With three full-time entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, RFK Racing has quietly built a solid foundation in 2026. Brad Keselowski brings veteran leadership with over 600 starts, Ryan Preece has already broken through with a win at the Cook Out Clash, and Chris Buescher continues to deliver steady, consistent results. Yet, beyond the Cup level, a noticeable gap remains. In an exclusive conversation thanks to Kickstand Cocktails, Keselowski opened up on what’s really holding RFK back from re-entering NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and why the answer isn’t as simple as it seems.
Funding roadblocks keep RFK’s O’Reilly ambitions on hold
“It takes a lot of money and focus. I think RFK could run a top-notch program in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts series. But we can’t do it for free. And so you got to have the right partnerships, whether it be with sponsors or with, you know, OEM, and in our case Ford. If that were to come along, we would absolutely be very interested in participating at a high level where we can compete for wins. Uh, that hasn’t happened.”
That candid admission from Brad Keselowski lays bare the reality behind RFK Racing’s absence from NASCAR’s Xfinity ranks. It’s not a lack of intent or capability but a matter of resources aligning at the right time. Historically, RFK (formerly Roush Racing) was a powerhouse in the then-Busch Series.
The team helped develop talents like Greg Biffle, who climbed through the ranks to become a Cup contender. Along the way, the organization captured five series championships with drivers such as Carl Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Chris Buescher. But that era came to an end after the 2018 season, when the team shut down its Xfinity program.
A major factor? Sponsorship. Running a competitive second-tier program requires significant financial backing, and RFK struggled to secure the consistent sponsorship needed to justify the investment. Without that support, sustaining a high-level operation simply wasn’t viable.
At the same time, the organization made a strategic decision to channel its resources into the Cup Series, where performance expectations (and returns) are far greater. That trade-off still defines their approach today.
Keselowski made it clear: RFK isn’t interested in returning just to fill the grid. If they come back, it has to be with the intent to win. And until the right financial and manufacturer support from Ford Performance comes together, the door remains open. But firmly on their terms.
Ford’s shrinking O’Reilly presence
The bigger issue surrounding Ford Performance’s absence from the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts series isn’t just about teams stepping away. It’s about a shifting philosophy. At Rockingham earlier this season, the reality was hard to ignore. Just one Ford Mustang showed up on the grid, driven by veteran J. J. Yeley, finishing 20th.
Across the 2026 season, that number has barely improved, with only a couple of Ford-backed entries remaining after teams like Haas Factory Team and RSS Racing switched manufacturers. The reasons run deeper than competition.
Financial pressure has played a significant role. With tariffs impacting production costs, Ford reported an 8.8% drop in sales in early 2026, alongside projections of a $1 billion hit tied to earlier trade policies under Donald Trump’s administration. Naturally, that forces prioritization and NASCAR’s second-tier series isn’t at the top of that list.
But there’s also a strategic shift. Unlike Chevrolet and Toyota, which maintain extensive development pipelines across all NASCAR divisions, Ford has leaned toward a different model of identifying proven talent rather than grooming it internally. Drivers like Ryan Preece and Joey Logano weren’t traditional Ford-developed prospects but were brought in after proving their value elsewhere. Even recent names like Todd Gilliland and Zane Smith rose through alternative pathways.
In that context, the logic becomes clearer. If Ford doesn’t rely heavily on the series for driver development and already fields competitive Mustangs on Sundays, then investing heavily in Saturdays becomes harder to justify. It’s not abandonment; it’s allocation.
And until that philosophy changes, Ford’s limited presence may not just continue and it may well be intentional.
