Keselowski Led the Way With 2nd Place Finish
DARLINGTON, SC (March 22, 2026) – Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing brought a lot of vibrant colors to the Lady in Black Sunday. Each of its three teams honored Greg Biffle with iconic paint schemes reminiscent of The Biff’s famous on-track identities. And the performance was a worthy tribute. Brad Keselowski led 142 laps and swept the opening two stages. Chris Buescher led 41 circuits of his own and Ryan Preece also contended inside the top five during the day.
Brad Keselowski #6 Solomon Plumbing Ford Mustang
Honoring Greg Biffle with a tribute paint scheme reminiscent of ‘The Biff’s’ 2009 July Daytona livery, Brad Keselowski was determined Sunday. After a season-best qualifying effort, he rolled off fifth in the Solomon Plumbing Ford Mustang. And it didn’t take long before he showed his strength, climbing to third in the opening laps. By lap 47 he was the leader. With spotter TJ Majors guiding him on lap times and tire management, Keselowski controlled the field and capped off a dominant opening run with a Stage One victory.
Stage Two only reinforced Keselowski’s strength. Although he restarted third, after pitting between stages, he wouldn’t be held back. Quickly, the two-time Darlington winner, moved to second and began posting faster lap times than the leader. A caution on lap 112 initiated pitstops. Keselowski took tires and restarted strong, as he catapulted from third to first almost immediately. In a statement moment for RFK Racing, he led a 1-2-3 formation with teammates Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece close behind. Even through green flag pit cycles, Keselowski maintained control, ultimately winning Stage Two.
With two stage wins already, Keselowski and crew chief Jeremy Bullins set their sights on finishing the job. A caution, and subsequent pit stop, during the final stage briefly set them back to 11th, but Keselowski worked his way through the field. One by one he clicked off positions, finally retaking the lead with 44 laps to go. Though Keselowski finished second after leading an impressive 142 laps, his performance was a clear statement of speed.
“It was a good day for RFK Racing,” said Keselowski. “To have all three cars be super competitive. Win the first two stages. For a while it looked like Chris Buescher was going to win. For a while it looked like I was going to win, and Ryan wasn’t far behind us. But in the end, we didn’t quite have the pace, but the teams are executing really well and doing great work.”
Chris Buescher #17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang
Sporting a paint scheme throwing back to Greg Biffle’s iconic imagery from Talladega and Texas in 2011, Chris Buescher aimed to honor ‘The Biff’ with a Darlington win. For much of the day Sunday that was very much in reach. Starting sixth, Buescher and the Fifth Third Ford Mustang wasted no time moving forward, jumping to fifth on the opening lap. Working in sync with teammate Brad Keselowski near the front of the field, Buescher was among the fastest on the track. Throughout the stage he maintained a presence among the leaders and finished the first segment 6th.
Between stages the 17-team made minor adjustments that paid off right away. Restarting second, Buescher quickly reestablished himself as a top contender. A caution on lap 112 gave the team another opportunity for a strong stop, and Buescher capitalized, restarting second and tracking directly behind Keselowski. Running the leader’s line and maintaining impressive speed, Buescher remained a constant threat at the front finishing second in Stage Two.
The final stage saw Buescher firmly in the fight for the win. Restarting third, he battled Keselowski for the top spot before settling into second and maintaining pressure. Strategy came into play on lap 198 when Buescher stayed out under caution to take over the lead, and he began to pull away from the field. During that stretch he led 41 laps. Unfortunately, contact from Tyler Reddick just before the final round of pit stops sent Buescher into the wall. Buescher held on to the car but lost track position, Buescher and the No. 17 team refused to fade, regrouping to finish ninth.
“It was a fun day. That was fantastic to come down here with this Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang Dark Horse and run that well from practice, qualifying, race, to make improvements. The pit crew was awesome yet again,” said Buescher. “To be leading laps there late. Obviously, (the contact with Reddick) was a racing deal. That’s straight up all it is. We got caught by the guys that did come and take tires and made an aggressive move to try to get to pit road real fast and kind of jump it and it was a little bit of an aggressive move, and it didn’t work out. We’re trying to win races here. That’s what we we’re after and just came up a little bit short today.”
Ryan Preece #60 Kroger/Oscar Mayer/Heinz Ford Mustang
Honoring ‘The Biff’ with a throwback paint scheme to the classic colors and markings Greg Biffle ran during the majority of 2009, Ryan Preece was locked in. No. 60 Oscar Mayer/Heinz/Kroger Ford Mustang Dark Horse rolled off 17th Sunday. Preece quickly settled into a steady rhythm, telling the team the car felt similar to practice and seemed good for the first few runs. That confidence translated on track as he methodically picked his way forward, climbing to the edge of the top 10 and locking down an 11th place finish in Stage One.
Stage Two delivered the kind of momentum every team hopes for at Darlington. Restarting eighth, Preece and the No. 60 group capitalized on a timely caution, grabbing fresh tires and unleashing one of their strongest charges of the day. Running the high line with precision on the restart, he sliced through lap traffic and powered into the top five, eventually lining up with teammates Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher to form a thrilling RFK Racing 1-2-3. Preece wrapped the stage in 6th, struggling with right rear grip but still showing the pace that kept the No. 60 in the fight.
A tight handling condition off throttle and a few tough pit cycles shuffled him back to 14th but kept the No. 60 on the lead lap all day. With 50 laps remaining, the team bolted on fresh tires for one last push. Preece clawed his way once more and came home 13th when the checker flag waved.
“Way too much right rear driving, I only got increasingly tighter with each adjustment. It was a good effort and we’ll keep rolling,” said Preece post-race. “Happy for my teammates and RFK Racing, was special to run up front with them there and pay tribute to Greg.”
Up Next:
Martinsville Speedway (Martinsville, VA)
The NASCAR Cup Series – Sunday, March 29 at 3:30pm 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.
