After Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski sits at the top of the list of drivers fans are eager to see mount a comeback. Although Keselowski managed to win a race last season and secured a playoff berth, he bowed out early, finishing 13th overall and failing to advance past the second round.
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Despite flashes of speed, including eight top-five finishes, his performance still paled in comparison to his 2020 and 2021 campaigns, before his move to RFK Racing.
This season, the story has grown even more complicated. Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece have both outpaced him. Buescher has already posted one top-five and four top-ten finishes, while Preece, newly added to the RFK stable, has recorded a top-five and two top-tens. Meanwhile, Keselowski, the team’s co-owner and driver, has yet to post a single top-five or top-ten finish.
When asked recently whether he feels competitive, jealous, or simply proud of Buescher and Preece outperforming him, Keselowski took the high road. “They’re pushing me, which is good. I don’t want it to be a one-directional relationship where I was pushing them,” he said.
Keselowski praised the energy and diligence both drivers bring to the table, noting that Preece has added a level of thoroughness that is particularly impressive.
In Keselowski’s eyes, Ryan and Chris are two outstanding talents, and his goal is to equip them and surround them with teams that allow their elite driving abilities to shine through.
While Brad Keselowski admits he has not fully achieved everything he envisioned, the RFK Racing co-owner takes great pride in the teams they have built around their drivers. He believes there is still room for improvement with the equipment, because Keselowski sees clear potential; when everything clicks, his drivers know how to capitalize and deliver strong results.
Speaking on their progress, Keselowski remarked, “That’s really exciting for me to see that for them. It’s not quite the same as watching your kids succeed, but in a similar vein, it has a lot of correlation, so I can find ways to be happy with them beating me, which the competitor in me probably plugs his nose when I say that, but I’m proud of them nonetheless.”
As for whether he believes he can still outrun them, Keselowski confidently asserted that he fully expects to do just that.
Keselowski reflects on the harsh reality of the No. 6 team’s slump
Speaking during a media session at the NASCAR Productions Facility ahead of the upcoming race at Talladega, Brad Keselowski addressed his recent struggles. Reflecting on the battle RFK Racing faces, he admitted it has been a lot of scratching and clawing.
He noted that both the organization and his #6 team have undergone significant changes; it’s just that the anticipated step forward has not materialized.
Still, Keselowski remains hopeful. He believes that with time, the changes will yield a bigger payoff, even though he acknowledged they definitely took a step backward in the process.
Despite the rough patch, he sees promising signs in the car’s speed. In his view, the #6 team holds plenty of potential waiting to break through.
At the moment, Keselowski sits a distant 31st in the standings, trailing teammates Buescher and Preece, who are holding firm in P12 and 14, respectively.
