Brad Keselowski has had quite a journey in NASCAR. Widely considered one of the more dynamic figures in the sport, the Michigan native has carved out a legacy in the NASCAR Cup Series. From winning the championship in 2012 to becoming RFK Racing’s co-owner a decade later, the 40-year-old seems to be in it for the long haul, despite turbulent times threatening to alter the landscape of stock car racing forever.

With 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filing an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, Keselowski believes that the ongoing situation is a ‘threat’ to the sport itself, which goes beyond the Cup Series.

Brad Keselowski is wary of lawsuit repercussions

The France family has always controlled NASCAR with an iron fist. This is why the anti-trust lawsuit against the sanctioning body seems to be such a shift from the status quo, brought about after two years of intense negotiations about the ‘charter’ agreement. The franchise-like system gives monetary benefits to those who put pen to paper, as well as a percentage of revenue being distributed from the multi-billion dollar media rights agreement. While 13 teams agreed to NASCAR’s terms ahead of the 2024 playoff race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, 23XI and Front Row opted out and filed a lawsuit instead.

When asked about the Cup ownership landscape by Kelley Earnhardt on the Dale Jr. Download podcast, ‘Business of Motorsports’, Brad Keselowski candidly said, “Well, I would say there’s 1 A and 1 B that are the two biggest threats for me. One is whatever falls out of the charter lawsuit dispute between 23XI, Front Row Motorsports, and NASCAR. That is a significant threat to all of NASCAR which transcends the Cup Series. How that kind of unfolds is a threat to the sport.”

Keselowski has a lot at stake, especially after RFK Racing expanded its Cup Series operations. The team recently signed Ryan Preece for its third team after leasing a charter from Rick Ware Racing, with whom they have a technical alliance. The verdict from the ongoing lawsuit will inevitably have significant repercussions for every Cup Series team, and the ongoing uncertainty is what the veteran driver deems as a ‘threat’, having previously reiterated that he was “happy” with the terms put forth by NASCAR.

Earlier, Brad Keselowski had distanced himself and RFK Racing from the ongoing lawsuit, claiming that he “just wants peace” and for the “entire industry to become laser-focused on growing the sport”. As things stand, the veteran driver has no other choice but to look on from the sidelines and observe how the anti-trust lawsuit develops. If 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports prevail, all the other teams will inevitably secure better terms as well. However, if the decision goes NASCAR’s way, the existing agreement will still protect the team’s interests. Seems like a win-win situation, right?

Keselowski urges NASCAR to secure more OEMs

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NASCAR is playing a risky game. As things stand, the sport only has three original equipment manufacturers: Chevrolet, Toyota, and Ford. The last time the sport featured more than three OEMs was back in 2012 when Brad Keselowski won the championship with Dodge and Penske Racing. However, the manufacturer left the sport the following year after the team switched to Ford in 2013. Honda is rumored to potentially enter NASCAR and the Japanese manufacturer could use its connections in IndyCar to partner with stock car racing teams.

Keselowski has urged the sanctioning body to take prompt action to secure more manufacturers, going on to say, “The OEM picture and landscape is a significant threat. NASCAR has been operating with three OEMs now for probably a decade, decade and a half now. It’s a bit of a precarious position to be in. I feel like the sport needs four, maybe five OEMs to be in its max healthy position. Three is like, if one walks away, there is a set of dominoes that fall.”

There seem to have been encouraging signs on that front, as NASCAR’s Chief Operating Officer Steve O’Donnell has claimed talks with a fourth manufacturer are “heating up”, indicating that it could just be a matter of time before the announcement is made. However, the Japanese manufacturer’s hierarchy has been coy about any such discussions taking place behind the scenes, with Honda & Acura Motorsports Manager Chuck Schifsky writing in an email, “We have nothing new to report in terms of our future motorsport direction.”

Do you think NASCAR could onboard a fourth manufacturer by 2026? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!