 5th (2003).

Keller has run 2 races in the Cup Series. In 2003, he drove the No. 01 U.S. Army for MB2/MBV Motorsports Pontiac home 32nd in the spring Richmond race, subbing for the just injured Jerry Nadeau, and 26th in the fall Talladega race in the No. 1 for DEI.

The No. 57 team lost Albertsons sponsorship at the end of 2003, and Miller High Life came on board, changing the team's number to 22. Keller had 6 top-5s and 12 top-10s in the year, finishing 6th in 2004.

Later career

In 2005, again without sponsorship, Keller left ppc Racing, and headed towards Team Rensi Motorsports's second operation sponsored by McDonald's. They struggled all year. Despite a 9th-place finish in points, Keller was never competitive. He only had 1 top-5 all year (Talladega) and 6 top-10s. Keller signed with Phoenix Racing for 2006, but was released after just eight races.

Keller's 2009 No. 27 Nationwide car

Keller was consistent in the first eight races. He ran the No. 1 Miccosukee Dodge to a best finish of 11th at Daytona, but he was running 12th in points after the eighth race of the year. However, on April 18, 2006, Keller was released from the team in what many viewed as a "cheap shot" from Finch. He was replaced by Mike Wallace. Keller would then try to race the No. 34 Frank Cicci Racing Chevy at Richmond, but he did not qualify and declined further rides with the team. Instead, Brewco Motorsports hired Keller to qualify and practice Greg Biffle's No. 66 Ford for select races when Biffle was working on his Nextel Cup Series team. Keller did a good job, and Brewco rewarded Keller with a race at ORP. Keller ran in the top-five for the first half of his 400th career start, but a mid race spin dropped Keller to 15th in the rundown. Keller will drive part-time for Brewco Motorsports, sharing their No. 27 with NEXTEL Cup driver Ward Burton, as well as a part-time schedule for CJM Racing. On October 12, 2007, Keller broke Tommy Houston's record for most career starts in the Busch Series with his 418th appearance. He also holds the record for most Busch Series earnings with over $11M (USD).

In 2008, Keller drove for CJM Racing in their No. 11 Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series full-time with sponsorship from America's Incredible Pizza Company. Keller tested the No. 98 for then-Evernham Motorsports at Daytona Preseason Thunder Testing. Keller was released from CJM Racing in September during the off week after the fall Richmond race and replaced by Scott Lagasse Jr., with AIPC citing that they wanted to take the company in a new direction. He then signed with Baker Curb Racing to drive the No. 27 Ford Fusion through the rest of 2008 and 2009.[2] For 2010, Keller drove for TriStar Motorsports in the No. 35, though the team had to get by with little to no sponsorship. Although he did not qualify for several races early in the season, by mid-year he had raced his way into the top-30 in owner's points, locking him into the remainder of the races. His best finish in 2010 was 4th at Talladega. Keller did not return to the team in 2011, and Mike Bliss took this place in the renumbered No. 19. His 2010 teammate Tony Raines was also replaced by Eric McClure, who brought sponsorship to the team. Keller has not raced in NASCAR since. On November 2011, Kenny Wallace surpassed Keller in the record books when he made his 520th Nationwide Series start, most all-time.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 NWCC Pts Ref
1996 David Blair Motorsports 27 Ford DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON CLT DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL IND
DNQ
GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL NA - [3]
2003 MB2 Motorsports 01 Pontiac DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX TAL MAR CAL RCH
32
CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY 58th 152 [4]
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. 81 Chevy CHI
DNQ
NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV
1 TAL
26
KAN CLT MAR ATL PHO CAR HOM

Nationwide Series

NASCAR Nationwide Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 NNSC Pts Ref
1991 KEL Racing 54 Buick DAY RCH CAR MAR VOL HCY DAR BRI LAN
29
SBO NZH CLT DOV ROU HCY MYB GLN OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT NHA CAR MAR 104th 76 [5]
1992 DAY CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR BRI HCY LAN
28
DUB NZH CLT DOV ROU 54th 398 [6]
Laughlin Racing 45 Chevy MYB
27
GLN VOL
Olds NHA
13
TAL IRP ROU MCH NHA
32
BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT MAR CAR
39
HCY
1993 KEL Racing 57 Olds DAY CAR
8
RCH
DNQ
DAR
17
BRI
20
HCY
22
ROU MAR NZH CLT
27
DOV MYB
21
GLN MLW
13
BRI
34
DAR
16
RCH
DNQ
DOV ROU CLT
38
MAR CAR
DNQ
HCY ATL
21
33rd 1137 [7]
Chevy TAL
37
IRP MCH NHA
1994 Ford DAY
DNQ
17th 2767 [8]
Chevy CAR
29
RCH
10
ATL
28
MAR
31
DAR
36
HCY
29
BRI
13
ROU
12
NHA
27
NZH
19
CLT
12
DOV
8
MYB
11
GLN
28
MLW
20
SBO
14
TAL
37
HCY
19
IRP
9
MCH
10
BRI
6
DAR
15
RCH
36
DOV
4
CLT
43
MAR
10
CAR
36
1995 DAY
18
CAR
29
RCH
5
ATL
11
NSV
21
DAR
10
BRI
10
HCY
4
NHA
26
NZH
7
CLT
6
DOV
4
MYB
2*
GLN
35
MLW
6
TAL
33
SBO
20
IRP
1
MCH
20
BRI
16
DAR
7
RCH
22
DOV
15
CLT
21
CAR
20
HOM
3
4th 3211 [9]
1996 DAY
44
CAR
8
RCH
7
ATL
26
NSV
35
DAR
16
BRI
29
HCY
4
NZH
5
CLT
25
DOV
30
SBO
21
MYB
3
GLN
10
MLW
10
NHA
8
TAL
22
IRP
25
MCH
17
BRI
9
DAR
27
RCH
15
DOV
25
CLT
10
CAR
13
HOM
16
6th 2900 [10]
1997 DAY
37
CAR
39
RCH
5
ATL
24
LVS
32
DAR
18
HCY
7
TEX
12
BRI
9
NSV
16
TAL
11
NHA
31
NZH
7
CLT
8
DOV
13
SBO
7
GLN
14
MLW
17
MYB
29
GTY
2
IRP
10
MCH
21
BRI
29
DAR
37
RCH
7
DOV
13
CLT
21
CAL
17
CAR
18
HOM
35
13th 3242 [11]
1998 Progressive Motorsports DAY
16
CAR
10
LVS
33
NSV
5
DAR
33
BRI
5
TEX
26
HCY
10
TAL
11
NHA
12
NZH
7
CLT
38
DOV
9
RCH
6
PPR
33
GLN
10
MLW
36
MYB
33
CAL
27
SBO
33
IRP
16
MCH
28
BRI
38
DAR
41
RCH
20
DOV
20
CLT
33
GTY
37
CAR
22
ATL
22
HOM
35
16th 2971 [12]
1999 DAY
22
CAR
33
LVS
10
ATL
15
DAR
12
TEX
6
NSV
3
BRI
1*
TAL
40
CAL
29
NHA
6
RCH
30
NZH
16
CLT
11
DOV
10
SBO
28
GLN
5
MLW
36
MYB
8
PPR
33
GTY
5
IRP
1*
MCH
27
BRI
21
DAR
23
RCH
10
DOV
28
CLT
29
CAR
8
MEM
29
PHO
40
HOM
26
8th 3537 [13]
2000 ppc Racing DAY
12
CAR
4
LVS
34
ATL
43
DAR
14
BRI
9
TEX
11
NSV
22
TAL
22
CAL
7
RCH
5
NHA
3
CLT
19
DOV
1
SBO
7
MYB
4
GLN
11
MLW
5
NZH
3
PPR
12
GTY
4
IRP
5
MCH
23
BRI
2
DAR
6
RCH
11
DOV
2
CLT
6
CAR
3
MEM
15
PHO
8
HOM
4
2nd 4389 [14]
2001 Ford DAY
7
CAR
10
LVS
3
ATL
7
DAR
3
BRI
11
TEX
24
NSH
2
TAL
25
CAL
15
RCH
18
NHA
1
NZH
4
CLT
3
DOV
13
KEN
14
MLW
5
GLN
9
CHI
5
GTY
2
PPR
4
IRP
5
MCH
8
BRI
29
DAR
6
RCH
13
DOV
25
KAN
5
CLT
2
MEM
7
PHO
6
CAR
4
HOM
19
3rd 4642 [15]
2002 DAY
4
CAR
1
LVS
22
DAR
4
BRI
29
TEX
13
NSH
5*
TAL
1*
CAL
5
RCH
1
NHA
32
NZH
1*
CLT
13
DOV
28
NSH
5
KEN
34
MLW
2
DAY
4
CHI
10
GTY
6
PPR
3
IRP
2
MCH
35
BRI
9
DAR
2
RCH
5
DOV
5
KAN
30
CLT
18
MEM
10
ATL
7
CAR
27
PHO
4
HOM
15*
2nd 4644 [16]
2003 DAY
27
CAR
5
LVS
5
DAR
10
BRI
3
TEX
18
TAL
28
NSH
27
CAL
7
RCH
21
GTY
3
NZH
11
CLT
17
DOV
11
NSH
14
KEN
2
MLW
1
DAY
14
CHI
6
NHA
7
PPR
2
IRP
2
MCH
23
BRI
11
DAR
7
RCH
21
DOV
8
KAN
4
CLT
10
MEM
2
ATL
15
PHO
17
CAR
13
HOM
24
5th 4528 [17]
2004 22 DAY
9
CAR
12
LVS
8
DAR
13
BRI
8
TEX
12
NSH
13
TAL
12
CAL
19
GTY
3
RCH
5
NZH
4
CLT
31
DOV
13
NSH
33
KEN
5
MLW
3
DAY
18
CHI
2
NHA
26
PPR
13
IRP
19
MCH
16
BRI
8
CAL
22
RCH
39
DOV
12
KAN
7
CLT
30
MEM
6
ATL
35
PHO
29
DAR
16
HOM
13
6th 4088 [18]
2005 Team Rensi Motorsports 35 Ford DAY
35
CAL
17
MXC
13
LVS
43
ATL
17
NSH
8
BRI
19
TEX
13
PHO
21
TAL
8
DAR
13
RCH
11
CLT
23
DOV
7
NSH
11
KEN
31
MLW
13
DAY
17
CHI
22
NHA
21
PPR
36
GTY
33
IRP
4
GLN
18
MCH
15
BRI
12
CAL
6
RCH
38
DOV
13
KAN
18
CLT
18
MEM
10
TEX
13
PHO
16
HOM
15
9th 3866 [19]
2006 Phoenix Racing 1 Dodge DAY
11
CAL
15
MXC
22
LVS
16
ATL
23
BRI
15
TEX
28
NSH
16
PHO TAL 41st 1116 [20]
Frank Cicci Racing 34 Chevy RCH
DNQ
DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA MAR GTY
Brewco Motorsports 66 Ford IRP
15
GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM
12
TEX PHO HOM
2007 27 DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL BRI NSH
33
TEX PHO TAL RCH KEN
20
MLW
5
GTY
30
IRP
11
CGV GLN 26th 2206 [21]
CJM Racing 11 Chevy DAR
14
CLT DOV
13
NSH
6
NHA
26
DAY CHI
35
MCH
22
BRI
24
RCH
10
DOV
8
KAN
16
CLT
34
MEM
8
TEX
22
PHO
35
HOM
28
Baker Curb Racing 27 Ford CAL
17
2008 CJM Racing 11 Chevy DAY
36
CAL
14
LVS
18
ATL
14
BRI
15
NSH
18
TEX
12
PHO
32
MXC
17
TAL
21
RCH
19
DAR
7
CLT
17
DOV
16
NSH
15
KEN
10
MLW
9
NHA
11
DAY
18
CHI
14
GTY
3
IRP
24
CGV
23
GLN
32
MCH
17
BRI
12
CAL
14
RCH
16
12th 3873 [22]
Baker Curb Racing 27 Ford DOV
19
KAN
19
CLT
29
MEM
25
TEX
19
PHO
13
HOM
22
2009 DAY
9
CAL
17
LVS
25
BRI
28
TEX
15
NSH
12
PHO
17
TAL
7
RCH
9
DAR
15
CLT
16
DOV
9
NSH
26
KEN
23
MLW
20
NHA
23
DAY
22
CHI
19
GTY
9
IRP
25
IOW
6
GLN
16
MCH
20
BRI
16
CGV
23
ATL
37
RCH
15
DOV
10
KAN
13
CAL
10
CLT
17
MEM
28
TEX
12
PHO
11
HOM
13
8th 3960 [23]
2010 Tri-Star Motorsports 35 Chevy DAY
DNQ
CAL
20
LVS
DNQ
BRI
27
NSH
38
PHO
22
TEX
DNQ
TAL
4
RCH
14
DAR
21
DOV
33
CLT
19
NSH
20
KEN
23
ROA NHA
15
DAY
20
CHI
30
GTY
34
IRP
32
IOW
26
GLN MCH
23
BRI
12
CGV ATL
18
RCH
23
DOV
27
KAN
27
CAL
16
CLT
32
GTY TEX
29
PHO HOM
27
22nd 2514 [24]

References

  1. ^ Nationwide Series at a crossroads - ESPN.com, 7/8/09.
  2. ^ Baker Curb Racing newcomer Keller just glad to be working
  3. ^ "Jason Keller – 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  4. ^ "Jason Keller – 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  5. ^ "Jason Keller – 1991 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  6. ^ "Jason Keller – 1992 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  7. ^ "Jason Keller – 1993 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  8. ^ "Jason Keller – 1994 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  9. ^ "Jason Keller – 1995 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  10. ^ "Jason Keller – 1996 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  11. ^ "Jason Keller – 1997 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  12. ^ "Jason Keller – 1998 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  13. ^ "Jason Keller – 1999 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  14. ^ "Jason Keller – 2000 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  15. ^ "Jason Keller – 2001 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  16. ^ "Jason Keller – 2002 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  17. ^ "Jason Keller – 2003 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  18. ^ "Jason Keller – 2004 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  19. ^ "Jason Keller – 2005 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  20. ^ "Jason Keller – 2006 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  21. ^ "Jason Keller – 2007 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  22. ^ "Jason Keller – 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  23. ^ "Jason Keller – 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  24. ^ "Jason Keller – 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2015.

External links