Keselowski & Preece Join Buescher Among Sunday’s Top Finishers
LAS VEGAS, NV (March 15, 2026) – Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing had a hot hand in Vegas on Sunday, placing all three cars among the first 11 finishers. Chris Buescher led the charge with a sixth-place finish after running among the leaders throughout the race. Brad Keselowski powered from 28th to secure a determined 10th-place result, while Ryan Preece added another steady run for the organization, finishing 11th and completing a solid day for RFK Racing in the Nevada desert.
Chris Buescher #17 Smith’s / Farm Rich Ford Mustang
Chris Buescher knew Sunday’s race would be a true test of where his team stands. A mile-and-a-half downforce track that demands an intense combination of speed and handling. The type of track that serves as an indicator of things to come. All that being true, Buescher’s strong run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has raised the level of confidence moving forward.
Building upon a strong qualifying effort, the Smith’s/Farm Rich Ford Mustang rolled off 10th. During the opening laps, the speed was there and Buescher maintained position. Managing tires and getting a read on the track, he closed the first stage 11th. It was Stage Two though that marked a clear step forward. Crew chief Scott Graves made adjustments during the stage break
and Buescher quickly showed the benefit. Settling into a fast rhythm Buescher began charging toward the front, briefly climbing as high as sixth. He ended the stage seventh.
The final stage saw Buescher elevate his performance even further. Although he started eighth after the stage break, he quickly worked his way into seventh while closing the gap to the leaders. Ahead was Tyler Reddick, who Buescher reeled in and passed for sixth. A caution at lap 210 provided more opportunity. Buescher capitalized immediately on the restart, climbing to fourth and locking into a fierce late-race chase, which saw him ultimately finish 6th – his best finish of the season.
“The team went to work. Everyone on this 17-group put in work. We had a solid qualifying effort and that gave us a good pit stall and a good direction to head,” said Buescher. “We were able to take this Smith’s/Farm Rich Ford Mustang and just steadily work forward all day long. We had strong pit stops. Good restarts. The car handled well. We needed a little bit more turn to hunt the top five, but that’s a solid first mile-and-half on the year — first true mile-and-half. That gives us a good read going forward for the next handful.”
Brad Keselowski #6 Trimble Ford Mustang
Sporting the Trimble blue and gold for the first time, Brad Keselowski proved that he had confidence in every turn Sunday. Navigating the demanding Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he immediately made gains, climbing steadily from his 28th starting position toward the front. Using the high line, mid-corner, Keselowski flashed by the competition cracking the top 20 by lap 15. Then as the stage wore on, he concentrated his efforts on perfecting his exit of turn 4. By stage’s end he was 19th.
Noticing that the right rear tires were wearing as the first stage unfolded, crew chief Jeremy Bullins made adjustments before the beginning of Stage Two. When pit stops cycled through, Keselowski restarted 15th and it didn’t take long to advance even further. He quickly attacked, passing Carson Hocevar and Ross Chastain to climb into 13th. Tire wear continued to be something the team monitored but Keselowski was content and particularly happy on long runs. When the segment closed, the Trimble Ford Mustang was 14th.
Radioing in, Keselowski said, “I feel like we finished this run a lot better than we finished the runs in the other stages.” Hearing that Bullins sought to fine tune, increasing speed on short runs as well. The final stage set up for one last push to the finish. A caution with 56 laps remaining shuffled strategy, but a strong pit stop put the No. 6 back inside the top 10. In the final laps, Keselowski hunted down Bubba Wallace, completing the pass with just two laps remaining to secure a hard-earned 10th-place finish and cap a determined charge through the field.
“I felt like we were about an eighth to 10th place car most of the race and just dog fought our way up there,” said Keselowski, scoring his second top 10 finish of the season. “(Top 10 finishes) always feel good. That’s a nice marker of success. We didn’t get there until the next-to-last lap, but we fought really hard. I’m really happy with it.”
Ryan Preece #60 Body Guard Ford Mustang
Las Vegas is all about putting it all on the table and RFK Racing driver, Ryan Preece, came to bet on himself. The No. 60 Body Guard Ford Mustang Dark Horse rolled into Las Vegas with confidence and for good reason. After a strong qualifying effort that put him 8th on the grid, Preece carried that momentum straight into race day at the first mile and a half track of the season. The 60 team was determined and dialed all day, even with the battle against tire wear throughout the race. Following the team’s first pit stop Preece shuffled to 21st, but carved his way back through the field, climbing to 7th to finish Stage One. “Overall lacking grip but I am making do, still a really great car,” said Preece over the radio to conclude the first stage at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Steady strength was the theme for Stage Two. Restarting 8th, Preece kept the No. 60 Body Guard Ford Mustang Dark Horse planted inside the top 10, even as tire wear continued and dirty air became the story of the afternoon. A stop on lap 121 dropped him back to 14th, but Preece’s speed was undeniable. Within nine laps Preece returned to the top 10. Still the aero challenge persisted, “I’m stuck in dirty air, this tire is not able to overcome dirty air,” Preece said while fighting for every inch of track positioning possible. Preece closed out Stage Two with an 8th place finish, proving the car had the pace to contend if the race would just give him the right opening.
Heading into the final stage in Sin City with persistence, restarting 10th, Preece stayed locked in, hunting for clean air and opportunities to lay his cards on the table. A caution at lap 211 set up a strategic opportunity for a pit stop teeing him up to restart 11th with a tire advantage and just over 50 laps to go. From there, he dug deep, asking for lap times to better chase the competition ahead and squeezing everything he could from the car. Even with the frustration of knowing the car had vast potential but was confined to the circumstance of long green flag runs, Preece kept fighting and brought home an 11th place finish, a strong points day and another step forward for the No. 60 team.
“Good points day, we had a car capable of more, but we kept our heads in it and made the most of what the race gave us,” Preece said post-race.
Up Next:
Darlington Raceway (Darlington, SC)
The NASCAR Cup Series – Sunday, March 22 at 3:00pm EST on FS1
About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, in its 39th season in 2026, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit https://www.rfkracing.com/ and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.
