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While in the midst of a championship push it would be easy to understand an athlete having a laser focus on the big prize. In Brad Keselowski’s case, that prize is the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) title after enjoying a spectacular NSCS season. His four wins are tied for the series lead and he scored his first victory at Daytona International Speedway in July, which was the 100th NSCS victory for Team Penske. The 2012 champion is as focused as ever on winning his second NSCS championship for “The Captain” Roger Penske, starting next weekend with the first race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup at Chicagoland Speedway. 

While the commitment it takes to be a top-tier NSCS driver can be time consuming, Keselowski has other passions off the racetrack. Known as the biggest proponent of the military in the NASCAR, he still found time to visit Ft. Bragg with his sponsor, Miller Lite, on Thursday afternoon while en route to Richmond International Raceway for the regular season finale. Ft. Bragg is home to 50,000 servicemen and servicewomen, making it one of the largest military installations in the world. While at Ft. Bragg, Keselowski visited with soldiers at the Womack Army Hospital before transitioning to the North Post Base Exchange and Sports USA, the largest sports bar of its kind in the U.S. Army. 

“It’s easy to get caught up in the grind of the Sprint Cup schedule and lose sight of the men and women who make what we do possible,” said Keselowski. “I believe it is important to take time to stop for things that you believe in supporting and the military has always been at the top of my list. This was my first trip to Ft. Bragg even though I’ve lived in North Carolina for almost 10 years. Obviously a lot of important battles are fought by men and women from this base so it was an honor for me to make my way here before traveling to Richmond.” 

His four NSCS wins this season means that he has flown the American flag at four racetracks – Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, Daytona International Speedway and Kentucky Speedway – in his customary salute to America’s Armed Forces. 

Keselowski has long had an affinity for the nation’s military, something that dates back to his high school days. He once thought about joining the military if his racing career did not work out. After 56 combined NASCAR wins and an XFINITY Series championship to go along with his Sprint Cup title, it is safe to say that Keselowski made a good choice. However, he still makes giving back to the military one of his top priorities. The Brad Keselowski Checkered Flag Foundation strives to support those individuals who have sacrificed greatly, to include military members, veterans, first-responders and their families, among others.

The Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway will air Saturday night at 7:30 pm ET on NBC Sports Network.