Uncertainty has taken center stage at RFK Racing just months into the 2025 NASCAR season, as speculation swirls around the high-profile Kroger sponsorship and the ongoing struggles of driver-owner Brad Keselowski. The rumors, which emerged suddenly and gained traction through social media and within the NASCAR community, have brought new concerns to a team expected to capitalize on a landmark partnership and cast shadows over a season that began with high expectations but is now mired in doubt and frustration.
RFK Racing, once buoyed by the November 2024 announcement of Kroger’s arrival, finds itself juggling public whispers and private worries. Kroger, with its $43.84 billion brand value, was hailed as a major acquisition for RFK Racing after a decade-long association with JTG Daugherty. The transition included plans for a third car driven by Ryan Preece and support from nearly 20 sub-brands under the Kroger umbrella, signaling, in principle, a bold new era for the Concord, North Carolina-based team. Enthusiasm soared as fans and observers described it as a watershed moment for RFK Racing and for Brad Keselowski’s dual role as driver and co-owner.
Yet, by mid-May, reports began emerging suggesting the deal may not be as secure as initially hoped. An Instagram post by the NASCAR Rumors IG page ignited the panic:
“Don’t know for sure yet, but word on the street is there could be trouble in RFK paradise.”
The cryptic message, though lacking concrete evidence, quickly circulated among fans and insiders. The timing was awkward, with Fan Day—an event meant to celebrate the Kroger partnership and rally support—just around the corner. Instead of celebration, there’s now anxiety and speculation that RFK Racing’s scheduled “major sponsorship announcement” could be an attempt at damage control rather than a triumphal declaration.
A palpable sense of unease hangs over the fanbase. One puzzled observer commented online,
“People are saying Kroger is leaving, but they just joined this year. Why would they be bouncing already?”
The skepticism is understandable; after all, Kroger’s tenure with JTG Daugherty spanned more than ten years—a rare display of loyalty in a sport often dictated by results. Abruptly cutting ties with RFK Racing so soon feels rash, especially when considered alongside the broader challenges facing NASCAR teams in a shifting sponsorship landscape.
For Brad Keselowski, these sponsorship worries come amidst one of the most frustrating seasons of his decorated career. Having rallied briefly from 36th to second in Kansas before a tire issue ended his bid, Keselowski’s campaign has otherwise been characterized by misfortune: five DNFs, no victories, not a single lap led, and a current standing outside the top thirty. Fans have grown restless with Keselowski’s results, openly questioning whether the slump is a symptom of deeper issues within RFK Racing or simply a bout of racing bad luck. In a business where visibility and success are directly tied to attracting and keeping sponsors, such performance downturns carry real consequences—and sponsors notice.
Ryan Preece and Chris Buescher, meanwhile, have managed to breathe life into the team, finishing strong at Kansas with top-ten results and holding respectable positions in the points standings. Still, Keselowski’s position as the flagship driver and co-owner makes his struggles all the more glaring, intensifying scrutiny not just on the driving, but on the leadership structure and crew performance as well. One fan speculated, “I could see CC swaps.” Such changes are not unprecedented in NASCAR, and with veteran crew chief Rodney Childers currently a free agent, rumors about internal shuffles at RFK Racing are nothing short of rampant.
The concern isn’t limited to performance; off-track, financial realities are increasingly pressing. “I smell a sponsorship/money issue,” another fan posted. Their suspicion may not be misplaced, given Kroger’s recent financial statements revealing tighter profit margins, and the steep expenses associated with a NASCAR Cup Series sponsorship. Where Kroger made up a substantial piece of the sponsorship pie, especially with Castrol and Fastenal covering other parts of the program, the perceived lack of return on investment—coupled with Keselowski’s dry spell—could trigger boardroom discussions about the future of the deal. Corporate patience, in racing as in any business, is not infinite.
The recent turbulence follows a broader trend in NASCAR, visible since the exit of other major players. The sport’s sponsorship climate has changed dramatically, highlighted most starkly by the end of M&M’s support for Kyle Busch at Joe Gibbs Racing, and more recently, FedEx parting ways with Denny Hamlin.
“Sponsorship is hard to come by, and certainly, while it is such an important time in our sport to recognize that sponsorship dollars are not flowing like they used to, for sure,”
Hamlin remarked earlier this year, echoing the overall mood in the garage.
RFK Racing’s situation is emblematic of this shift, particularly when high-profile signings falter amid on-track struggles. The cascading effect is clear: if Kroger reconsiders, other sponsors might hesitate, and new ones could be harder to recruit. In the cutthroat environment of modern NASCAR, every finish, every incident, and every rumor has the potential to shape a team’s future—and, by extension, its financial backing.
Fan speculation has grown even more complex following post-race developments in Kansas. Not only did Buescher’s strong eighth-place finish attract praise, but the subsequent news that his No. 17 car was sent to the NASCAR R&D Center prompted theories of potential penalties.
“17 car went to NASCAR R&D, I bet they found something,”
a user suggested, raising the stakes for a team already on edge after Ryan Preece received a disqualification following his impressive result at Talladega earlier in the season. If a penalty materializes for Buescher, it would mark the second in just three races, compounding the perception of instability within RFK Racing during an already tumultuous period.
As morale fluctuates and doubts linger, the upcoming RFK Racing Fan Day looms large. Initially planned as a celebration of both the Kroger partnership and the renewed energy of a team on the rise, it now seems to serve as a pivotal moment. Will the scheduled major sponsorship announcement clarify the situation, offering assurances to anxious fans and partners? Or is it, as some fear, a carefully orchestrated effort to manage a transition away from Kroger or paper over existing cracks within RFK Racing’s operations?
The interplay between on-track performance and off-track business realities is nothing new in NASCAR, but the stakes have rarely felt higher at RFK Racing. For sponsors like Kroger, whose reputation and branding are on display with every lap, faltering results invite tough questions about value for investment. Even long-standing sponsors are not insulated from boardroom decisions driven by data and return metrics. Should Kroger make a swift exit, the reverberations would extend far beyond RFK Racing and serve as a cautionary tale for the industry at large.
This sense of precariousness is intensified by the broader backdrop of recent history. Kyle Busch’s split from Joe Gibbs Racing—precipitated by the absence of a replacement sponsor after M&M’s departure—sent shockwaves through the sport. NASCAR’s new realities, built on a patchwork of shorter-term commitments and a more cautious corporate culture, offer fewer guarantees than the stable deals of previous decades. RFK Racing, hoped to be an exception, now seems shackled to these same market uncertainties.
As fans debate whether the troubles at RFK Racing stem from Keselowski’s downturn, broader team issues, or shifting sponsor priorities, the conversation has become one of urgency. While Buescher and Preece rack up solid points, Keselowski’s profile—and by extension, the public face of the team—casts a long shadow. Crew chief discussions swirl amidst the uncertainty, referencing Jeremy Bullins’ ongoing struggles with Keselowski’s car, while Buescher enjoys consistency with Scott Graves on the box. Every move feels magnified, every rumor more consequential, and fans are left to read between the lines of every statement and social media whisper.
Corporate calculations and boardroom politics will undoubtedly factor into what comes next. If Kroger does choose to scale back or walk away, the implications for RFK Racing would be profound. The loss of such a major backer could prompt more aggressive restructuring, from reconsidering crew chief assignments to possibly reevaluating driver lineups if results continue to stagnate. Mid-season changes are never easy, and the pressure on Keselowski as both driver and owner is becoming intense. His reputation, tied so closely to expectations at RFK Racing, is now linked inextricably to the outcome of these sponsorship negotiations and the direction the team takes in the coming weeks.
For the NASCAR industry, scenarios like this have become increasingly familiar. The era of massive, decade-long sponsorship deals is fading, replaced by a more fragmented, performance-driven reality. Teams must not only produce results but maintain consistent, visible engagement with fans and sponsors alike. Slumps such as Keselowski’s make this balancing act even more slippery and magnify every possible misstep. As one fan encapsulated the mood online:
“Weird to see they are having trouble right before a major sponsorship announcement.”
That juxtaposition—optimism mirrored by anxiety—is now the baseline state for both RFK Racing and its followers.
While the ultimate fate of the Kroger partnership is still unclear, what is certain is that these rumors, coupled with Brad Keselowski’s on-track struggles, have galvanized attention across the NASCAR world. The sense of subtle frustration, mixed with hope for a swift turnaround, permeates every conversation among fans and insiders alike. Some retain faith that Fan Day will bring clarity or even positive surprises, while others brace for more upheaval and hard truths.
Whatever the outcome, RFK Racing now stands at a crossroads, its future likely to be shaped as much by behind-the-scenes negotiations as by race-day results. The eyes of the industry, fans, and sponsors remain locked on Concord, North Carolina, awaiting answers that could define not just this season, but the long-term trajectory of RFK Racing in a rapidly evolving NASCAR landscape. For Brad Keselowski and his team, the coming weeks offer little room for misstep and no shortage of challenging questions—for which, as ever in racing, only time and open communication can provide resolution.
The next chapter in RFK Racing’s story, shaped by the unresolved Kroger question and Keselowski’s urgent need for performance, will be of keen interest not just to those directly involved, but to anyone invested in NASCAR’s future. With rumors swirling, pressure mounting, and a fanbase hungry for clarity, the events of Fan Day could usher in a period of stability or intensify the instability already threatening to derail a promising partnership and a storied career.
