In NASCAR, the driver’s seat isn’t the only place where champions are made. Over the years, we have seen an influx of drivers taking the reins as team owners, shaping the sport from behind the pit wall. Tony Stewart turned his winning instincts into a Cup-contending empire with Stewart-Haas Racing, winning a championship as owner-driver in 2011. In 2020, Denny Hamlin teamed up with Michael Jordan to launch 23XI Racing, a team now making serious waves. Then, in 2022, another familiar face stepped up with bold ambitions.

Brad Keselowski, 2012 Cup Series champ and current RFK Racing driver-owner, isn’t just aiming for success on Sundays. His sights are set on expanding RFK Racing across NASCAR’s top tiers… and beyond. Recently, he revealed his team’s expansion plans to Dustin Long.

Brad Keselowski’s vision for RFK Racing

Brad Keselowski’s journey to co-own RFK Racing stemmed from a desire to turn around a team drenched in NASCAR legacy. RFK Racing was once a dominant force in NASCAR, winning back-to-back championships in 2003 and 2004 with Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch. However, the championships dried up since then, and when Keselowski joined in 2022, they had been winless in NASCAR’s top division since 2017! Keselowski said in 2022, “It’s a watershed moment for me in the sense of taking on a larger role and responsibility than I ever have. It’ll be a year of pursuing self-growth accordingly. I feel really good about it.”

Well, Brad K proved his worth as an owner, with Chris Buescher winning at Bristol in 2022, signaling winds of change. While they haven’t reached their towering heights of the past, steady progress has been seen, and now, Brad Keselowski wants to take that further. The driver-owner is setting his sights on a bold future that stretches far beyond the NASCAR Cup Series.

When asked about his goals for the team, Keselowski laid out an ambitious plan to Dustin Long. “I would love to do all three [series], to be honest, you know, we have other things that we’re trying to accomplish first,“ he said. Currently, RFK Racing fields three full-time entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, with Keselowski, Ryan Preece, and Chris Buescher behind the wheel.

The RFK drivers are placed decently in the Cup Series with Chris Buescher in 12th place and Ryan Preece in 14th. Keselowski, however, has had a rough season so far and is in 32nd position, but his recent performances have shown that he is slowly but surely turning that ship around. Expanding into the Truck and Xfinity Series would allow RFK to nurture young drivers and build a pipeline for future Cup talent, and eventually pave the way for Keselowski to transition to being a full-time owner. However, owning a Cup, Truck, or Xfinity team brings along its own set of pros and cons, which Brad Keselowski is well aware of.

For instance, in the Truck Series, a team owner picks the OEM, wins a championship and several races, and that may move that team to the top. However, that is not the case with the Cup Series. “The interesting thing about the OEM level and the Cup Series is you can’t win your way to being at the top of the pecking order. It takes a combination of success and politics,” he said in an April 2025 interview with Autoweek. But Keselowski also outlined the problems faced by Xfinity and Truck Series team owners. For example, in the Cup Series, the team owner gets to pick his driver. However, this isn’t necessarily the case in the Truck Series. Instead, it can depend on the OEM with whom the truck team is associated.

Keselowski further added that he wants RFK Racing to become a dominant force not only in the NASCAR Cup Series but also in the Truck Series and the IMSA sports car championship. He added, “But yes, certainly aspirations to be part of an organization running IMSA, trucks, and Cup Series at a very high level and competing for wins in the championship. ” Entering the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship would open doors to new sponsors and fans. It will also provide valuable experience with endurance racing and advanced automotive technology.

Brad Keselowski, however, understands that this is a step-by-step process. “We have to eat the elephant one bite at a time,” he explained. He is aware that it takes a lot of work to establish a championship-caliber organization over several series. However, RFK Racing is well-positioned to grow into a significant force in a number of racing categories in the years to come, thanks to Keselowski’s drive and leadership.

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RFK Racing creates Michigan magic

RFK Racing showed up and showed out at Michigan International Speedway, delivering their best performance of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season so far. All three RFK drivers crossed the finish line inside the top 10 for the first time since 2016, when Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Trevor Bayne achieved this feat at Daytona. It’s a collective win that reflects not only momentum but also the organization’s growing ambitions to branch out beyond just the Cup Series.

Brad Keselowski wrapped up the day in 10th place, continuing his Michigan consistency with a 16th career top-10 at the track. One spot ahead, Ryan Preece logged another solid run in ninth place, adding to what has been a stellar first season with RFK Racing. In 15 races in 2025, Preece has already matched his tally of top-10 finishes (6) that he got with Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024, showing significant growth in himself and for RFK Racing as a whole.

But the spotlight belonged to Chris Buescher, who stormed to second place and nearly took the win from Denny Hamlin. Nonetheless, it turned out to be Buescher’s strongest showing of the year so far. More than just solid finishes, this race showed what RFK’s been building toward: better teamwork, sharper pit calls, and faster cars. But despite solid finishes, both Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski felt their races could’ve gone better.

Buescher believed his car was strong enough to contend for the win. “I really appreciate everybody on this team working so hard to put us in this situation and to have a chance to win. I’m disappointed I didn’t get it done,” Buescher said. Similarly, Brad Keselowski pointed to a costly speeding penalty on pit road. This incident compromised his shot at a higher result. He echoed Buescher’s sentiment, stating, “We had a really good car. I felt like we had a top two or three car and just didn’t get to see it through. I’m really disappointed.”

The Michigan magic of RFK Racing is an obvious signal that the company is growing. The team is ready to contend for additional top finishes and possibly make a comeback to victory lane soon with sustained improvement and cooperation.

Do you think RFK Racing will see victory lane soon? Let us know in the comments!