What started as a question mark on Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing (RFK) Racing’s 2025 roadmap has quickly become one of the team’s most unexpected strengths. At the beginning of the year, there were whispers about whether fielding a third full-time Cup Series car would stretch the team too thin. But as the regular season nears its conclusion, that very entry is making headlines.

The No. 60 Ford piloted by Ryan Preece is now threatening to upset the playoff grid. A stunning fourth-place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this past weekend did more than just turn heads. It put RFK’s No. 60 firmly in contention for the postseason, just 42 points outside the cut line. As it turns out, the run was no fluke. The driver later revealed that without one key element behind the wall, this career-highlight finish may never have materialized.

That late-race rally at the Brickyard is part of a broader uptick for RFK. They now have all three of their cars firing with postseason intentions. Chris Buescher leads the pack, holding onto a precarious 16th-place slot. Co-owner Brad Keselowski, still winless this season, finds himself further adrift in the standings. If he cannot close the gap through points alone, victory is his only guaranteed lifeline to the playoffs. And yet, the spotlight this week belongs to Ryan Preece. With a tactical masterclass from his pit box, he surged from outside the top 10 to inside the top 5. In the aftermath of the race, Preece made sure to credit a special someone. His crew chief, whose guidance kept him poised through chaos and fuel crunches.

“Honestly, I thought the strategy side of things was looking really good at one point,” Preece explained on the NASCAR Live Podcast. “When we stayed out there in Stage 2, (we) were able to put ourselves in a really good spot. Ultimately, I had an untimely caution, and things just didn’t go our way. But Derek did a great job of keeping me up to date on where we were.” Chaos unfolded across the Brickyard’s final laps in a thrilling finale. As cars were running dry and green-white-checkered finishes were stacking up, Ryan Preece found clarity in one voice. That voice belonged to Derek Finley. The crew chief orchestrated the No. 60 Ford’s race strategy with remarkable poise.

What may seem like a standard race update was, for Preece, a lifeline. “As a driver, it’s extremely easy to get lost in the entire race when it comes to the strategy piece,” he said. “We’re kinda back in the top 10 and found ourselves in 13th after the green flag pit stops. Had a caution, and from there out, we just had some strong green-light checkered green starts to get ourselves to 4th, along with a couple of people running out of fuel.” Early on, Preece and the team made the daring call to stay out during Stage 2. They temporarily gapped themselves from traffic and gained clean air. But it was what happened after an untimely caution that truly tested their resolve.

The result has injected both hope and urgency into Preece’s season. With 517 points, he sits just outside the playoff grid. He is 17th overall, trailing his RFK teammate Chris Buescher by 42 points. A win would all but seal his spot in the playoffs. But even without one, momentum is finally swinging in his direction. And as Preece made clear, it is not just about what happens on the track, but the composure and foresight behind the wall that may very well define his path forward.

Keselowski and Preece’s Brickyard double spurs RFK’s playoff ambitions

RFK Racing walked away from the Brickyard 400 with more than just points. Ryan Preece finished fourth, and Brad Keselowski took fifth, marking the team’s first double top-five of the season. Neither driver won, but both gained crucial momentum in their playoff fight. With just four races left in the regular season, RFK’s push for all three cars in the postseason is alive and well.

Keselowski made his intentions clear ahead of the race. He wants all three RFK entries. His own No. 6, Buescher’s No. 17, and Preece’s No. 60 in the playoffs. While Buescher holds the final cutoff spot, Keselowski and Preece sit just outside. Their Brickyard finishes helped close the gap, keeping their hopes intact.

Brad Keselowski still faces a steep climb. He is further outside the cutoff than Preece and may need a win to qualify. His recent form, however, is encouraging. Multiple top-10s since mid-season show the No. 6 team is trending upward. Track selection will be key. If he can capitalize on a short track like Richmond or a wildcard like Daytona, his playoff dream stays alive.

At the very least, RFK Racing can have two of its three cars in the playoffs, and that would be huge for the entire organization.