RFK Racing could not crack the playoffs, but has been in the conversation. Brad Keselowski started off 2025 on a new note, as his team roped in Ryan Preece for the No. 60 Ford. And the former Stewart-Haas Racing star, who was deemed an outcast, left a trail of excellence. Preece has collected 10 top tens and 3 top fives this season, and narrowly missed the postseason. Given the phenomenal progress of Preece and his team, Brad Keselowski is making plans accordingly.

Jimmie Johnson and his team, Legacy Motor Club, have also been improving this year. Running in the top five and top ten consistently has been John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones’ forte. In the interest of preserving his team’s excellence, Johnson potentially clashed with Keselowski – but that has been resolved now.

Brad Keselowski can continue the momentum into 2026

Technically, Ryan Preece did not have a ride for the 2025 season. While all of his SHR teammates found seats, he was left stranded between leaving his NASCAR career or scaling down to Xfinity or Trucks. Yet Brad Keselowski found a fix – RFK Racing expanded into a three-car operation by leasing a car from Rick Ware Racing. And this was a multi-year deal. However, Preece’s seat attained a sheen of insecurity when Legacy Motor Club sued RWR in April 2025. The lawsuit revolved around RWR backing out of a purchase deal, which bound its handing out one of two charters it owns to LMC. However, that is now resolved, and Preece’s seat is secure.

After five months of wrangling in the courtroom, the lawsuit has been settled with RWR agreeing to sell LMC a charter. The Cup Series teams announced the resolution on Friday, preventing the case from going to trial in January 2026. At the same time, Brad Keselowski‘s No. 60 Ford charter is also in place. According to an RFK spokesperson, “We can confirm driver and partner agreements are in place for the 60 team. We are happy to continue our charter agreement as Rick Ware Racing and Legacy Motorsports have indicated that contracts will be honored.”

The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed yet. So, it is unclear how RWR will proceed with its No. 51 Ford team. It may not have a charter for 2026, and could also race as an ‘open’ team. Meanwhile, RFK Racing’s charter situation is also not clear. But Bob Pockrass painted a speculative scenario wherein the 2025 arrangement continued for 2026. Thereby, Legacy will expand its team from 2027 onwards. Pockrass wrote, “So I expect same lineup for RFK, Legacy, RWR in 2026 as have in 2025 as far as number of chartered cars they field. RFK did 1-year lease for a RWR charter this yr and the other for 2026. No one will confirm but sounds possibly RFK leases charter Legacy gets from RWR for 2026.”

With the 2026 plans for three teams approaching a resolution, we expect bright futures for them. Such a future is looming already for RFK Racing, as it welcomes a new member.

A new face will be on board

The promise of a charter has opened the door to more possibilities. RFK Racing recently underwent a major upheaval as Steve Newmark left his role as president. He will join the University of North Carolina and serve as its athletic director beginning next summer. Meanwhile, Brad Keselowski’s team has roped in Chip Bowers to fill in for Newmark. Bowers brings a plethora of experience; he previously served as president of Elevate. He oversaw global expansion, helping open four international offices. Bowers also worked with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, and Seattle SuperSonics; MLB’s Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres; and the WNBA’s Seattle Storm.

Now, Chip Bowers cannot be less thrilled about his new position. He said in a recent statement, “As both a fan of the sport and a North Carolina native, this is truly a full circle moment for me in my career. I’m incredibly appreciative of Jack Roush, John Henry, future hall of fame driver and owner Brad Keselowski, and our esteemed board of directors for asking me to be a trusted partner in leading the organization to new heights.”

Brad Keselowski also issued words of enthusiasm: “Chip brings a fresh perspective that we’re really excited about. He has proven he can grow organizations and think creatively in some of the most competitive sports markets, and that experience will help us find new ways to strengthen our team.”

Evidently, RFK Racing is not ceasing its trajectory of growth. With one of its top drivers’ seats secured, we can only wait and see what magic it conjures in 2026.