Two RFK Cars Among the Top 10 Finishers in the Great American Race
DAYTONA BEACH, FL (February 15, 2026) – Back to the front. That’s Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing’s 2026 rallying cry, a mantra it lived up to Sunday in Daytona. From a determined comeback by Brad Keselowski to Chris Buescher’s charge from the rear and Ryan Preece’s strategic push toward the front, the organization placed all three entries squarely in contention on NASCAR’s biggest stage.
6 Brad Keselowski (Castrol Ford Mustang)
Following a grueling off season, spent rehabilitating from a broken femur suffered December 18th, in an accident outside of racing, Brad Keselowski was primed for a triumphant return. With his eyes set on capturing his first Daytona 500 win, the Castrol Ford rolled off ninth in the Great American Race and Keselowski quickly reminded the field he was a factor. He surged to second by Lap 18 and looked poised to control the early draft before a close call with Kyle Busch. Busch got loose, making slight contact with the 6 car. Keselowski, who showed veteran car control, kept the car from spinning and continued clawing forward. He rose as high as fourth, before giving up track position in favor of a late stage pit-stop.
During stage two Keselowski again demonstrated his escape ability, narrowly avoiding a Lap 85 multi car crash. When racing resumed he rode the outside lane to drive up to 11th. Still his survival skills were necessary. Another wreck near lap 124 forced him to squeeze through the spinning cars, and once again came out unscathed but still middle of the pack. Keselowski ended the stage 29th, but very much in contention in a race where patience and drafting knowledge are paramount, and hallmarks of Keselowski’s superspeedway skill set.
The final stage delivered the drama. Restarting 10th, Keselowski deftly worked his way into the top five as the draft became an intense three wide battle. After a green flag stop with 14 laps remaining, a late caution set up a sprint to the checkers. Keselowski had one last shot, firing off from fourth. With momentum on the outside and teammate Chris Buescher nearby, Keselowski powered toward the front and appeared on the verge of capturing his first Daytona 500 victory. Instead, a car slid up the track and triggered a crash directly ahead of him, collecting the No. 6 as he crossed line fifth. A stellar run, and impressive return from injury.
“A lot of chaos,” said Keselowski. “The lsLast restart I gave William Byron a great push, and just wasn’t enough to move our lane. I was giving him all I had, and then right
here at the end I had this huge run and the 35 wrecked us. Really disappointed.”
As for his leg.
“Great. Great,” Keselowski added. “Once you’re in the race car, I’ve got a fast Mustang and you’re just digging.”
17 Chris Buescher (Body Guard Ford Mustang)
Before the green flag even waived, crew chief Scott Graves has some sage advice for Chris Buescher. “Be smart. Get to the front, and get a win in Daytona,” he said. Buescher heeded the advice and patiently drove his way from the final starting position to eventually lead the Dayona 500, and secure a very respectable top-10 finish in the Body Guard Ford.
After a crash in his Duel qualifying race Thursday forced him to a backup car and a start at the rear of the field, Buescher over came early adversity. Locking up the brake to avoid an early caution required fresh tires after flat spotting. Quickly though, he charged into the top 20 by Lap 23. By the end of the first stage he was sixth. Restarting third in Stage 2, Buescher battled intense three wide racing that shuffled him back to 15th, calmly he avoided a Lap 85 multi car crash and used a fuel only stop to climb back to third. Despite minor nose and right side damage in a Lap 124 incident, the No. 17 remained fast and competitive, allowing Buescher to close the second stage seventh.
In the final stage, Buescher proved he had a car capable of winning. Restarting fourth, he surged to second in the outside lane and spent much of the closing laps at the front. He briefly took the lead and was pushing for control again with 20 laps remaining before a green flag fuel stop shuffled the running order. Still, there was a wrinkle. A late race caution set up a dash to the finish and Buescher was up for the challenge. Lining up sixth Buescher charged forward in a furious final sprint, emerging seventh after a chaotic, crash filled finish.
60 Ryan Preece (Kroger/Viva Towels Ford Mustang)
With his Cook Out Clash victory still very fresh in his mind, Ryan Preece entered Sunday’s Daytona 500 with noticeable confidence. An authentic swagger he brought into the race. Starting 19th, in the Kroger/Viva Towels Ford, Preece and crew chief Derrick Finley went directly to their fuel strategy game. They opted for four tires and fuel under an early caution. Then topped off again before the restart. While the handling tightened up midway through the run, Preece focused on stretching the fuel window and was rewarded as others pitted. The No. 60 Ford cycled forward to fifth and closed the opening stage eighth.
Stage two tested resolve. After restarting 19th, Preece battled turbulent air he later described as the most he has ever felt at a superspeedway. A Lap 85 multi car crash reset the field, and he again chose fresh tires and fuel, restarting 33rd. Track position, however, proved difficult to regain. Still, his outlook never wavered. Following a multi car crash where the RFK Racing cars came out relatively unharmed Preece said, “the good news is we still have three cars out here, so let’s go race,”
In the final stage, Preece put himself squarely in contention. Restarting 13th, he worked the outside lane with his RFK teammates and settled into the draft, running fourth with 35 laps remaining. Fuel strategy again loomed large, requiring a stop with 14 to go, but he remained within sight of the leaders in the closing sprint. As his his nature, the Berlin, CT short track ace, charged hard. But as the race turned chaotic in the closing laps, Preece suffered damage and was shuffled back to 25th.
99 Corey LaJoie (Trimble Ford Mustang)
Corey LaJoie entered Thursday night’s 150 lap Daytona Duel at Daytona International Speedway with everything on the line. After missing the field on speed by just four one thousandths of a second in qualifying, LaJoie needed to finish as the top “open” car to secure a spot in Sunday’s Daytona 500. Starting eighth, LaJoie quickly positioned th Trimble Ford near the front, running as high as third in the early laps with strong drafting support from his RFK Racing teammates.
The four RFK Fords worked in unison, dominating a large portion of the race, running nose to tail. They held the top four positions when they pitted together for fuel only, setting up a late charge. On the ensuing restart, Chris Buescher, Brad Keselowski and Lajoie lined up low in a coordinated effort, while the Ryan Preece restarted deeper in the field. Though the team briefly lost its advantage in the draft, LaJoie remained in contention and appeared poised to claim the crucial top open position needed to race his way into the Daytona 500.
But in a heartbreaking turn, LaJoie was caught up in an incident on the final lap, spinning and crashing as the field charged to the checkered flag. In an instant, his bid to qualify was over, ending a valiant effort that had him on the brink of racing into the sport’s biggest event.
Up Next:
EchoPark Speedway (Hampton, GA), Sunday, February 22, 2026, on FOX Sports 3:00pm ET
About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, in its 38th season in 2025, 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 300 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 rfkracing.com and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.
