NASCAR Rumor: Brad Keselowski Secretly Backing NASCAR’s 4th OEM Despite Ford Loyalty

“The greatest thing we could do would be to bring a championship to Dodge this year”, Roger Penske expressed his feelings just hours before the 2012 season finale. Team Penske’s young driver Brad Keselowski was in contention for the title as Dodge was packing bags to leave the sport. With a 15th-place finish at the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Dodge bagged its first championship after 37 years. And Keselowski was at the forefront in scripting this historic comeback.

However, the celebration was short-lived as Dodge left the sport as their biggest partner, Team Penske, decided to join Ford. Since then, NASCAR has been running with just three manufacturers, i.e., Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota. Fast forward to 2025, and NASCAR is on a desperate hunt to bring a 4th OEM to the sport. The two names that have been the talk of the town are Dodge and Honda.

It is almost over a decade since Keselowski created the memories of his lifetime with Dodge. And it wouldn’t be a surprise if he batted out for Dodge as his preferred choice of OEM to enter NASCAR. Little did we know that the RFK Racing owner has switched allegiances and is playing a role in Honda’s entry into NASCAR.

Is Brad Keselowski secretly dodging Ford?

Brad Keselowski has been one of the strongest voices pushing for more OEMs in NASCAR. He has repeatedly stressed the need for balance and competition. But now, new reports suggest he is taking action behind the scenes. According to the latest media reports, Honda has been exploring a potential entry into NASCAR. Rumors about this collaboration have been floating around for years, but things are looking serious this time around. Especially with Brad Keselowski taking an interest in aiding Honda’s arrival.

While there is no indication that RFK Racing will leave Ford, it seems that Keselowski has been looking at different ways to get Honda into NASCAR. Well if they want to leave the shadow of Team Penske and Ford camp, a move to Honda does make sense. This development also comes at a time when the Japanese car maker is reportedly looking to pull the plug on their IndyCar operations. Notably, Keselowski’s bid for another OEM shouldn’t come as a complete surprise. He has been outspoken about the need for additional manufacturers in NASCAR for years.

“The OEM picture and landscape is a significant threat. NASCAR’s been operating with three OEMs now for probably a decade and a half. I would say it’s a bit of a precarious position to be in. I feel like the sport needs about four, maybe five OEMs to be kind of its max healthy position,” Keselowski had said a few months ago. He has also pointed out that NASCAR teams are spending more money than ever, but a large portion of that investment goes into the technical side rather than marketing and branding.

This shift has made it harder for new manufacturers to see the value in entering the sport. If Honda enters NASCAR, it would be a game-changer. The Japanese manufacturer has a powerful presence in motorsports. In Formula 1, they powered Red Bull to multiple championships with Max Verstappen (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024). In IndyCar, they have been one of the dominant engine suppliers for years. Honda-powered driver Scott Dixon won four driver championships (2008, 2013, 2018, 2020) and as many manufacturer titles (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021).

As Honda’s possibility to leave IndyCar is at an all-time high, NASCAR could be the next destination. Honda already has a massive share of the U.S. market. Two-thirds of the business is based in the Americas. This will make their participation in stock car racing more logical. Notably, another Japanese brand, Toyota, has already found success in NASCAR, and it can be a case study for Honda.

However, Honda faces big competition from Keselowski’s previous partner, Dodge. Many media reports suggest that American giants have already submitted official applications to join the NASCAR Xfinity series from the 2026 season. For NASCAR, this move could lead to more manufacturer-backed teams, increased investment, and better competition. But there’s another challenge on the horizon that could threaten any new manufacturer looking to join.

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Will the rise of EVs trouble new OEMs?

As Honda and Dodge are rumored to be interested in joining NASCAR, the growing influence of electric vehicles (EVs) presents another challenge. The automotive industry is shifting toward electrification, and NASCAR will need to adapt if it wants to remain relevant in the long run. Brad Keselowski, who is reportedly leading Honda’s bid, has been vocal about the impact of EVs in NASCAR.

“As we’re seeing companies like Tesla take off and take market share, we’re seeing the Asian market really take off and take market share from the NASCAR OEMs,” he had said. This shift is a serious threat. Traditional manufacturers like Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota still rely heavily on internal combustion engines. But Tesla, Rivian, and other EV brands are quickly gaining ground. This has left NASCAR at a crossroads. If they decide to move into EV, it will be a huge setback for traditional partners. Meanwhile, if the sanctioning body fails to adapt, it risks losing relevance in a rapidly changing market.

However, NASCAR has already been experimenting with hybrid power. A prototype was tested at the Daytona 500. If the sport moves further in that direction, it could attract new players—possibly even non-traditional automakers like Tesla. For Honda, this could be a problem. While they pursue EV ambitions, their motorsports history revolves around combustion engines. If NASCAR shifts too quickly toward electrification, Honda’s interest in joining could wane. For now, NASCAR looks to secure its future, and the addition of a fourth OEM looks almost inevitable.