Brad Keselowski delivers candid verdict on RFK Racing playoff chances, highlighting win imperative

RFK Racing may have three cars in the fight, but the playoff chances are growing tighter by the week, and Brad Keselowski knows the clock is ticking. With just five races left before the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs begin, the RFK co-owner and driver of the No. 6 Ford gave a clear assessment of where his organization stands.

Chris Buescher sits 10th in points and is +44 above the playoff cutline. Ryan Preece is in 14th, just 16 points behind Bubba Wallace on the bubble. And Keselowski himself is 27th in the standings - 140 points short of the cutoff.

"We've the three teams with the (Nos.) 6, 17, and 60. The 17 looks to be in a really good position to point their way in. They've had really strong runs, very solid. Really proud of the performance of that team. The 60 is like right on that fringe. With any new winner, I think they would have to win. But it should be a strong stretch of races," Keselowski said ahead of this weekend's Brickyard 400. (0:44 onward)

Chris Buescher has been the steadiest of the trio, delivering top-10s when it matters and leading the Cup Series in average starting position this season at 10.6. His ninth-place effort at Dover last weekend, his 11th top-10 of the season, also marked his 350th career start.

Brad Keselowski (6) leads Ryan Preece (60), Chris Buescher (17) during the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. Source: Imagn

Meanwhile, Ryan Preece is hovering in the middle and likely needs more than just consistency. He sits 16 points behind Wallace, a margin that could evaporate quickly if a new driver outside the top 16 steals a win.

Then there's his No. 6. For all the promise Brad Keselowski's car has shown recently with five top-10 finishes in the last nine races, the bottom line remains. He's too far behind on points. The only realistic path into the playoffs is a win.

"The (No.) 6 car just has to win a race. So, we'd like to win with all three of them and not have to worry about it. That would be kind of the ideal situation. We've been on the fringe of that... I think we've second-place finishes with all three of our cars. So, need to convert those into wins to kind of solidify our position," he added. (1:08 onwards)

Between Buescher, Preece, and Keselowski, RFK Racing has combined for six top-5 finishes this season. They've been fast, but not fast enough to close.

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Brad Keselowski's RFK trio faces uphill battle at the Brickyard 400

Chris Buescher (17) and Brad Keselowski (6) in the Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway. Source: Imagn

This year's return to the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval marks a pivotal test for RFK Racing's playoff hopes. It also brings a reminder of Brad Keselowski's greatest moment at the famed oval. Back in 2018, he won the Brickyard 400 with a clinical late-race charge.

It remains Keselowski's only Cup Series win at the track, but he's been strong there throughout his career, with six top-10 finishes in 12 starts, including three runs inside the top five. He's also led laps in eight of those races and owns a 13.6 average finish. He will start 14th on Sunday.

"The last month has been really positive. All three cars have shown a lot of potential and we've kind of hit our swing and stride. So, excited to see what comes of that. With these races in front of us, all being fairly traditional races that we can hopefully just punch on through with a win," he said (1:32 onwards)

Chris Buescher, now RFK's statistical frontrunner, doesn't have Keselowski's resume at Indy. He has one top 10 finish in six career starts on the oval, with a best finish of ninth, back in 2017, and will begin seventh on the grid.

Brad Keselowski after winning the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series race at the Brickyard. Source: Getty

As for Preece, the Brickyard has yet to reward him. In three starts, he's never cracked the top 10, and his best finish of 16th came back in 2019. He holds a rough 30.0 average starting position at the track and qualified 23rd.

With the playoff bubble tightening and 12 different race winners already locking themselves in, there are only four points spots left and five races to earn them. Buescher (+44), Bowman (+56), and Reddick (+156) hold three of them. Wallace sits in the final transfer spot at +16. For Preece and certainly for Brad Keselowski, a win is no longer optional.

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Edited by Rupesh