Did Brad Keselowski Hide His Secret Weapon in Plain Sight?

Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing has had its own share of struggles in 2022. Last year, the team did not qualify for the playoffs, and even the current owner had zero wins for the entire season. But adding the name Keselowski from Brad Keselowski to Roush Fenway Racing seemed to have benefited the team.

Despite winning a championship with Team Penske, Brad transitioned to RFK Racing prior to the 2022 season. Apparently, it was an unwise decision. But the momentum that RFK Racing has gathered this year clearly shows that the decision was not arbitrary at all. Eminent NASCAR icons are applauding the role that this 39-year-old plays at RFK.

Keselowski’s secret weapon at RFK Racing

After a lot of improved performances, the No. 17 Ford Mustang driver, Chris Buescher, held the flag of RFK Racing flying high in the sky as he cruised down the victory lane at Richmond Raceway. However, he secured another place at Michigan International Speedway last Monday, giving RFK their second consecutive win of the season. Team owner Brad Keselowski was seen raining heavy praise on Buescher, and rightfully so.

In a conversation with Nate Ryan, Hendrick Motorsports icon and current NBC analyst Steve Letarte reflected on how Chris Buescher could have been Keselowski’s secret weapon. Ryan asked Letarte if he saw any genuine talent in Buescher or if it was just a coincidence that he won two races in a row, and that too at such a critical time of the season.

Letarte was not sure. He argued that it is difficult to judge somebody’s talent without having dealt with them single-handedly. But he assumed that Brad has a great eye for recognizing talent.

Steve said, “…if you go back to Brad Keselowski, there hasn’t been one quote, one moment, one sentence, where he isn’t saying that Chris Buescher is the man.”

“I wonder,” he said, “was it team-building, or was Brad poking everybody in the chest like you just wait; that guy is way better than you think!”

Letarte drew on the instance of NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon hiring Jimmie Johnson at Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson had a reputation for wrecking his cars and not being able to win in Saturday races. But after Gordon hired him, he won seven Cup Series championships.

Watch this story: Condescending Kyle Busch Once Brutally Trolled Arch-Enemy Brad Keselowski as Brother Kurt got Caught in Crossfire

Letarte shares a special relationship with Brad Keselowski

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Hendrick Motorsports legend Steve Letarte started off at HMS, together with the number 6 driver. So it is only normal that these two NASCAR veterans will share a rapport.

Steve thinks that Chris seems to understand the algorithm better than anyone else. He has tremendous attention to detail and makes his drivers feel at home. While taking his team forward, he follows his own rules.

Steve admitted, “Brad’s one of those guys, I’m not afraid to say this publicly, he’s one of those guys that I reach out to periodically to say, hey what do you think of the broadcast? I don’t ask everybody in the garage, but he just sees the Rubik’s cube very differently. I work for the fans but Brad usually gives you an honest, intellectual answer on, Man I thought you had it pretty good or I liked the segment, or didn’t like the segment.”

Steve explained that even though his views do not influence Letarte’s broadcast on NBC Sports, the former values the opinion of the face of RFK Racing, that is, Brad Keselowski.

Letarte was astonished by the trajectory that RFK Racing is on. He also appreciated the fact that Hall of Famer Jack Roush is still around, at 81 years of age, to see his team rise up in the hierarchy of NASCAR. He concluded by saying, “I’m glad that it’s still RFK, that R is very important for NASCAR. It always has been.”

Read more: Brad Keselowski Finally Getting His Flowers After a Dominant RFK Performance