RFK RACING
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Date: October 11, 2026
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5 mile quad-oval) – Charlotte, NC
Format: 400.5 miles / 267 laps with three stages. Stage 1: Ends at lap 80, Stage 2: Ends at lap 165, Stage 3: Ends at lap 267
RFK RACING RACE SUMMARY: A loose wheel following a pitstop could’ve completely derailed Chris Buescher’s race but instead, determination and the assistance of Ryan Preece’s pit crew helped Buescher lead the way for Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing in Charlotte. During pitstops between stages one and two a wheel was not completely tightened. Realizing this as he headed back to the track, his team quickly communicated the issue and before exiting pit road Buescher was able to back the car into his teammate’s pit stall where the 60 team remedied the issue. Buescher then stormed from the rear of the field to score a tenth place finish. Preece matched the level of determination, grappling through handling issues to score a 15th place finish. Brad Keselowski, sustained unavoidable damage in Stage One, when a car directly in front of him slapped the wall and spun. Despite front splitter damage, Keselowski fought hard for a 29th place finish.
DRIVER HIGHLIGHTS
Chris Buescher – No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang Dark Horse
- Finish:10th
- Start: 13th
- Laps Led: —
- Stage Results: S1-9th, S2-17th
- Headline takeaway: It was a total team effort as Chris Buescher overcame what could’ve been a devastating pitstop issue, to record a strong tenth place finish. Immediately identifying a loose wheel after his stop, Buescher acted quickly grabbing reverse at the end of pit road and backing into RFK Racing teammate Ryan Preece’s stall, where the 60 team gave the assist and quickly tightened the wheel. After restarting at the rear of the field, Buescher charged back up into the top-10 to score his best finish of the 2026 Chase.
- Buescher Quote: “We’ve been needing a good solid run and we kind of inched up on it the last couple weeks but driving into the top ten, getting some stage points on the day, that’s some progress. We’re not all the way there for sure but proud of everybody who took this Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang and worked hard at it. You know we had a pit stop mishap and I’m proud of everybody for calling it out and catching it and not letting us go out there and have a bigger issue. Thanks to the 60 bunch for tightening it up.”
Ryan Preece – No. 60 Kroger / Blue Buffalo Ford Mustang Dark Horse
- Finish:15th
- Start: 24th
- Laps Led: —
- Stage Results: S1-31st, S2-22nd
- Headline takeaway: It was a determined effort for Ryan Preece who overcame a near collision on pit road and handling challenges Sunday. With focused and persistent adjustments, the 60 team dialed in the Kroger / Blue Buffalo Ford, allowing him to climb from his 24th place starting position to record a 15th place finish.
- Preece Quote: “The team worked really hard throughout the day to make the car better but really we weren’t where we needed to be. We made the best of what we had but certainly on days where you have a few of these other guys in the Chase you want to capitalize more on that. So, we’re on to Phoenix.”
Brad Keselowski – No. 6 Trimble Ford Mustang Dark Horse
- Finish: 29th
- Start: 22nd
- Laps Led: —
- Stage Results: S1-34th, S2-32nd
- Headline takeaway: Brad Keselowski was forced to overcome damage suffered when a car directly in front of him lost control. Keselowski suffered right front damage, specifically to the splitter. Despite repairs, handling was compromised, largely contributing to a 29th place finish.
- Keselowski Quote: “Something happened with the 54 car and was broke. He crashed in front of us and we got into it. It did some kind of damage to the car and we lost a lot of speed.”
Point Standings:
- Buescher: 15th
- Preece: 16th
- Keselowski: 18th
Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is October 18 at Phoenix Raceway (1 Mile low-banked tri-oval – Avondale, AZ). The race begins at 3:00 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA Sports and the Motor Racing Network.
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 and English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., 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.
