Photos: Brad Keselowski Wins NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship

Posted Nov 18, 2012

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Here’s a tweet for Brad Keselowski: NASCAR champion. Roger Penske must like the sound of that, too.

The kid who stole the show at the season-opening Daytona 500 ended the year under the biggest spotlight of them all Sunday, beating five-time champion Jimmie Johnson to deliver the first Sprint Cup championship to Penske Racing.

1 of 36

Brad Keselowski celebrates with the Sprint Cup which he clinched during the 2012 Ford EcoBoost 400 Sprint Cup NASCAR race, as confetti rains down on him at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida November 18, 2012. REUTERS/Gaston De Cardenas
2 of 36

Brad Keselowski celebrates winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012, in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)
3 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, celebrates in Champions Victory Lane after winning the series championship and finishing in fifteenth place for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR)
4 of 36

Brad Keselowski hugs owner Roger Penske after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship following an auto race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012, in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)
5 of 36

Brad Keselowski, center, holds up his trophy after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship following an auto race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012, in Homestead, Fla. Keselowski clinched the title after fellow contender Jimmie Johnson pulled out of the season finale because of a parts failure. Jeff Gordon won the race. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
6 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, celebrates with Miss Sprint in Champions Victory Lane after winning the series championship and finishing in fifteenth place for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
7 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, shakes hands with NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France in Champions Victory Lane after winning the series championship and finishing in fifteenth place for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
8 of 36

Jeff Gordon, wife Ingrid and son Leo celebrate after Jeff won the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, in Homestead, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)
9 of 36

Jeff Gordon celebrates after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)
10 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, celebrates after winning the series championship and finishing in fifteenth place for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR)
11 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, celebrates in Champions Victory Lane after winning the series championship and finishing in fifteenth place for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
12 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, celebrates in Champions Victory Lane after winning the series championship and finishing in fifteenth place for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
13 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, celebrates in Champions Victory Lane after winning the series championship and finishing in fifteenth place for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR)
14 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, drinks a beer in front of NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France in Champions Victory Lane after winning the series championship and finishing in fifteenth place for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
15 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, celebrates with a burnout after winning the series championship and finishing in fifteenth place for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for NASCAR)
16 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, celebrates in Champions Victory Lane after winning the series championship and finishing in fifteenth place for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
17 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Fireworks go off over Homestead-Miami Speedway following the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for NASCAR)
18 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, celebrates after winning the series championship and finishing in fifteenth place for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for NASCAR)
19 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, crosses the finish line in fifteenth place to win the series championship in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)
20 of 36

Brad Keselowski celebrates after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship following an auto race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012, in Homestead, Fla. Keselowski clinched the title after fellow title contender Jimmie Johnson pulled out of the season finale because of a parts failure. Jeff Gordon won the race. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
21 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, celebrates after winning the series championship and finishing in fifteenth place for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)
22 of 36

Jimmie Johnson's crew pushes his car back to the garage area during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012, in Homestead, Fla. Brad Keselowski clinched the Sprint Cup title after fellow title contender Johnson pulled out of the season finale because of a parts failure. Jeff Gordon won the race. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
23 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, leads the field during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR)
24 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Brad Keselowski drives the #2 Miller Lite Dodge during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for NASCAR)
25 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, drives ahead of Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)
26 of 36

Brad Keselowski makes a pit stop in his number 2 Dodge during the 2012 Ford EcoBoost 400 Sprint Cup NASCAR race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida November 18, 2012. REUTERS/Gaston De Cardenas
27 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: A general view of the seats of fans during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for NASCAR)
28 of 36

Sparks fly from Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s car during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship auto race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012, in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
29 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Fastenal Ford, leads the field during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR)
30 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
31 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Marcos Ambrose, driver of the #9 Black & Decker Ford, and Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, lead the field during the final pace-lap prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)
32 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Joey Logano, driver of the #20 Home Depot/redbeacon.com Toyota, and Marcos Ambrose, driver of the #9 Black & Decker Ford, lead the field during the pace-laps prior to start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)
33 of 36

Drivers take the green flag for the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012, in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/David Graham)
34 of 36

Brad Keselowski and members of his crew listen to the national anthem before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012, in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/The Miami Herald, Andrew Uloza)
35 of 36

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, holds his daughter Genevieve Marie while standing with wife Chandra on the grid prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images for NASCAR)
36 of 36

Kid Rock, center, performs a concert before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)