RFK Racing Talladega performance turned heads on Sunday as all three Roush Fenway Keselowski drivers led laps and showcased impressive teamwork at the Alabama superspeedway. The Concord, NC-based team delivered an energetic and passionate showing, marked by close drafting, race strategy, and late-race intensity as Brad Keselowski, Chris Buescher, and Ryan Preece all left their mark on the event.
Keselowski Battles Up Front Amid Dramatic Restarts
Brad Keselowski arrived at Talladega determined to add a seventh career victory at the track to his resume, piloting the BuildSubmarines.com Ford. Keselowski, who started in 20th position, wasted little time working through the field, moving up to seventh by lap five amid the shuffle of three-wide action. He steadily raced his way to the front, even battling against Kyle Busch for the lead and seizing command by lap 39. After taking the front during Stage One, a late caution mixed up the field, sending Keselowski back to finish the segment in 24th place.
In the middle stage, Keselowski found a strong drafting rhythm with teammate Chris Buescher along the high line. The pair executed a synchronized pit strategy, stretching their fuel window before making a stop on lap 110. However, another caution again disrupted the running order. While some drivers opted to pit under yellow, Keselowski remained on track and restarted 20th at the end of Stage Two.
When the final stage rolled around, Keselowski surged forward yet again with support from Buescher and Ryan Preece. The RFK trio ran tightly together toward the front, with a flurry of cautions and restarts ratcheting up the intensity. On a critical restart just before overtime, Keselowski was shuffled toward the back, but remained composed and charged back to cross the finish line in 10th. This marked his fourth top-10 result in the last six NASCAR Cup Series races, underlining his consistent performance at superspeedways.
“That next to last restart kind of buried us,”
said Keselowski, driver of the BuildSubmarines.com Ford.
“Otherwise I thought we had a shot to win.”
– Brad Keselowski, Driver
Ryan Preece Demonstrates Qualifying Speed and Persistence
Ryan Preece distinguished himself as RFK Racing‘s top qualifier of the weekend, securing an impressive fifth place on the starting grid with the Trimble Ford. Preece showed his speed early, charging to the front in the opening laps and leading briefly on lap 16 during intense three-wide racing. He managed his fuel with discipline, making his first pit stop on lap 46 and a late one under caution before closing out Stage One in 19th position.
Stage Two saw Preece restart inside the top five, quickly finding a drafting partnership with teammates Keselowski and Buescher. The trio held steady on the low side, methodically working through the pack while managing their fuel window. After pitting during a late segment caution, Preece finished this stage 19th, sacrificing some track position for later advantage.
As the final stage began, Preece rejoined his teammates in the draft, restarting in ninth. Working in unison with Keselowski and Buescher, he methodically carved a path through the traffic. After a final fuel stop under caution, Preece pushed aggressively through a heated closing sequence and survived the overtime scramble to secure a determined 15th-place result—a testament to his ability to maintain composure and pace in Talladega’s famously unpredictable pack racing.
Heartbreak for Buescher After Leading Late in the Race
Chris Buescher was on the verge of delivering a significant win for RFK Racing at Talladega. For most of the day, Buescher’s approach was calculated; he intentionally dropped back early to save fuel and avoid potential trouble in his Kroger/Thomas’ High Protein Bagels Ford. By the end of Stage One, he advanced through the outside line, finishing a solid 12th to set a competitive tone for the race.
In Stage Two, Buescher immediately made an impact, restarting from the front row and surging into the lead with help from Keselowski on the high side. The duo drafted powerfully, holding position inside the top five. Despite being given a pass-through penalty for speeding on pit road after stopping on lap 110, Buescher recovered and managed to wrap up the segment in 21st.
The action only heated up in the final stage. Buescher was again part of the lead draft after a late fuel stop, climbing steadily from seventh position back toward the front in the crucial closing laps. With only two laps remaining, Buescher took the top spot, leading the race by powering the high line. In a cruel twist of Talladega’s fate, he was spun from the lead just five miles from the finish. Despite having a fast car, his race ended in 30th after the incident, turning a day of promise into disappointment for the No. 17 team.
“We had a really fast Ford and we were up there where we needed to be and just took a bad push down the back there. It ended up being a hard hit,”
Buescher recounted.
“The car was really fast and the RFK guys did a great job today. Just the way these things keep going. Ultimately, it was another fast Ford Mustang here. I appreciate the team doing such a good job, and we’ll just try again.”
– Chris Buescher, Driver
Teamwork and Drafting Define RFK Racing at Talladega
The camaraderie among RFK Racing drivers—Brad Keselowski, Chris Buescher, and Ryan Preece—became the defining feature of the team’s Talladega effort. Working as synchronized drafting partners, they spent much of the race running nose to tail, executing shared fuel strategies, and using each other’s momentum to break through the crowded field. Their cooperation made RFK Racing a visible force at the front of the pack throughout the afternoon, despite late-race misfortune for Buescher and multiple shuffles through the running order for Keselowski and Preece.
The strategy of sticking together in the draft, timing pit stops, and responding in real time to cautions and restarts demonstrated a level of unity rare outside the strongest organizations in NASCAR. The trio’s ability to move through the field as a cohesive unit showcased both the strength of the team’s cars and the skill of its drivers at managing the ever-changing tides of superspeedway racing.
Looking Ahead to Martinsville
The momentum RFK Racing captured at Talladega, especially the speed and aggression displayed by all three drivers, will carry into their next challenge at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. The roster now turns its attention to the short track, where teamwork and strategy will be just as crucial in the hunt for another strong finish. Fans and teams alike will be watching to see if Keselowski, Buescher, and Preece can build on their drafting expertise and competitive fire when the green flag drops on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at Martinsville, live on NBC Sports.
RFK Racing Talladega performance on Sunday highlighted not just the raw speed of their Fords but the discipline, grit, and teamwork needed to contend at one of NASCAR’s most challenging circuits. With their aggressive yet calculated approach, this team remains one to watch as the NASCAR season rolls on.
