Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing is one of the oldest NASCAR teams started by Jack Roush in 1988 (called Roush Racing back then). So far the team has bagged eight driver championships across the three NASCAR Series, one in Truck, five in Xfinity, and two in the Cup Series, first by Matt Kenseth in 2003 and then by Kurt Busch in 2004. Since then, the team has not won any titles in NASCAR’s topmost series, despite adding former Cup series champion Brad Keselowski as an owner/driver in 2022.

Initially, the team was present across all three series. However, 2009 was the last time they ran a truck season, and they also closed their Xfinity program in 2018. Currently, the team is only running in the Cup Series fielding two cars. Following Brad Keselowski’s addition to the team they shifted their focus exclusively to the Cup Series, with long-due plans for expansion. Recently Keselowski has given an update on the third car situation!

Brad Keselowski opens up on RFK Racing’s third charter plans

The team that rarely went without winning in a season has been struggling since 2015, barely getting any wins in the Cup. However, with Keselowski and Chris Buescher, the team has been on a comeback journey. RFK Racing has managed to get 5 wins since the onset of the 2022 season. Yet the team continues to struggle as only Keselowski made it to the playoffs this season and got eliminated in the very first round. A third car at this point would make sense for the veteran team trying to find its old form. However, Keselowski, only hinting at this, had previously said, “I would say anything’s on the table. We did this year, not full-time. … Nothing’s off the table.”

The NASCAR veteran is truly a man of few words and has remained tight-lipped until everything is done and dusted. After making the earlier statement, Brad Keselowski followed up by saying, “We don’t have any announcements that we’re ready to make, but hopefully we’ll have something to share with everybody here in the next month or so.” Now, more than a month has passed and everyone in the NASCAR community is eager for an update.

Recently, Fox Sports Bob Pockrass, ahead of the Vegas weekend, asked Keselowski, “A month ago, you talked about a third car. Have plans changed or delayed…?” Yet again, all we get is a one-line response from the veteran. Keselowski told Pockrass, “No. Nothings changed. We are excited about our future. I’m sorry I don’t have anything to announce for you.”

Only time will tell when the third charter announcement will come from RFK Racing. However, amid this, there have been rumors of Ryan Preece piloting the third car for RFK. Although this comes when Preece hasn’t had the season he’d hoped for yet. In the 33 races so far, he’s only managed to finish once in the top-5 driving for Stewart Haas Racing. Although stats aren’t all RFK is eyeing.

The team is expected to get a sponsorship from multi-billion dollar retailer Kroger. This would aid them in buying a third charter or leasing one. In addition to this, Preece had Kroger as his sponsor when he was in JTG Daugherty racing and currently maintains good relations with them. While RFK Racing hasn’t made any official announcements regarding this, Bob Pockrass feels strongly about it, as he recently revealed the same.

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RFK Racing is not the only team eyeing an additional charter. Even the 23XI racing and Front Row Motorsports have been in conversations for a third charter. However, with 23XI and FRM in a legal battle with NASCAR, things have become uncertain. Pockrass was recently on the “Happy Hour” podcast hosted by Kevin Harvick, as he discussed where the teams stand on the charter agreements and, if so, who they can possibly field.

Pockrass said, “You look at Front Row and 23XI, they intend to run three cars. They say they’re going to run three cars. What’s going to happen? We still don’t know the way the litigation will proceed and how they will respond to it. I still think Zane Smith is the leader for the third Font Row car, I still think that Riley Herbst is the leader for the third 23XI car, still think that Ryan Preece is likely for a third RFK car potentially. However, things are unlikely to get clear until the lawsuit is settled.

Adding to the problems, NASCAR has reduced the total number of charters from 36 to 32. The question remains if the teams would acquire some existing teams’ charter or would get it out on lease. Pockrass, dwelling on this topic, said, “Do they lease a charter or somehow get a charter? One of the Rick Ware charters is a possibility. And then does Corey LaJoie, the leader for the ride that he has right now in the 51? I would say yes, but if there is someone with more sponsorship or someone becomes available, that can change things.” 

We will have to wait and watch until things get clearer. Till then, Zane, Herbst, and Preece’s plans for the 2025 season hang in the balance. What are your thoughts on the matter? Share with us in the comments below.