RFK RACING
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Date: July 26, 2026
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5 mile Rectangular Oval) – Speedway, IN
Format: 400 miles / 160 laps with three stages. Stage 1: Ends at lap 50, Stage 2: Ends at lap 100, Stage 3: Ends at lap 160
RFK RACING RACE SUMMARY: Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing hit the bricks on Sunday, with each of its three teams showcasing rock solid performances in Indianapolis. Eying his second career Brickyard 400 victory, Brad Keselowski led the way. Patiently, RFK’s Owner/Driver carved his way through the field, scoring a 6th place finish and continuing his late season push toward the post season. Ryan Preece, with the aid of a very timely caution, was the team’s big gainer on the day, advancing 26 positions from the beginning of the race. Preece is now just one position shy of a Chase berth. Chris Buescher, who continues to appear headed to the post season, again turned in a steady run. His hard, determined drive yielded a respectable 11th place finish.
DRIVER HIGHLIGHTS
Brad Keselowski – No. 6 Body Guard by Fastenal Ford Mustang Dark Horse
- Finish: 6th
- Start: 16th
- Laps Led: —
- Stage Results: S1-11th, S2 -13th
- Headline takeaway: Keselowski gained ten positions from the drop of the green flag to continue his late regular season rally in pursuit of a Chase berth. A combination of strategy and race adjustments by crew chief Jeremy Bullins, gave Keselowski what he needed to finish 6h at the Brickyard.
- Keselowski Quote: “Two 6th places finishes in a row at North Wilkesboro and Indy! We just had such a bad slide through the month of June, so we’re going to need more of these to get into the Chase. So, a solid day for us. We need to be faster to get the wins but we’re executing really well.”
Ryan Preece – No. 60 Thornton’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse
- Finish: 8th
- Start: 34th
- Laps Led: 1
- Stage Results: S1-32nd, S2-7th
- Headline takeaway: Using a mid-race strategy to run longer while others pitted helped propel Ryan Preece to a top 10 finish. During green flag pit stops, Preece stayed out until he was leading. A favorably timed caution flew just after Preece completed his pitstop allowing him to keep much of the track position that the strategy helped claim. From there his relentless drive helped score an 8th place finish.
- Preece Quote: “We just happened to time the caution out right and get track position. From there it was just blend in and hold track position but it was so difficult to get within three car lengths and try to pass anybody.”
Chris Buescher – No. 17 Kroger / Minute Rice Ford Mustang Dark Horse
- Finish: 11th
- Start: 15th
- Laps Led: —
- Stage Results: S1-9th, S2-11th
- Headline takeaway: Buescher battled to the end, coming up just shy of a top-10 finish. Boldly using two-tire strategy on occasion and adjusting on the car consistently, the 17 team gave Buescher a very competitive Ford Mustang. Buescher charged to the checkers to finish 11th.
- Buescher Quote: “We had a lot of speed, it was just a day of no passing. Everything was just restarts or strategy. And on one restart everything got jammed up in front of us and lost a lot of spots and it was tough to recover from.”
Point Standings:
- Buescher: 9th
- Preece: 17th
- Keselowski: 19th
Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is August 9 at Iowa Speedway (.875 Mile, D-Shaped Oval Speedway – Newton, IA). The race begins at 3:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by USA Network and the Motor Racing Network.
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.
