Brad Keselowski Racing moving to Statesville

Brad Keselowski Racing is moving from Mooresville to the former Burger King Racing building at Statesville Regional Airport, local economic development officials said Tuesday.

The building on West Aviation Drive has been expanded to nearly twice its original size, and renovations are expected to be complete by the start of the 2016 racing season, officials said.

Brad Keselowski Racing is investing $3 million and creating 40 jobs in its new location, officials said.

Keselowski is a NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Xfinity champion.

His motorsports operation fields the No. 19 and the No. 29 Fords in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and has fielded entries in the ARCA Series and other developmental motorsports series.

Brad Keselowski Racing’s announcement comes just months after GMS Racing moved into a building next door.

“We are proud to be a Ford team, and we’re located literally next door to a GMS Racing, which is a Chevy team, so that should make for a fun neighborhood rivalry,” Keselowski said in a statement announcing his team’s move.

“Our location in Statesville is perfect because we do not have the traffic and congestion that surrounds the greater Charlotte area, plus we can tap into the area’s skilled workforce,” Keselowski said.

“The Statesville Regional Airport is a key asset to us because with our hectic travel schedule, it’s critical to have a first-class facility that is located adjacent to BKR,” the driver-team owner said.

This story was originally published October 20, 2015 at 1:42 PM with the headline "Brad Keselowski Racing moving to Statesville."