RFK Racing Kansas Speedway performance took center stage on Sunday as Brad Keselowski and his team overcame adversity to claim an eighth-place finish, with RFK Racing delivering determined performances throughout the lineup. The action unfolded at Kansas Speedway, with the team showing resilience, strategic pit work, and an approach that kept them in contention despite numerous challenges.
Keselowski’s Battle from the Back of the Pack
From the outset, Brad Keselowski embodied the mantra “The 6 Team Never Quits,” offering confidence to his crew ahead of the race. Before the green flag, Keselowski encouraged his team,
It’s a long race. You know what to do.
His words set a determined tone for what would be a demanding NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.
Keselowski started deep in the field at 31st but navigated the early stages of the race while contending with handling problems as the team worked on their Solomon Plumbing Ford. Balancing front tire chatter with a tight entry into corners, Keselowski used pit strategy by staying out longer during green-flag stops, briefly moving into the lead for five laps. However, after pitting, he gave up both the lead and track position, finishing the first stage in 28th.
Adjustment and Comeback Efforts in the Middle Stages
In Stage Two, continued handling troubles tested the team’s persistence. Under the guidance of crew chief Jeremy Bullins, the team made important car adjustments while keeping Keselowski competitive and on the lead lap. As the pack shifted positions and leaders closed in, Keselowski managed to retain his focus, again taking 28th at the end of the second stage.
Before the final stage, Keselowski was able to regain the lead lap courtesy of a “waive around,” then the number 6 crew executed a trio of pit stops addressing right front suspension challenges. These strategic moves paid off, with the car performance improving markedly. Under a caution with 57 laps left, Bullins reassured the team, “We’re not giving up,” and those words added to the team’s determination for the final push up the order.
Charged Finish and Hard-Fought Overtime Success
The last runs of the race demanded maximum focus as Keselowski surged from 27th to inside the top 10. The climactic finish featured a two-lap overtime, with Keselowski executing an aggressive restart, moving high and overtaking several competitors to secure an eighth-place result. Post-race, he reflected on the determined team effort:
It was a hell of a day. A lot of things going on. We made some adjustments at the end of Stage Two, and the car got a lot better,
said Keselowski, followed by,
We got to the lead lap and started picking them off. It was a good, hard-fought day.
Chris Buescher’s Fight Through the Field
Chris Buescher, piloting the Body Guard Ford, demonstrated that grit ran throughout RFK Racing at Kansas Speedway. Starting from 15th, Buescher pressed forward during Stage One, battling for position with Alex Bowman and Josh Berry, and rising to 12th by lap 33. A timely green-flag pit stop vaulted him into the top 10, and after a late caution and four fresh tires, he used an aggressive restart to finish the stage in eighth.
When Stage Two began, Buescher took the restart from seventh and engaged in vigorous exchanges with Ford racers Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano. Though he fell back to 11th midway, another green-flag stop allowed for more adjustments and he pressed on to finish the segment still inside the top dozen.
The final stage brought frequent cautions and strategic resets. Buescher restarted ninth and advanced to seventh, matching the leaders on speed for several laps. However, as multiple cautions and restarts shaped the late race, he spent time boxed in traffic and ultimately crossed the line in 15th, showing perseverance even as the late stages proved unpredictable.
Ryan Preece Perseveres After Mid-Race Setback
Ryan Preece came to Kansas focused on building his best season yet, rolling off 19th in the Kroger/Minute Rice Ford. Early on, he remained inside the top 20, and after his pit stop from 18th on lap 36, he found himself running 14th. A caution before the end of Stage One offered fresh tires and fuel, letting him restart 13th, but restart congestion cost him several places and he ended the segment 17th.
Stage Two posed new difficulties for Preece when a battle with John Hunter Nemechek resulted in contact, a spin through the grass, and damage to the splitter. His team worked swiftly to make repairs, change tires, and refuel. Even though he lost a lap, Preece continued undeterred, ending the second stage in 34th but intent on recovering spots before the day ended.
As the race drew to a close, more repairs were completed and Preece worked methodically to climb through the attrition, eventually gaining nine spots in the final stage to finish 25th. His measured drive demonstrated both his tenacity and his crew’s ability to manage setbacks, on a day when the field and the Kansas Speedway presented constant challenges.
Momentum Shifts Forward to Charlotte
The strong RFK Racing Kansas Speedway performance offers valuable momentum for the coming events. Drivers like Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher carried the RFK Racing spirit, utilizing teamwork and adaptability to stay in contention against heavyweights such as Chase Elliott and Joey Logano, while managing late-race strategy and car handling on the demanding track surface. Ryan Preece showcased resilience rising through adversity, and the combined effort sets a tone for the team’s approach heading into the next challenge.
Attention now turns to the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, where RFK Racing will seek to translate the lessons learned and energy gained at Kansas. The race is scheduled for Sunday, October 5, 2025, where the intensity and focus displayed at Kansas are set to continue as the team chases further results in a highly competitive NASCAR season.
