Jason Keller

Jason Scott 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 five-hundredth career start, the first driver in series history to do so.

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 sixteen. He drove the No. 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 No. 54 Air Products Buick to finish in 29th after starting eighth.

Air Products sponsored his family-owned team from 1991 to 1994, during that time using the numbers 54 and 45, before finally settling on the No. 57, a number Keller used until the end of the 2003 season. Keller got his first top-ten finish in his seventh start, at the North Carolina Speedway, in February 1993.

Keller's first top-five came one year later in the fall race of 1994 at Dover Downs. 1994 would be his first full season, and he finished seventeenth 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 fourth place in the standings. His first career win occurred in August, as he outpaced the field at Indianapolis Raceway Park. In addition, Keller had six top-fives and twelve top-tens that season.

Slim Jim came on board for the 1996 season. Keller secured another top-ten finish in points (sixth) with ten top-tens that season.

Keller would also appear on the October 7, 1996, episode of WCW Nitro in a promo with "Macho Man" Randy Savage, where the two made fun of fellow driver Kyle Petty, who was sponsored by the nWo, for wrecking and gloated about Keller finishing in the top-ten in the same race.

Keller struggled through 1997 and 1998, finishing thirteenth and sixteenth in the points respective years. He only had four top-fives and seventeen top-tens 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 three poles (Spring Bristol, IRP, Richmond spring) and two wins at Bristol Motor Speedway (spring) and IRP. With five top-fives and twelve top-tens, Keller came home eighth 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 seven wins (one at Dover, two at Nazareth, one at Rockingham, one at Richmond, one at Milwaukee, and one at Talladega.) He won four poles, and finished second twice in the standings (2000 and 2002), third (2001), and fifth (2003).

Keller has run two 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 Jerry Nadeau, whose suffered a career-ending injury, 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 six top-fives and twelve top-tens in the year, finishing sixth 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 ninth place finish in points, Keller was never competitive. He only had one top-five all year (Talladega) and six top-tens. Keller signed with Phoenix Racing for 2006, but was released after just eight races.

Keller was consistent in the first eight races. He ran the No. 1 Miccosukee Dodge to a best finish of eleventh at Daytona, but he was running twelfth 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 four-hundredth career start, but a mid race spin dropped Keller to fifteenth 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. 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-thity in owner's points, locking him into the remainder of the races. His best finish in 2010 was fourth 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. In 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 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 GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL NA - 2003 MB2 Motorsports 01 Pontiac DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX TAL MAR CAL RCH CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY 58th 152 Dale Earnhardt, Inc. 81 Chevy CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV 1 TAL 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 Pts Ref 1991 KEL Racing 54 Buick DAY RCH CAR MAR VOL HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH CLT DOV ROU HCY MYB GLN OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT NHA CAR MAR 104th 76 1992 DAY CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR BRI HCY LAN DUB NZH CLT DOV ROU 54th 398 Laughlin Racing 45 Chevy MYB GLN VOL Olds NHA TAL IRP ROU MCH NHA BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT MAR CAR HCY 1993 KEL Racing 57 Olds DAY CAR RCH DAR BRI HCY ROU MAR NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW BRI DAR RCH DOV ROU CLT MAR CAR HCY ATL 33rd 1137 Chevy TAL IRP MCH NHA 1994 Ford DAY 17th 2767 Chevy CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR HCY BRI ROU NHA NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW SBO TAL HCY IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT43 MAR CAR 1995 DAY CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NHA NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW TAL SBO IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR HOM 4th 3211 1996 DAY44 CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NZH CLT DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NHA TAL IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR HOM 6th 2900 1997 DAY CAR RCH ATL LVS DAR HCY TEX BRI NSV TAL NHA NZH CLT DOV SBO GLN MLW MYB GTY IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAL CAR HOM 13th 3242 1998 Progressive Motorsports DAY CAR LVS NSV DAR BRI TEX HCY TAL NHA NZH CLT DOV RCH PPR GLN MLW MYB CAL SBO IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT GTY CAR ATL HOM 16th 2971 1999 DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR TEX NSV BRI TAL CAL NHA RCH NZH CLT DOV SBO GLN MLW MYB PPR GTY IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR MEM PHO HOM 8th 3537 2000 ppc Racing DAY CAR LVS ATL43 DAR BRI TEX NSV TAL CAL RCH NHA CLT DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NZH PPR GTY IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR MEM PHO HOM 2nd 4389 2001 Ford DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL RCH NHA NZH CLT DOV KEN MLW GLN CHI GTY PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM PHO CAR HOM 3rd 4642 2002 DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX NSH5* TAL CAL RCH NHA NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI GTY PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM ATL CAR PHO HOM15* 2nd 4644 2003 DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX TAL NSH CAL RCH GTY NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM ATL PHO CAR HOM 5th 4528 2004 22 DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL GTY RCH NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR IRP MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM ATL PHO DAR HOM 6th 4088 2005 Team Rensi Motorsports 35 Ford DAY CAL MXC LVS43 ATL NSH BRI TEX PHO TAL DAR RCH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 9th 3866 2006 Phoenix Racing 1 Dodge DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL 41st 1116 Frank Cicci Racing 34 Chevy RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA MAR GTY Brewco Motorsports 66 Ford IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 2007 27 DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO TAL RCH KEN MLW GTY IRP CGV GLN 26th 2206 CJM Racing 11 Chevy DAR CLT DOV NSH NHA DAY CHI MCH BRI RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM Baker Curb Racing 27 Ford CAL 2008 CJM Racing 11 Chevy DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO MXC TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH 12th 3873 Baker Curb Racing 27 Ford DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 2009 DAY CAL LVS BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 8th 3960 2010 Tri-Star Motorsports 35 Chevy DAY CAL LVS BRI NSH PHO TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT NSH KEN ROA NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT GTY TEX PHO HOM 22nd 2514