RFK Racing Brickyard top five finishes became the headline outcome as Ryan Preece and Brad Keselowski powered through chaotic late-race conditions and two dramatic overtime restarts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, securing fourth and fifth places, respectively, in the rain-delayed Brickyard 400 on Sunday. Chris Buescher, who had shown strong pace throughout the day, completed the event in 14th after being shuffled back during the overtime battles.
Preece Overcomes Pit Road Setbacks to Secure Career-Best Result
Ryan Preece experienced a day built on resilience as he started 23rd in the Castrol The Engine Ford. The opening stage saw him working through dense traffic, with an early caution prompting an unexpected shift from a planned two-tire stop to a four-tire change due to a left rear issue. The team then topped off with fuel shortly after, setting Preece back but not out of contention. He improved steadily, ending the first stage in 21st position.
As the field prepared for Stage Two, Preece’s crew, led by Derrick Finley, chose to remain on track while others pitted, putting him at the front to lead 12 laps. After his next pit stop on lap 64, he fell back but recovered ground, fighting persistent turbulence that hampered passing opportunities. Preece finished Stage Two in 16th after contending with the aerodynamic challenges of racing in traffic.
Through continued strategic choices, Preece stayed out when others pitted and made a two-tire stop on lap 121. By lap 151, he had surged to 13th and gained momentum as the intensity increased post-rain delay. The two overtime restarts provided the opportunity he needed, allowing him to surge ahead and finish fourth—his best result at Indianapolis to date.
“I feel like, ultimately, the finish was a good ending for us.”
—Ryan Preece
Keselowski Battles Through Field With Strategy and Aggression
Brad Keselowski, returning to the scene of his 2018 victory, started 14th in the Body Guard Ford and employed a measured approach in the early laps. After an early caution, the 6-team chose a two-tire strategy, which briefly dropped Keselowski to 20th, but he advanced back to 15th by the end of Stage One.
Stage Two began deep in the field for Keselowski after another pit stop, but he pushed back into contention by lap 79. A timely caution on lap 90 elevated him to seventh as others stopped under green, and another yellow quickly followed, letting him advance to the outside of row one for the restart alongside Ryan Blaney. The ensuing laps saw Keselowski squeezed to the outside, leaving him fifth at the end of the segment.
Filling up with fuel for the closing stage, Keselowski began 20th but advanced to second as he stretched his fuel, briefly chasing leader Justin Haley. An expected caution for Joey Logano never materialized, forcing a pit stop for two tires that rejoined him 13th. As the rain brought a caution with five laps left, Keselowski continued to gain places during the double overtime, ultimately achieving a hard-fought fifth place finish.
“We were in position. At certain points we showed a lot of speed. We needed to catch a few breaks to win, which is normal for this race. We didn’t catch enough breaks, but we caught some good breaks to finish in the top five with both RFK cars.”
—Brad Keselowski
Buescher’s Strong Qualifying Unravels in Overtime Scramble
Chris Buescher delivered a promising qualifying performance, starting from seventh in his Kroger/Diet Cherry Coke Ford. Early in the race, his car’s balance benefited from becoming looser, helping him rise through the top 10. Despite dropping to ninth after the first pit stop, he climbed up to sixth by lap 45 and finished the opening stage fifth.
Buescher continued to demonstrate strong pace after his service stop, working back to sixth by lap 68, and he entered the top five again by lap 79. A green-flag stop on lap 83 set him back to 23rd, but a caution soon after enabled recovery to ninth by the end of Stage Two. Prioritizing track position, he stayed out for the following restart and briefly ran inside the top five before fuel conservation became necessary, causing him to slip to seventh by lap 117.
The rain-induced caution with five laps left positioned Buescher eighth for the overtime restart. Navigating the chaos of the double overtime, he narrowly avoided a crash in the first attempt but fell to 14th after the second. Buescher recounted the closing moments and the team’s unified approach during the high-pressure finish:
“Saving fuel there at the end and restarts were kind of crazy,”
said Buescher.
“We had enough fuel to make it obviously. We had our three cars lined up down the backstretch and Brad gave me a heck of a push and Ryan was out front. I kind of gave him a shove and we kind of pinballed each other heading into three and got in a little deep and smoked the left front some. But over all we were fast. Just an extremely hard day to pass.”
—Chris Buescher
Implications for RFK Racing After a Tumultuous Brickyard 400
The double top five result for RFK Racing at the Brickyard 400 demonstrates the organization’s strategic prowess and adaptability under pressure, especially amid race chaos, rain delays, and overtime challenges. With Ryan Preece achieving his best finish at the famed track and Brad Keselowski showing veteran poise, the team solidifies its position as a competitive force at marquee events. Although Chris Buescher faced late misfortune, his strong presence through most of the event reinforces RFK Racing’s depth.
The squad’s ability to seize opportunities during unpredictable conditions, coupled with the strength of its driver lineup and pit crews, suggests RFK Racing will remain a team to watch as the season progresses. The team’s cohesive work amid adversity bodes well for upcoming races, where strategies honed in Indianapolis could yield even stronger results.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Does LeBron James own RFK Racing?
A. LeBron James and RFK Racing are working together to offer an exciting NASCAR experience to a student from Akron. Although he is not actively engaged, LeBron has some influence in the NASCAR scene and is using it positively. He is a partner in Fenway Motorsports, which is represented by the “F” in RFK Racing.
