Due to early deadlines, results from last weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 were not available. Check the NASCAR Nation blog at www.cmcherald.com for race coverage.

Brad Keselowski, running a part time schedule for Hendrick Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series this season, is running like a season, full time veteran.

But he’s only 25.

Keselowski has no doubt been the biggest surprise of 2009, pulling off one of the biggest upsets in NASCAR history when he took home the checkered flag in the Aaron’s 499 several weeks ago at Talladega Superspeedway following the horrific wreck involving Carl Edwards and the outside retaining fence.

Since that victory, Keselowski has posted yet another top-10 finish, earning seventh place at one of NASCAR’s most challenging venues – Darlington Raceway.

But with the announcement that Mark Martin, showing no signs of slowing down any time soon, will return to the No. 5 Hendrick Chevrolet next season, the question of what to do with Keselowski has arose.

While Keselowski is simply competing in a fifth, part-time Hendrick car this season – the No. 25 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet – NASCAR had notified Hendrick Motorsports as well as Roush Fenway Racing in 2005 that they must each cut a team by the start of 2010 to comply with NASCAR’s newly instituted four-car limit.
There is a slight possibility that Hendrick could appeal to NASCAR and be awarded a fifth team for 2010, that option is highly unlikely.
Several rumors have been floating around the garage as to where Keselowski will land next season. Hendrick has made it clear that it would like to keep Keselowski under the Hendrick Motorsports banner, as he is the likely pick to fill the seat in the No. 5 car when Martin does retire. But Keselowski has made it clear that he would like to race in the Sprint Cup Series next season.

One possibility that has been mentioned is the idea of Keselowski racing in a third Stewart-Haas car next season. Stewart-Haas Racing is a satellite team of Hendrick Motorsports, receiving support on the technical and physical sides of the race team.

It is likely that if this was to happen, Keselowski would simply be “loaned” to Stewart-Haas, remaining under contract with Hendrick Motorsports and giving them the ability to retain him for the No. 5 car.

Another possibility is that has been mentioned is that JR Motorsports, the Nationwide Series team owned by Hendrick driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the current Nationwide Series team of Keselowski, will move up to the Sprint Cup Series full-time to field a car for Keselowski.

Finally, a third possibility is that Hendrick Motorsports could release the slumping Earnhardt Jr. and put Keselowski in the No. 88 Chevrolet currently piloted by Earnhardt. This move is highly unlikely, as the amount of revenue Earnhardt brings into Hendrick far outdraws his lack of performance.

Interestingly enough, Mayetta, New Jersey driver Martin Truex Jr. seems to play a role in at least two of the possibilities.
It has been established that both Stewart-Haas Racing and JR Motorsports would like to add additional Cup cars to their program, and Truex has been mentioned as potential drivers for both.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Tony Stewart has a longtime connection with Bass Pro Shops, the sponsor of Martin Truex Jr. that is expected to follow him is he was to leave Earnhardt Ganassi Racing at the end of 2009.And Truex has also been linked with Earnhardt Jr, as Earnhardt was co-owner of Truex’s 2004 and 2005 championship car in what is now the Nationwide Series.
Of course, Hendrick Motorsports could put a rest to all the speculation and leave Keselowski in the Nationwide Series for yet another season, a move Keselowski may not be willing to accept.

If this is Hendrick’s plan, look for Keselowski to attempt to hit the free agent market, opening the door for countless rumors.
Coming Up: I’ll be at Dover International Speedway providing on-site reports of the NASCAR Camping World Truck, Nationwide, and Sprint Cup Series races at the Monster Mile. There are still tickets available for all three events, so come on over and experience NASCAR racing.

Bruce Knoll, 17, of Eldora, can be contacted at bknolljr @yahoo.com.