With just five races remaining before the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs begin, Brad Keselowski and RFK Racing face mounting pressure as their postseason prospects dwindle. The team, which fields three cars, is contending in a highly competitive points race where every position matters for securing a playoff berth.
Among the RFK drivers, Chris Buescher holds the strongest standing, sitting 10th in the points battle with a 44-point cushion above the playoff cutline. Ryan Preece is currently 14th but closely trails Bubba Wallace by 16 points. Meanwhile, Brad Keselowski, who co-owns the team and drives the No. 6 Ford, is 27th in the standings and 140 points short of qualifying without a win.
Keselowski gave a realistic assessment of the team’s position heading into the weekend’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“We’ve the three teams with the (Nos.) 6, 17, and 60. The 17 looks to be in a really good position to point their way in. They’ve had really strong runs, very solid. Really proud of the performance of that team. The 60 is like right on that fringe. With any new winner, I think they would have to win. But it should be a strong stretch of races,” Keselowski said ahead of this weekend’s Brickyard 400. (0:44 onward)
Buescher has provided steady performances all season, consistently finishing in the top-10 and leading the Cup Series in average starting position at 10.6. Last weekend at Dover, his ninth-place finish marked his 11th top-10 of the year and celebrated his 350th career start.
Preece remains in a precarious position, likely needing a victory or a significant surge to climb higher. Sitting 16 points behind Wallace, his margin is vulnerable, especially with several drivers outside the current playoff cutoff still eligible to claim a win and disrupt the standings.
Brad Keselowski’s No. 6 car, despite showing promise with five top-10 finishes over the last nine races, remains too far behind to qualify on points alone. For Keselowski, a victory isn’t just desirable, it’s essential.
“The (No.) 6 car just has to win a race. So, we’d like to win with all three of them and not have to worry about it. That would be kind of the ideal situation. We’ve been on the fringe of that… I think we’ve second-place finishes with all three of our cars. So, need to convert those into wins to kind of solidify our position,” he added. (1:08 onwards)
Together, the RFK trio of Keselowski, Buescher, and Preece have notched six top-5 finishes this season and demonstrated speed and potential, but victories have eluded them, posing urgent challenges as the playoffs approach.
RFK Racing’s Critical Test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The upcoming Brickyard 400 represents a crucial opportunity for RFK Racing to capitalize on its strengths and improve its playoff chances. The 2.5-mile oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway offers a familiar and meaningful venue, especially for Keselowski, whose career highlight at the track remains his dramatic 2018 victory at this event.
Keselowski’s record at the Brickyard has been strong overall, featuring six top-10 finishes in 12 starts, including three inside the top five. He has led laps in eight races and maintains an impressive average finish of 13.6, entering this weekend’s race with a starting position of 14th.
“The last month has been really positive. All three cars have shown a lot of potential and we’ve kind of hit our swing and stride. So, excited to see what comes of that. With these races in front of us, all being fairly traditional races that we can hopefully just punch on through with a win,” he said (1:32 onwards)
Chris Buescher, RFK’s current statistical leader, has less history at Indianapolis, with one top-10 finish in six starts and a best performance of ninth in 2017. He will start this weekend’s race from the seventh position on the grid.
Ryan Preece’s results at the Brickyard have been more modest, featuring no top-10 finishes in three attempts and a best placement of 16th in 2019. His average starting position at this track stands at 30th, and he qualified 23rd for the upcoming race.
The Shrinking Margin for Playoff Qualification
The playoff picture is narrowing sharply as 12 different race winners have already secured their postseason spots. With only five races left to earn one of the four remaining points-based transfer positions, the competition is intense. Drivers like Buescher (+44), Alex Bowman (+56), and Tyler Reddick (+156) currently occupy those spots, while Bubba Wallace holds the last transfer position at +16 points.
For Ryan Preece and particularly Brad Keselowski, relying on points is no longer a viable strategy. Securing a win is essential to extending their playoff runs. This necessity places immense pressure on the RFK Racing team and heightens the stakes of each upcoming race, especially at pivotal events like the Brickyard 400.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Brad Keselowski Polish?
A. The Keselowski family comes from Polish origins. Growing up, Keselowski worked at his dad’s race shop cleaning and mowing the lawn. In 2000, he started racing stock cars in the Factory Stock category.
