The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season for RFK Racing unfolded with promise but ended in heartbreak at Daytona, where Ryan Blaney claimed his second victory of the year. RFK drivers showed flashes of speed, like Ryan Preece’s runner-up run at Talladega before a disqualification for a rear spoiler issue dropped him to last. Chris Buescher nearly stole a win at Michigan. And after Saturday’s Daytona race, Preece said, “Man, I felt like we were going to win that race,” echoing the team’s repeated near misses.

Buescher reflected on Daytona’s chaos, noting he “had a shot” but fell short amid the pack racing frenzy. For RFK, the absence of all three drivers from the playoffs not only halts their championship chase but also opens doors to added pressures, like sponsorship retention and budget strains.

RFK Racing‘s failure to lock in any playoff spots at Daytona marks a stark collapse from their early-season potential, where consistency nearly carried them through on points alone. Entering the finale, Buescher sat 17th in the playoff picture, needing a solid run or win to advance, while Preece and Keselowski required victories amid 13 different winners already clinching berths. The win proved vital for visibility and payouts, as playoff participation boosts charter value and attracts partners.

Preece captured the frustration, “The problem is you know the 9 and the 5 were worried about their teammate that would have been bumped out, so it was a shitty situation.” This highlights how rival team strategies, like Hendrick protecting Alex Bowman, derailed RFK’s bid, turning a lead into a 14th-place tumble for Preece.

That miss ripples beyond the track, potentially costing millions in lost bonuses and sponsor incentives, especially for a three-car operation like RFK that expanded with the No. 60 entry. Background here ties to the charter system, where playoff berths enhance revenue shares from NASCAR’s $1.1 billion annual media deals. Without them, teams face tighter budgets for development, echoing past squeezes that forced outfits like Furniture Row to fold after similar dry spells.

Buescher‘s near-miss at Daytona, finishing 7th but ousted by Ty Gibbs, underscores why this stung: “We had the ability to win, had the speed, had the handling, but no champagne celebration though,” as Buescher said in a post-race interview, pointing to the execution gaps that now amplify financial vulnerabilities heading into 2026.

Fans quickly dissected the fallout in a Reddit thread titled “How damaging is it for RFK to miss the playoffs entirely?”, sparking debates on the hit to morale and wallets. This online buzz captures the broader worry, shifting focus to what supporters think about the team’s road ahead.

Fan reactions to RFK’s playoff snub

One fan recalled, “I remember with the whole Dillon/Richmond fiasco in 2024, it was stated that removing the #3’s playoff berth was effectively a $2 million change for RCR at the least.” This ties directly to Austin Dillon‘s controversial Richmond win in 2024, where he wrecked Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to clinch a spot, only for NASCAR to revoke playoff eligibility over aggressive tactics. The penalty slashed RCR’s projected earnings, as charters earn tiered payouts; top-16 spots yield about $2-3 million more in bonuses per car. For RFK, missing three entries compounds that, potentially dipping into $6 million total, straining operations like crew salaries and tech upgrades that kept them competitive earlier.

“Honestly, I think it’s a great thing. RFK clearly needs some work done. They now have 10 races to use as full on test sessions to prep things for next year without any distractions.” This mindset draws from teams like Trackhouse Racing in 2021, which used a non-playoff stretch to refine setups, leading to Ross Chastain’s breakout 2022 wins. RFK could mirror that, focusing the final 10 events on aero tweaks and engine mapping without points pressure, building on their 2025 average finish around 15th across cars. It offers a reset, turning exclusion into a lab for gains.

“It’s a pretty big blow financially and mentally, I imagine. The payout bonus is quite nice, and not to even get one car for it has to hurt. Will it impact future performance? Unlikely.” Payouts from NASCAR‘s purse, often $200,000-plus per playoff race entry, add up quickly, with mental tolls seen in JTG Daugherty’s 2020 rebound after a miss. RFK’s drivers stayed upbeat, but the sting mirrors Hendrick’s 2010 dip when only one car advanced, yet they recovered strongly. Future runs are likely to hold steady given their Ford alliance.

Echoing that, someone said, “Several million for sure in both payments and likely sponsorship bonuses; considering their speed this year, they really should have atleast 2 in the playoffs.” Sponsorship deals often include clauses for playoff exposure, worth $1-2 million per partner, as with Xfinity’s bonuses. RFK’s pace, evident in Buescher’s four top-fives, suggested two berths, but incidents like Preece’s Talladega penalty erased that.

Finally, a user warned, “Sponsors ain’t gonna be happy and probably won’t want to pitch in as much next year. It really depends on how well they do these last 10 races, if they can play spoiler and steal a win or two, that will show sponsors that the regular season was a bit of a fluke and they can still win races.” Sponsors like Castrol have tied extensions to performance, and a spoiler role, like Kurt Busch‘s 2018 wins post-miss, can rebuild faith. RFK’s last-10 focus could secure deals, avoiding the fate of teams like Leavine Family Racing, which shuttered after sponsor losses in 2020.