RFK Racing – Michigan Advance

Michigan Event Info:
Date: Sunday, June 7
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Brooklyn, Michigan
Format: 200 Laps, 400 Miles, Stages: 45-120-200
TV: Prime
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 5:00 p.m. ET, Cup Practice (Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 6:1 0 a.m. ET, Cup Qualifying (Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3:00 p.m. ET, Cup Race (Prime, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

  • The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Michigan International Speedway for the 16th points race on the schedule.
  • Michigan International Speedway serves as ‘home’ for team owners Jack Roush and Brad Keselowski and RFK Racing, located just an hour from Roush Industries in Livonia, Michigan.
  • Chris Buescher’s victory three years ago marked Jack Roush’s 14th all-time in the Cup Series in the backyard of Ford Motor Company, and the first for RFK at Michigan since 2013 (Greg Biffle).

6 Team Info:
Driver: Brad Keselowski
Crew Chief: Jeremy Bullins
Partner: Solomon Plumbing

17 Team Info:
Driver: Chris Buescher
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Kroger / Oscar Mayer / Rustik Oven

60 Team Info:
Driver: Ryan Preece
Crew Chief: Derrick Finley
Partner: BuildSubmarines.com

Keselowski at Michigan
Starts: 28
Wins: —
Top-10s: 16
Poles: 2 (2017, 2019)

  • Keselowski makes his 29th Cup start in Michigan this weekend where he has an average finish of 12.0 and 16 top-10s.
  • Despite no wins at his home track, Keselowski has nine results inside the top five with three runner-up finishes (2012, 2018, 2020).
  • The Rochester Hills, Michigan native has seven top-10s in his last 10 starts, and ran fifth a season ago after leading two laps.
  • He has two career Cup poles at MIS (2017, 2019) and 10 overall starts inside the top-10.
  • Keselowski has an additional nine combined starts at MIS in the Xfinity and Truck Series with two NXS wins (2009, 2010).

Buescher at Michigan
Starts: 15
Wins: 1 (2023)
Top-10s: 4
Poles: 1 (2020)

  • Buescher makes his 16th start at Michigan, where he finished sixth a season ago. In 2023, he found victory lane after starting fourth, including 66 laps led.
  • He carries an average starting position of 17.7 with a pole back in 2020, and the P6 starting position last season.
  • Buescher has 6 Top 10 finishes this season – 5 Top 10 finishes last 10 races
  • Buescher has led 68 Laps this season – 47 Laps led all last season
  • Best finish last season: 2nd – Michigan
  • Finished 6th or better last 3 Michigan races – 2 Top 2 finishes
  • 4 Michigan top 10 finishes – Finished 6th or better last 3 Michigan races

Preece at Michigan
Starts: 8
Wins: —
Top-10s: 2
Poles: —

  • Preece is set for his ninth Cup start at Michigan this weekend, where he posted a career-best finish of seventh at the track in 2019. He is coming off a 9th-place finish just a season ago.
  • Preece holds a 28.3 average starting position at Michigan, with a best career start of 23rd in 2025.
  • Preece also made one NXS start at Michigan in 2016.

RFK Historically at Michigan
Cup Wins: 13 (Mark Martin, 1990, 1993, 1997, 1998; Matt Kenseth, 2002, 2006; Kurt Busch, 2003; Greg Biffle, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013; Carl Edwards, 2007, 2008; Chris Buescher, 2023)

  • Home Sweet Home: Michigan International Speedway serves as ‘home’ for Jack Roush and RFK Racing, located just an hour from Roush Industries in Livonia, Michigan. MIS has naturally been one of the organization’s most successful tracks on the circuit, with the team earning a total of 24 wins across NASCAR’s three major touring series.
  • I Said Welcome to Detroit City: In 225 NCS starts at Michigan, RFK has recorded 14 wins, 59 top-fives and 106 top-10 finishes with 2,572 laps led. Greg Biffle’s win back in 2013 was the 1,000th NASCAR victory for Ford Performance.
  • Roush vs. Everyone Else: RFK’s 14 wins in the NCS at Michigan are the most of any track on the NCS schedule. Six different drivers have earned victories for RFK at the two-mile oval with former drivers Mark Martin and Biffle both taking the checkered flag on four separate occasions. RFK drivers Matt Kenseth (two), Carl Edwards (two), Kurt Busch (one) and Chris Buescher (one) have also gone to victory lane for the organization in Michigan.
  • Consistency in the Motor City: Michigan ranks first overall among all tracks that RFK has competed on in the NCS in top-five finishes, top-10 finishes and in average finish among tracks that they have run two or more races. RFK has recorded 59 top-fives, 106 top-10s and has an average finish of 14.3 at the two-mile oval.

RFK Michigan Wins

1990-2 Martin Cup

1993-2 Martin Cup

1993 Martin NXS

1995 Martin NXS

1997-2 Martin Cup

1998 Burton NXS

1998-1 Martin Cup

1999 Biffle Truck

2000 Biffle Truck

2002-1 Kenseth Cup

2003-1 Busch Cup

2004-2 Biffle Cup

2005-1 Biffle Cup

2006-2 Kenseth Cup

2007-1 Edwards Cup

2007 Kvapil Truck

2008-2 Edwards Cup

2008 Edwards NXS

2008 Darnell Truck

2009 Braun Truck

2011 Edwards NXS

2012-2 Biffle Cup

2013-1 Biffle Cup

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Nashville: RFK Racing faced a challenging night at Nashville Superspeedway, with each team battling through setbacks along the way. Brad Keselowski overcame handling issues and used strategy to earn a Stage Two top 10 finish before contact from behind ended his race in the final stage. Chris Buescher steadily improved throughout the event, climbing into the top 15 and putting himself in position for a stronger finish before a brake issue led to a crash, cutting his night short. Ryan Preece’s race was hampered by radiator damage that required lengthy garage repairs and ultimately ended his evening early.

Points Standings: Buescher: 8th, Keselowski: 13th, Preece: 17th

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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

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