So, here is a proper Silly Season shake-up: Brad Keselowski is walking away from the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford at the conclusion of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. RFK Racing made the announcement on a Tuesday morning, confirming that the 2012 Cup Series champion's tenure piloting their flagship entry and operating as a co-owner will wrap up after nearly five full seasons.
Looking at the numbers, the Rochester Hills, Michigan native leaves behind a solid footprint with the organization. Across 174 starts, the 42-year-old racer has collected 25 top fives, 55 top 10s, and a single victory at the Goodyear 400 in May 2024 at Darlington Raceway. His strongest championship run with the team came in 2023, where a winless campaign still yielded 16 top 10s, a personal-best average finish of 14.5, and an eighth-place finish in the final standings. It is a machine and a partnership that pushed the team forward, even if he is now ready for a new horizon.
RFK Racing president Chip Bowers praised the driver's profound impact on the shop both on and off the track, noting that Keselowski was heavily invested in shaping the future and identity of the organization. As for what comes next, Keselowski hasn't dropped any immediate hints about his driving future in the NASCAR Cup Series, though the team noted they support his desire to explore new career opportunities. The two sides will mutually work through the next steps regarding his ownership stake, and the organization has already launched a search for a new head of competition to fill his shoes.
Let us not forget the sheer ironman durability of the man. Keselowski has started every points-paying Cup race since November 2009, a massive streak of 610 consecutive starts through the Sept. 27 race at Kansas Speedway. That streak did face a scare when he missed the 2026 season-opening exhibition race at Bowman Gray Stadium after suffering a broken femur while vacationing in December 2025. But he bounced right back to racing, and in his own words on social media, he is nowhere near finished behind the wheel.
"I'm nowhere near ready to be done as a driver," Keselowski shared in a statement. "I still have a lot I want to accomplish in this sport, and I'm looking forward to what comes next."
Before his time at RFK, of course, Keselowski built his legacy elsewhere. He spent the bulk of his career at Team Penske, steering the iconic No. 2 car to 34 of his 36 premier-level victories and delivering Penske its first NASCAR Cup title in 2012. He also sits 25th on the all-time Cup win list, just ahead of champions like Kyle Larson, Kurt Busch, and Martin Truex Jr. Furthermore, his pedigree extends deep into the junior ranks, with 39 wins in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series—including the 2010 title—and a storied history running Brad Keselowski Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where stars like Ryan Blaney, Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe, and Tyler Reddick got their early breaks.
As for the team itself, RFK Racing remains fully committed to fielding a three-car operation for the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season and is actively pursuing a third charter. They will announce future plans for the No. 6 machine when the time is right.
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