Brad Keselowski’s hopes of ending a lengthy winless streak in the NASCAR Cup Series took a heartbreaking turn during the Bristol Night Race, after a high-stakes decision during the final caution left him empty-handed on the track where he once ruled. The much-anticipated showdown became a sequence of missed opportunities for the RFK Racing driver, whose Bristol Night Race setback was marked by tense restarts and an agonizing finish.
A Tumultuous Restart Derails a Promising Run
Leading under the lights at Bristol, Keselowski found himself at the center of a critical caution as Cole Custer rejoined the racing surface in front of him, triggering an incident that resulted in Bubba Wallace’s car being wrecked. The timing of the caution initially seemed to benefit Keselowski, allowing him to pit for new tires and line up on the outside for what should have been a decisive restart. But the track position quickly proved costly.
When the green flag dropped again, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar moved into Keselowski’s path, leaving the door open for Christopher Bell, who capitalized on the chaos and surged into the lead. The miscalculation would haunt Keselowski, setting the stage for a final, tension-filled shootout.
Frustration Mounts as Victory Slips Away
The frustration boiled over for Keselowski after the race, as he recounted the turn of events.
We did all the right moves, and just kind of got screwed on the last restart.
—Brad Keselowski, Driver
Refusing to let the setback define his night, Keselowski stayed in pursuit and ran down Bell, setting himself up for a classic “bump-and-run” maneuver—essential at Bristol when battling for the win. However, his attempt to move Bell off line only pushed the leader forward, sealing his fate.
Detailing the pivotal sequence, Keselowski explained,
Still were going to be fine (after the caution), and then on the restart, the 77 [Hocevar] spun his tires and the 38 [Smith] cleaned him out. Basically, all Chris had to do was turn left. I had a shot at him down here on the last lap. I hit him, and it didn’t do anything.
—Brad Keselowski, Driver
Season of Near Misses Continues for RFK Racing
For Keselowski and RFK Racing, the night at Bristol extended a streak of near-misses and heartbreak. All three of the organization’s cars failed to reach the playoffs this year, and Keselowski himself has endured multiple defeats in similar fashion, including losing the lead on the final lap at Atlanta. His disappointment was clear in his interview with USA Network:
Just the story of our season, just a 50/50 shot on the restart and I got the lane that couldn’t launch,
—Brad Keselowski, Driver
He added,
Just frustrating. We had a great car, great strategy, put ourselves in position to, if not to win, at least have a really, really solid day, and on that last restart, (we) just rolled the dice and didn’t get anything good.
—Brad Keselowski, Driver
Winless Streak Continues Despite Considerable Efforts
Keselowski’s Bristol Night Race setback extends his winless run beyond 50 events, with his last Cup Series triumph dating back to Darlington in May 2024. Despite showing flashes of his former dominance and making decisive calls at key moments, the desired breakthrough remains elusive. Key names such as Zane Smith, Carson Hocevar, Christopher Bell, Cole Custer, Austin Cindric, and Bubba Wallace have each played a role in shaping both the chaos and the challenges Keselowski has faced throughout the season.
As the NASCAR season advances and the intensity of the playoff elimination battles increases, Keselowski and the entire RFK outfit face mounting pressure to translate their competitive efforts into results. Fans and competitors alike will be watching closely to see if Keselowski can rally from this latest disappointment and reclaim his place in victory lane as the campaign heads toward its climax.
