RFK RACING
PHOENIX RACEWAY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Date: October 18th, 2026
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Phoenix Raceway – Avondale, AZ
Format: 300 miles / 312 laps with three stages. Stage 1: Ends at lap 60, Stage 2: Ends at lap 185, Stage 3: Ends at Lap 312
RFK RACING RACE SUMMARY: RFK Racing showed up with tenacity today in the desert, with Brad Keselowski securing a 16th place finish, the No. 6 team banded together to execute on pit road and work through adjustments to maximize the cars’ performance. Ryan Preece gained eight positions from his starting position to finish 18th even with the ongoing battle of tire wear and lack of grip, while Chris Buescher and the No. 17 team showed promising speed, even with a battle of handling adjustments through the course of the day.
DRIVER HIGHLIGHTS
Brad Keselowski – No. 6 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Finish: 16th
Start: 17th
Laps Led: —
Stage Results: Stage 1: 14th; Stage 2: 25th
Headline takeaway: Brad Keselowski and the No. 6 team showed resilience through the course of the race, working together to make adjustments and maintain a solid pace. The team’s continued efforts helped secure a 16th place finish and keep Keselowski on the lead lap after a quick spin entering pit road at the start of Stage 2.
Keselowski Quote: “Total team effort today, I felt we were solid, had a few adjustments through the course of the day but overall, we were pretty good and was happy the team kept grinding to keep me going strong out there.”
Ryan Preece – No. 60 Fry’s/Cottonelle Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Finish: 18th
Start: `26th
Laps Led: —
Stage Results: Stage 1: 25th; Stage 2: 21st
Headline takeaway: Preece fought a challenging day of adjustments, ultimately finishing 18th after starting 26th. Despite struggling to find the right balance the team remains encouraged for Talladega and the final few races ahead.
Preece Quote: “Just couldn’t quite seem to get it right; we kept adjusting all day, and nothing seemed to play in our favor. I have a good feeling heading into Talladega though and we will keep at it.”
Chris Buescher – No. 17 Body Guard Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Finish: 22nd
Start: 17th
Laps Led: —
Stage Results: Stage 1: 19th; Stage 2: 14th
Headline takeaway: Buescher showed strength in speed throughout this afternoon’s race, with the No. 17 team continuing to work through handling adjustments to improve performance. Despite some challenges with grip and balance, the team made strides with each adjustment, showing steps to improvement with each one.
Buescher Quote: “Just was tight center, loose on exit, which actually wasn’t too bad through the corners, I honestly felt we were pretty fast, but my steering was pretty off early on and between the center tightening and losing a lot on rear grip, just wasn’t able to execute today but I have had worse days here so we will take it and push on to the next few.”
Point Standings:
Buescher: 15th
Preece: 16th
Keselowski: 18th
Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is Sunday, October 25th at Talladega Superspeedway (Lincoln, AL). The race begins at 3:00 p.m. ET with live coverage provided by USA Sports and Motor Racing Network (MRN).
