RFK Racing is heading toward a complicated 2027 season with only two permanent Cup Series charters for three planned full-time teams. The organization has relied on a leased charter for Ryan Preece’s No. 60 Ford, but that arrangement ends after 2026. With Legacy Motor Club securing the charter from Rick Ware Racing a year ago, RFK now faces the possibility of running its third car as an unchartered Open entry. Brad Keselowski offered a sarcastic reminder of just how valuable that lost charter has become.

“He was pretty excited. You know, I think we just put an extra million dollars in his pocket. Congratulations, Jimmie,” RFK Racing co-owner Brad Keselowski told reporters before the first 2026 Chase race.

His answer was to a question about the ‘potential financial loss of losing that charter to Legacy Motor Club’ currently used by Ryan Preece.

The irony is difficult to miss. Preece has arguably put himself in the strongest position of his Cup career this year. He won at Daytona, secured his first berth in the Chase and now has a legitimate opportunity to race for a championship with RFK Racing. Yet, heading into 2027, the same driver could find himself in one of the most vulnerable positions on the grid.

RFK expanded to three full-time Cup cars by bringing Preece into the No. 60 Ford. The organization wanted to build its operation around three competitive entries, but it could not secure a permanent charter during the Stewart-Haas Racing asset fire sale.

Instead, RFK reached a deal to lease a charter from Rick Ware Racing for the No. 60 for the 2026 season. That solution worked. But the arrangement was always temporary. Teams can only lease a charter for one season, meaning RFK knew it would have to solve the problem again for 2027.

Now, that charter is headed elsewhere. Legacy Motor Club had already secured the Rick Ware Racing charter for 2027 following the settlement between the two organizations. The deal reportedly came at a record $45 million price, giving Jimmie Johnson’s team a valuable asset while leaving RFK without a permanent third charter.

That explains Keselowski’s sarcasm. Preece’s breakthrough at Daytona did not just benefit RFK. Because the charter he is using will belong to LMC next season, his success also increases the value of the asset Johnson’s organization is about to receive. As Keselowski put it, RFK effectively put an extra million dollars in Johnson’s pocket. A chartered team can earn 7 to 18 million per season, this comes from the race purse central revenue distribution. But open teams don’t enjoy similar perks.

For Preece, however, the situation is far more serious. RFK has exercised its option to keep him for 2027 and remains committed to running three full-time cars. Keselowski and team president Chip Bowers have made that intention clear. The problem is that the organization currently has only two permanent charters.

Keselowski has also indicated there are no charters available on the open market right now. With values estimated between $40 million and $80 million (or more), simply buying another one is not an easy solution, even for an organization willing to make a major investment.

If nothing changes, the No. 60 becomes an Open car. That puts Preece in a difficult position despite everything he has accomplished this year. An Open entry does not carry the same security as a chartered team, and the No. 60 would have to qualify for races where the field is oversubscribed. Plus, he won’t be getting the same financial payouts as other charter teams. This in turn also makes it tough for the team to attract potential sponsors, knowing that the car doesn’t have a secured spot on the grid to start the race.

The Daytona 500 is the first obvious concern. The crown jewel events carry enormous importance for any driver, but an Open team cannot take a starting position for granted. Preece and the No. 60 team could therefore enter 2027 knowing that some of NASCAR’s biggest races require them to earn their way into the field (if available).

That is a remarkable position for a driver who could be racing for a championship only months earlier.

Meanwhile, Legacy has the opposite problem. The organization will have a third charter in hand for 2027. But it has not yet announced who will drive that additional entry. The asset is secured before the driver is.

That contrast makes the situation even more fascinating. Legacy is gaining the security RFK desperately wants, while Preece could be left fighting for the same security despite producing the very results that made the charter more valuable.

For now, Keselowski’s message is simple. RFK still wants three cars, and the No. 60 remains part of that plan. But unless another charter becomes available, Preece’s championship opportunity could eventually lead to an unexpected 2027 reality: fighting just to make some of NASCAR’s biggest races.