CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Date: May 24, 2026
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5 mile high banked oval) – Charlotte, NC
Format: 600 miles / 400 laps with four stages. Stage 1: Ends at lap100, Stage 2: Ends at lap 200, Stage 3: Ends at lap 300, Stage 4: Ends at Lap 400
NOTES Qualifying was canceled because of rain and the starting order was established
RFK RACING RACE SUMMARY: Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing showed solid speed and strong long-run pace throughout the night, adapting to changing conditions and staying competitive despite setback and late-race chaos. The team’s adjustments kept all three cars in the mix, and while incidents cut short a couple of promising runs, the overall effort reflected RFK’s resilience under pressure.
DRIVER HIGHLIGHTS
Brad Keselowski – No. 6 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Finish: 15th
Start: 26th
Laps Led: —
Stage Results: Stage 1: 14th ; Stage 2: 16th; Stage 3: 8th; Stage 4: 15th
Headline takeaway: Brad Keselowsji fought through a challenging night with a. malfunctioning cool suit and a car that swung between tight and free as the track evolved. Despite early struggles and multiple pits stops to address both comfort and handling, he steadily climbed forward, finding strong long-run speed in the idle stages and even cracking the top ten. A costly stall leaving pit road in the final stage set him back, but Keselowski continued to battle, showing resilience and pace even as weather delays and late cautions disrupted the rhythm of the race.
Keselowski Quote: “I thought we were going to end up with a 7th or 8th place maybe but with those last second yellows and rain cycles and all that kind of cycled us back to 14th or 15th there. So that was unfortunate, but we really worked hard on this car throughout the race and weren’t where we wanted to be at the start and got to the point when we were reasonable there in the middle and that was good.”
Chris Buescher – No. 17 Body Guard Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Finish: 30th
Start: 7th
Laps Led: —
Stage Results: Stage 1: 15th; Stage 2: 8th; Stage 3: 14th; Stage 4: 30th
Headline takeaway: Chris Buescher showed consistent top ten potential throughout the night, starting strong and maintaining competitive speed despite battling looseness and tire-wear concerns that mirrored issues seen in practice. Strategy calls shuffled him through the field, but he repeatedly drover back into contention, running some of his best lap times during the second stage. Unfortunately, his night came to an early end when he was collected in a late-race crash, cutting short what had been a promising performance and putting him six laps down.
Buescher Quote: “Had good speed tonight and ourselves in the fight, but the balance was a handful at times, and the tire wear kept us on our toes. It’s tough to have our night ruined in someone else’s mess, especially when we are building something solid.”
Ryan Preece – No. 60 Kroger / STok Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Finish: 33rd
Start: 12th
Laps Led: 1
Stage Results: Stage 1:8th; Stage 2:11th; Stage 3:12th; Stage 4: 33rd
Headline takeaway: Ryan Preece delivered one of his most competitive outings this season, running inside the top ten for most of the day, showing impressive long run strength. Early towo tire strategy gained him track position, though it also made the car looser than ideal, prompting adjustments as the race progressed. As rain loomed, Preece continued to improve, logging strong laps and keeping himself in the mix. However, like Buescher, he was swept up in the late incident, ending a night that had otherwise showcased speed and steady execution.
Preece Quote: “Our car really came to life on the long runs, and we were making gains every stop. We just needed the race to play out but with the rain coming and the later chaos we got caught up in. Frustrating way to end a strong night”
Point Standings:
Buescher: 7th
Keselowski: 11th
Preece: 16th
Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is May 31st at Nashville Superspeedway (Lebanon, TN). The race begins at 7:00 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by Amazon Prime and the Performance Racing Network.
