Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Brickyard 400 Qualifying
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 6 Body Guard Ford Mustang Dark Horse, has secured top-10 finishes in each of his past four starts on ovals heading into the Brickyard 400. Before qualifying, Keselowski stopped by the infield media center at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to talk about this weekend’s race and the progress of his season so far.
BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 Body Guard Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK FOR RFK Racing HEADING IN THE FINAL RACES TOWARD THE PLAYOFFS? We have our three teams, the No. 6, No. 17, and No. 60. The No. 17 looks to be in a really good position to point their way in. They’ve had really strong performances and I’m proud of that team. The No. 60 is right on that fringe. I think they would have to win, but it should be a strong stretch of races. Then the No. 6 just has to win a race. So, we would like to win with all three of them and not have to worry about it. And that would be the ideal situation. We’ve been on the fringe of that with a handful of second place finishes with all three of our cars. So we need to convert those into wins to solidify our position. The last month has been really positive, and I think all three cars have shown a lot of potential. We’ve kind of hit our swing and stride, so I’m excited to see what comes of that with these fairly traditional races that we can hopefully just punch out through with the win.
HOW AGGRESSIVE DO YOU PLAN TO BE THIS YEAR GIVEN WHERE YOU ARE IN POINTS? I think we’re really aggressive last year and we almost won the race. I wouldn’t expect anything to change there, and we’ve got no reason not to be very aggressive. I certainly don’t want to just do dumb things just to do them, but this is a race that lends itself to aggressive moves on the track and off the track with pit strategy.
HOW DID WINNING THIS RACE IN 2018 IMPACT YOUR LIFE? I won this race in a three-race stretch that was just phenomenal. You know, I won here, Darlington, and at Las Vegas, all three in a row. To get two majors in three weeks was really special. I made up for a few that I feel like I fumbled, I fumbled this race away in 2012 and 2017 and made up for in 2018. I didn’t really deserve to win the race in 2018, I just really put together a great race. We had great strategy, and I made the right moves at the end, so I felt good. It felt like a redemption arc, and it made me a lot hungry to win the Daytona 500 because it’s the last one I don’t have on the majors list. But it was nice to cross this one off.
DO YOU THINK THE PEAK FOR A DRIVER HAS GOTTEN EARLIER IN AGE DUE TO ADVANCEMENTS IN HOW YOUNG DRIVERS START, TECHNOLOGY AND SIMULATORS? Yeah, some things have changed along the way. If you look at statistically, the peak is right around that 40 mark. There’s always exceptions like Mark Martin and Harry Gant, lately it’s been Denny Hamlin.I think when you have great cars, it’s easy to stay motivated and hungry. It’s easy to look at it and find that drive it takes to compete at a high level. I was having this joke session with Joey Logano, last week, he made his 600th start, and, you know, the question everybody asked was, “How much longer are you going to go?” And every race car driver answers that question the same way, as long as you feel like you can win, right? And you know, you go through these stretches where you know you’re winning and you’re super competitive and you’re like, “Oh, I’ll go until my body fails me right?” And then you have a stretch of races where nothing seems to be going right, whether it’s your fault or not. And then you’re like, “I don’t want to do this any more.” I think those are natural ebbs and flows that you work through. And you have to find your own motivation. That motivation changes throughout your career. I feel that way, you find different things that motivate you. I know my motivations have changed over the years, and that’s okay. But I’m tying this all back into the thought that if I go out here and run really well, and I have a shot to win, I’ll walk back in the garage area and say that I’ve probably got 10 more years left. It’s a very strong, emotional roller coaster being a race car driver.
Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 12 Menards/Delta Ford Mustang Dark Horse, was Ford’s highest-placed finisher at Dover Motor Speedway. Before qualifying, Blaney took some time at the infield media center at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to discuss the upcoming weekend and the progress his team has made during the season.
RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards/Delta Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HOW DOES IT FEEL TO RACE AROUND A TRACK LIKE INDIANAPOLIS? Yeah, it’s just a very surreal experience. And ever since I got my first start on the road course in 2012 in the Xfinity Series, I just couldn’t believe going down that front stretch on the road course. It’s so weird going in that 90-degree corner, and then when you come off four and you’re staring at a white wall that looks like a barricade. You think, how do we make it? And somehow we do. It’s just a cool place. It’s not only historically amazing, but driving it as well, there’s no place like it. I’ve had a lot of cool memories here as a kid and as an adult.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN BEING ON THE OVAL IN THE NEXT GEN CAR LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME? You could see some passing. It was difficult, but it definitely was doable. I think the oval in this car is interesting because you have to be really vigilant and aware of situations that other guys that you’re racing around are in. You don’t want to jam it right behind someone getting into the corner and mess up. So you’re always looking to take advantage of those opportunities. I think as opposed to other tracks where I say before just gonna run the fence or gonna run two lanes up, this place isn’t like that. So it’s a lot of patience and observation and planning out your moves. That’s one of the bigger things I learned last year.
HOW DO YOU REFLECT ON THE FINAL RESTART OF LAST YEAR’S RACE? I look at it as nothing I could have done differently. It was the rule in place. Just, just crappy circumstances and that’s the only thing that stings. It just hurts a lot to go back and watch it, because we were in a great spot to win. And, you know, that’s just the way it goes. Sometimes things don’t go in your favor, or the timing of things just don’t work out. I’m not mad at the rule or anything. It was just like crappy circumstances.
WHAT’S YOUR REACTION OF RACING AT NAVAL BASE CORONADO NEXT YEAR? I got to go there Wednesday. I think it’s going to be amazing. It was my first time at the base and my first time in San Diego in general. And it was a quick in and out, but we were there for a handful of hours. But one thing that really stood out to me is every single person on that base is excited that we’re coming. And that part is really neat for me as a driver who is going to go compete there. Every single man and woman that are on that base is going to be watching that race. I didn’t realize how big a base it was. There’s 40,000 people that live full time on that base and the 250th anniversary of the Navy is just even better. I’m excited. I can’t wait to see the track layout in person and see if they put any aircraft carriers in the bay while we’re going by or something.
DID YOU GET ANY INDICATION OF WHAT THE COURSE MIGHT BE? Not really, I saw a digital overhead shot but it’s not set in stone that is, so I didn’t ask too much of it. I’ll learn more of it as the year goes on. I think they got a pretty good plan. When the San Diego race was being rumored, I didn’t think it was going to be on the base. I thought it was going to be more in the city of San Diego like we did with Chicago. So, yeah, I don’t know the whole track layout yet, but I’m sure they’ll make it pretty interesting.
HOW DOES THE NARROW PIT ROAD AT INDY PRESENT A CHALLENGE TO YOU THIS YEAR? Pit road here is where it gets treacherous. It’s just so narrow. I wouldn’t say that the boxes are that long, but it’s the narrowest pit road. I think that’s why you see a lot of crew chiefs pick down at the end. We picked way down there at 21 and my rear carrier, Zach, got hit, and he got hurt. I think that’s just the danger of it, and why a lot of guys try to pick down there so you’re not merging when cars are still coming into pit road. So that’s the biggest challenge.
WHAT’S IT LIKE EXITING THE STALL? I’m ultra vigilant here. Let’s say I’m done with my stop and I’m cruising down pit road far right. I’m always watching those cars on the left who are in their stall. I got to look there. See if they’re about to drop to the left side jack, and what that looks like. You can’t bail anywhere. The only way you can bail is to slow down and stop. It makes it pretty tough. So hopefully, knock on wood, you don’t see any issues on pit road and guys stay safe.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE CHAOTIC RESTARTS HERE, WITH FOUR CRASHES ON RESTARTS LAST YEAR? I think just the track’s narrow and everyone’s fighting for the bottom because that’s the easiest place to make up spots on a restart. So you see a lot of guys shove it three wide. A lot of crowding goes on too so it’s pretty treacherous. But you don’t see anybody go up top at turn three here because you’re all just trying to fight towards the bottom, or jam something three wide late into one or something although that rarely works. You better be on your game on restarts and be on offense. If you’re on defense, you’re probably losing two or three spots.
HOW DOES THE REST OF THE SEASON LOOK FOR YOU, ESPECIALLY GOING BACK TO IOWA, A PLACE YOU WON AT LAST YEAR? Hopefully that goes well. I’ve been really proud of our speed this year and I think we’ve had some great pace. We haven’t really finished many races as I would have liked, but I just try to always look for where our speed is at. Our team is working together properly and they’re doing a great job. Some bad finishes we can’t control, but I think our group is really firing on all cylinders right now. I think we got the pace and the teamwork to do it and our pit crews in a great spot. So just hope that that stays the same and things smooth out a little bit. One thing I think has stayed constant is the speed that we’ve been bringing, so I hope that continues.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO DESCRIBE TO THE AVERAGE FAN HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO DRIVE THE CAR ON THE LIMIT EVERY LAP? That’s the hardest thing to explain to someone who’s never driven a race car. Everyone drives street cars and they think, oh yeah, I drive my street car all the time. You know, it’s just easy. I feel like in every sport, every pro sport, has its difficulties. Like, what makes this athlete special in their sport? You know, it has its own little quirks. But the racing side, I think what’s fascinating about drivers, and I think about this stuff all the time, each lap you go into the corner, you’re guessing the grip level. And every lap it gets worse. Every time you go into the corner, you have to commit 100% but you’re just guessing where my grip level is going to be. As it’s getting worse every lap, and being able to feel that in the seat of your pants is what makes race car drivers, finding the edge of control each lap without going over it. I think it’s the most fascinating thing that makes drivers special. And you see us step over it all the time. That’s because you’re always on the limit, and it’s a really fine line over the limit. So I think just trying to feel that out every single lap, and just not making a blind guess, but like trying to adapt to your scenario, I think, is what makes drivers really special.
DO YOU HAVE TO BE THAT CLOSE TO THE EDGE TO GO FAST? Yeah, for sure, you have to. If not, you’re running 30th every week, like every single person out here is running to the limit. It’s just, how do you find the limit? What’s your car’s limit, and things like that. That’s why you see mistakes happen all the time, right? We miss corners all the time and just don’t wreck, because you can kind of gather it in. But yeah, the best guys still spin out because you’re constantly trying to find the edge. That’s how you have speed, and that’s how you win races. It’s just a matter of how close to the edge you want to get and how, and how many times you do it. Even the best guys still step over every now and then but that’s what makes them so good, that they can find that edge to a really fine degree.
Chris Buescher, driver of the No. 17 Kroger/Diet Cherry Coke Ford Mustang Dark Horse, sits comfortably above the playoff cut line at 10th place in the points standings. Before qualifying, Buescher spoke to reporters at the infield media center at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to talk about his outlook for the rest of the season.
CHRIS BUESCHER, No. 17 Kroger/Diet Cherry Coke Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT THE STRETCH OF TRACKS COMING UP ON THE SCHEDULE? We have a lot of good tracks coming up, Iowa was really competitive for us last year. We ended up having a tire failure there, but we were running very well at that time. We get to go defend our win at the Glen. We’ve been able to win Daytona, our superspeedway program at RFK has been really strong for a long time. Richmond is the other one where we got win there to turn my opinions around on that place. I used to despise that one with a passion, but we’re in a better place now. So there’s nothing coming up at us that I’m worried about. I feel like we have five chances to win, really, including at Indy here. We’re going to be really good when we get on track. So, yeah, I’m really looking forward to the stretch for a long time.
HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR ROAD COURSES ABILITIES, HEADING INTO WATKINS GLEN, A TRACK YOU WON AT LAST YEAR Yeah, I can navigate right handers better than a lot around here. Obviously, we’ve been competitive at a lot of them. We’ve been close but we’re chasing SVG this year, that’s for sure. We had a really good car there that took a while to get going. Our long run speed was really the perk there, and the way the race played out, our long run speed was very strong. We had some good strategies as well and with the handful of restarts we were still able to go toe for toe there. We’ve seen some separation between short and long run speed at some tracks, and The Glen was probably the largest offset last year. I don’t know if that’ll be the case this year, and also, we don’t really want it to be that large. We need to figure out how to fire off a little bit better, and that’s probably our bigger focus right now.
