Managing a team is no small task, and when multiple owners are involved, the challenge only grows. Maintaining harmony among directors can often be one of the toughest hurdles to overcome. In the fast-paced world of NASCAR, where rules and regulations are constantly evolving, disagreements are almost inevitable. Brad Keselowski, co-owner of RFK Racing, recently shed light on how the team’s leadership navigates these complexities. He offered a glimpse into their decision-making process and the collaborative approach that ensures the team stays on track—literally and figuratively.

Keselowski highlighted the importance of open communication and collective effort in steering the team toward success. RFK Racing’s governance model, which balances individual responsibilities with joint decision-making, has been pivotal in achieving this harmony. As Keselowski points out, RFK Racing draws inspiration from established leaders in the field, like Hendrick Motorsports. 

RFK Racing does focus on the collaborative approach for optimum efficacy

Running a team with more than one owner requires careful attention and synchrony between all the leading proponents. RFK Racing is a culmination of three sources – Jack Roush, Fenway Sports Group (John Henry), and Brad Keselowski. To maintain synchrony and balance, the team usually works with the help of a board system where the key decisions are made through voting. 

Speaking more about the voting system and how it is important to maintain autonomy, Keselowski said, “We run our company on a board, so boards have voting. Every board kind of has some people that understand their business and have everything in mind, and major decisions are made through board votes. Decisions under certain thresholds are kind of delegated to the proper position”. The entire functionality of the team is such that each of the directors has their very own responsibility. For example, Keselowski is the one who does not interfere much with corporate affairs. 

Keselowski also drew reference from one of the leading multi-owned teams in the world of NASCAR – Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick Motorsports is co-owned by Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon, both of whom have a legacy to uphold. Drawing a resemblance with the same, the RFK owner added, “I would liken that situation to, say, some management team at Hendrick Motorsports. If you’re talking about Mr. Hendrick, Jeff Gordon, their competition director, and that kind of thing—same concept. I have a staff, and it protects the interests of all three of us”. It is this uniformity in the team that has allowed them to lead up to a total of 14 NASCAR Cup Series championships and 312 Cup Series races. 

The mantra that the Hendrick team follows is based on value and trust. It is important to understand that delegation of tasks to the right members is important so that it can focus on the growth of the business. Keselowski also made it pretty evident about the kind of responsibility he takes up for the optimal functioning of the team. He added, “For me, I try to stay out of the corporate affairs wherever possible. I have to because I’m one of the board members, but I try to stay focused on the competition aspects”. This balance of trust, delegation, and defined roles strengthens RFK Racing’s internal dynamics. It also positions them to compete effectively in the ever-evolving and fiercely competitive landscape of NASCAR.

Keselowski opens up about what makes NASCAR team ownership difficult 

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It is not the first time that Brad Keselowski has started his ownership venture with RFK Racing. Even before this stint, he owned the Brad Keselowski Racing from 2007 to 2017. Recently, he opened up with Kelley Earnhardt about the hard part of owning a NASCAR team. According to him, striking the right balance between how much information to share is always a very difficult task. 

He added, “Amongst many things, information sharing is one of the most difficult things as a business leader to me. You know, you want to share the vision of where you’re going so you can get alignment of purpose to your point. But then you’re kind of, ‘How many details do I share?’ Right?”. He further added, “You know, throw aside the part of somebody kind of taking your business plan and sharing it with the competitor, but there’s also a part of sometimes you share things and you make people nervous”.

In the 2025 season, Keswlowski will enter as a co-owner for RFK Racing for the fourth time. She has already expressed his wish in the past about how he wants to reform the team for an extraordinary structure. Do you think he will be able to achieve the same in the upcoming season?