“I’m telling you, it’s the biggest year of my life,” Brad Keselowski said. Words that echoed across the NASCAR world in 2021 when he officially became co-owner of the rebranded RFK Racing. Once a powerhouse in the early 2000s, winning back-to-back Cup Series championships with Matt Kenseth (2003) and Kurt Busch in 2004 and an Xfinity title with Carl Edwards in 2007, Roush Fenway had seen its dominance fade. But with Keselowski’s arrival, a spark was reignited. The mission? Restore glory to a team that had slipped from its championship pedigree.

Since then, progress has been steady, with glimpses of greatness flashing through results from Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece. But while execution has improved across the board, one candid admission from Keselowski reminds us that something still isn’t clicking and it might be the only thing holding RFK back from full-blown resurgence.

Brad Keselowski zeroes in on RFK Racing’s struggles

Brad Keselowski has candidly addressed RFK Racing’s need for better qualifying performances. He emphasized, “We need all of our three cars to qualify better.” This concern is reflected in the team’s recent results. The team hasn’t managed to win a pole position in the 2025 season yet. Their best start in a points-paying race so far this season was Chris Buescher’s 6th-place start at the Daytona 500; the team’s average start is an abysmal 19.6 for 2025.

Keselowski added, “We are not showing enough speed potential.” That lack of raw pace is reflected in RFK’s race results, with Ryan Preece and Chris Buescher running amongst the front and finishing in the top 5s and top 10s but unable to push for the win. “Ryan and Chris are off to good starts,” he said. However, there is just something missing! Keselowski acknowledged that raw speed is crucial for competing against top-tier teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing. “We need a little more pace,” Brad Keselowski rightfully pointed out.

Keselowski also noted how close they have come to winning, particularly with Ryan Preece in Phoenix. “We need to win races with all three teams here. That’s kind of where my bar is. Ryan has put himself in position here a couple [of] times now… I thought for a minute he was gonna win Phoenix, and then a yellow came out.” Pheonix was Goodyear’s ‘option tire’ testing race, and Preece made the most of it. The #60 rocketed from 33rd to 11th in a matter of laps and looked unstoppable on the softer tires. Preece even led 34 laps, but a late caution and older tires relegated him to a 15th-place finish. Although that would be the last time Preece finished outside the top-10 this season so far, and Keselowski is impressed with his progress.

Keselowski is optimistic about the No. 60 and No. 17 teams. “Particularly the 60 (Ryan Preece) and in a lot of cases the 17 (Chris Buescher) they are executing very well,” he said. Ryan Preece has been the best performer for RFK this year. Despite starting the season on a bad note by flipping at Daytona again and finishing 32nd, Preece has improved as the season progressed. At Las Vegas, Preece finished 3rd, followed it up with a 9th place finish at Homestead, and a 7th place finish at Martinsville. He is currently the best-ranked RFK driver – 14th in the driver’s standings, 94 points behind the leader, William Byron.

Chris Buescher has been silently consistent for RFK this season. The #17 had four top-10 finishes in 7 races so far, has collected the most points among the three RFK drivers so far with 177, and sits in 11th place in the standings. A win is still necessary, though, as qualifying for the playoff via points is always a gamble. However, the driver in most need of a turn in form is Brad Keselowski!

The owner/driver at RFK Racing has struggled in #6 this season. Keselowski has yet to lead a lap or even get a top-10 finish this season, with his best result being 11th at Las Vegas. Daytona and Martinsville are the only tracks where he has picked up stage points, and he has not qualified within the top 15 at any race, barring the Ambetter Health 400, where he qualified ninth. The only silver lining for Brad K this season is Buescher and Preece, and he knows that.

“If the 60 and the 17 can take their execution and combine it with top-level speed, I think they can win a handful of races here this year. So, we need to make that happen,” Keselowski finally declared. With the pieces slowly falling into place, can RFK Racing finally turn potential into podiums and reclaim their place among NASCAR’s elite? Hopefully, the next race at Darlington will provide us with answers.

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A look at RFK’s performance at Darlington

Darlington Raceway, known as the “Track Too Tough to Tame,” has been a significant venue for RFK Racing. Over the years, the team has achieved notable successes here, marking it as a cornerstone in their racing history. Brad Keselowski’s history at Darlington Raceway is a testament to his skill on the track. He secured a dominant win in the 2024 Goodyear 400, leading 37 laps and finishing ahead of strong competitors like Ty Gibbs and Denny Hamlin. Keselowski’s ability to execute late-race strategies has made him a consistent threat at this historic venue. This win ended a 110-race winless streak for Keselowski and was the first for the No. 6 car since 2011.

Chris Buescher has had mixed results at Darlington but continues to show potential. In the 2024 Goodyear 400, he finished 30th after being involved in a multi-car incident. However, he did finish 6th at the Southern 500 last season and 3rd in 2023. So maybe it’s a seasonal uptick for Buescher as he seems to do much better during the fall race. Nonetheless, he would hope to translate that success to Throwback Weekend this time around.

Ryan Preece, new to RFK Racing in 2025, has not had a good time at Darlington in his Cup Series career. He has not led a lap in 10 races at the track and picked up stage points on just two occasions. He did win the pole during the 2020 spring race, but besides that, his performances look rough. However, Preece is coming off three consecutive top-10 finishes, including a top-5 at Las Vegas, so his hopes would be high for a turn in personal fortunes at Darlington.

As RFK Racing prepares for the upcoming Darlington race, Keselowski’s past success provides confidence, while Buescher and Preece aim to build on their recent performances. The team’s focus on improving qualifying speed could be crucial in securing better starting positions and maximizing their chances at one of NASCAR’s most demanding tracks. RFK Racing’s future at the “Lady in Black” looks promising. The team just needs to convert their long runs into victory lane appearances. Do you think RFK can turn their season around at Darlington this weekend? Let us know in the comments!