# Jason Keller

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.

## 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 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 10 in the same race.
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 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 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 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. 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. 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 | NWCC | Pts |
| 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 | - |
| 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 |
| 2003 | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | 81 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CHI DNQ | NHA | POC | IND | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | NHA | DOV | | | | | | | | | | | 58th | 152 |
| 2003 | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | 1 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | TAL 26 | KAN | CLT | MAR | ATL | PHO | CAR | HOM | 58th | 152 |

#### 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 |
| 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 |
| 1992 | KEL Racing | 54 | Buick | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | MAR | DAR | BRI | HCY | LAN 28 | DUB | NZH | CLT | DOV | ROU | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 54th | 398 |
| 1992 | Laughlin Racing | 45 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MYB 27 | GLN | VOL | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 54th | 398 |
| 1992 | Laughlin Racing | 45 | Olds | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NHA 13 | TAL | IRP | ROU | MCH | NHA 32 | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | CLT | MAR | CAR 39 | HCY | | | | | | | 54th | 398 |
| 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 |
| 1993 | KEL Racing | 57 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | TAL 37 | IRP | MCH | NHA | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 33rd | 1137 | |
| 1994 | KEL Racing | 57 | Ford | DAY DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 2767 |
| 1994 | KEL Racing | 57 | 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 | | | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 2767 | |
| 1995 | KEL Racing | 57 | Chevy | 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 |
| 1996 | KEL Racing | 57 | Chevy | 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 |
| 1997 | KEL Racing | 57 | Chevy | 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 |
| 1998 | Progressive Motorsports | 57 | Chevy | 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 |
| 1999 | Progressive Motorsports | 57 | Chevy | 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 |
| 2000 | ppc Racing | 57 | Chevy | 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 |
| 2001 | ppc Racing | 57 | 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 |
| 2002 | ppc Racing | 57 | Ford | 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 |
| 2003 | ppc Racing | 57 | Ford | 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 |
| 2004 | ppc Racing | 22 | Ford | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2006 | Frank Cicci Racing | 34 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | RCH DNQ | DAR | CLT | DOV | NSH | KEN | MLW | DAY | CHI | NHA | MAR | GTY | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 41st | 1116 |
| 2006 | Brewco Motorsports | 66 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | IRP 15 | GLN | MCH | BRI | CAL | RCH | DOV | KAN | CLT | MEM 12 | TEX | PHO | HOM | 41st | 1116 |
| 2007 | Brewco Motorsports | 27 | Ford | DAY | CAL | MXC | LVS | ATL | BRI | NSH 33 | TEX | PHO | TAL | RCH | | | | | KEN 20 | MLW 5 | | | | GTY 30 | IRP 11 | CGV | GLN | | | | | | | | | | | | 26th | 2206 |
| 2007 | 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 | 26th | 2206 |
| 2007 | Baker Curb Racing | 27 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CAL 17 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 26th | 2206 |
| 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 |
| 2008 | Baker Curb Racing | 27 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DOV 19 | KAN 19 | CLT 29 | MEM 25 | TEX 19 | PHO 13 | HOM 22 | 12th | 3873 |
| 2009 | Baker Curb Racing | 27 | Ford | 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 |
| 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 |