Brad Keselowski Puts RFK First With Surprise Retirement Hint

Brad Keselowski ran his 600th NASCAR race in Martinsville, and just before that race, he told the media that he wants to reach the next milestone of 800 races.

For that, Keselowski would require several more seasons and could still be driving in NASCAR well into his late 40s.

But recently, during an interaction with the media, Keselowski dropped what fans may take as the first hint of retirement, a surprising one given how long he has said he wants to continue driving.

His retirement hint stems from team loyalty rather than a decline in racing performance.

Keselowski is the co-owner at Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, while also being the team’s most experienced driver. The ownership side of things may play a more important role in when he finally steps away.

“I would tell you that I have no interest in holding back RFK,” said the 2012 Cup Series champion while speaking to the media. “If there was some opportunity for them, and I was the clear barrier to it, then, I would think that, of respect to the company, and its people, I would do whatever’s best.”

While the hint suggests Keselowski would step away if RFK finds a younger driver who can take the #6 Ford and make it faster, he has still been the team’s best driver.

Keselowski Leads RFK Charge for the Chase

While neither Keselowski nor RFK has won a race since Darlington 2024, he remains one of the most consistent drivers for the team in 2026.

His second-place finish in Darlington earlier this year shows that while RFK does not consistently have race-winning pace, Keselowski is the one capitalizing when opportunities arise.

He may have had a poor race in Bristol that dropped him to 11th in the standings, but he is just one point behind teammate Chris Buescher, who is 10th with 230 points. Meanwhile, Ryan Preece sits 14th, 20 points behind Keselowski’s 229.

With 18 races to go until the Chase, Keselowski has the only two top-five finishes among RFK drivers this season. Buescher has three top-10 finishes, while Preece has two.

As the grid heads to Kansas, Keselowski will be looking to tap into his past success, having won twice at the track in 2011 and 2019. His 15 top-10 finishes there, including seven top fives, suggest that both he and RFK could put up a strong showing in Kansas.