Brad Keselowski discusses Michigan NASCAR penalty and finish after a dramatic turn at Michigan International Speedway during the FireKeepers Casino 400, where a pit road penalty disrupted his progress and left him frustrated on Sunday. Despite the setback, Keselowski fought back to secure a 10th-place finish for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing in Brooklyn, Michigan, expressing skepticism about the speeding penalty he received.
Keselowski Battles Back After Costly Penalty
Starting from 27th position in the race, Brad Keselowski gradually advanced to 21st by the end of Stage 1. Early pit stops, however, set him back several spots and he was required to return to pit road to top off fuel, intensifying his challenges. The trouble only mounted after he was flagged for speeding in the pits, which dropped him to 25th by the conclusion of Stage 2, complicating his route back into contention.
Despite these obstacles, Keselowski showed resilience during the final stage restarts, steadily climbing through the order. He eventually achieved a top-10 finish, coming in behind teammate Ryan Preece and ahead of Legacy Motor Club driver Erik Jones. The team’s collective effort resulted in all three RFK Racing drivers ending their day inside the top 10, with Chris Buescher finishing second behind Denny Hamlin and just ahead of JGR’s Ty Gibbs.
Keselowski voiced disappointment with the outcome:
“We had a really good car. I felt like we had a top two or three car and just didn’t get to see it through. I’m really disappointed. We kind of crushed ourselves on pit road with the speeding penalty and then having to go around the 45 and the 71. Every time we pitted we would lose a lot of spots,”
Keselowski said. —Brad Keselowski, Driver (Via NBC)
He also reflected on the pit crew and the confusion surrounding the penalty:
“It wasn’t the pit crew’s fault, we just needed a better pit stall. I’m not really sure on the speeding penalty. I felt I was way slow, so getting called fast didn’t really add up, but we had the speed to do a lot more than we did today and I’m disappointed to not get that. Still, we’re reasonably happy with a top 10,”
the RFK driver added. —Brad Keselowski, Driver
Season Struggles Continue for the Former Champion
Brad Keselowski’s frustration at Michigan reflects broader challenges this 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. The 2012 champion is enduring a difficult run, currently 32nd in the Drivers’ Championship standings with 221 points across 15 races. This has included five DNFs, and his average start and finish positions hover around 24th place.
Keselowski’s best performance so far came at the 2025 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he finished fifth—his only top-five this year. The Michigan race marked his second top-10 finish, highlighting the competitive difficulties that have defined the season for both Keselowski and RFK Racing, despite bright spots like solid finishes from teammates Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece.
Implications for RFK Racing Moving Forward
The mixed emotions from Brad Keselowski at Michigan underscore the persistent issues and flashes of performance for RFK Racing this season. As the team co-owner and driver, Keselowski’s struggles represent both a personal and organizational challenge as the group strives to convert more promising runs into podium finishes. The top-10 result, while positive, leaves both Keselowski and fans searching for stronger consistency and a return to form as the NASCAR Cup Series continues. Performances from competitors including Denny Hamlin, Ty Gibbs, and Erik Jones further highlight the highly competitive field RFK is facing each week.
