RFK RACING
MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Date: November 1, 2026
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Martinsville Speedway (1/2 mile oval) – Ridgeway, VA
Format: 263 miles / 500 laps with three stages. Stage 1: Ends at lap 130, Stage 2: Ends at lap 260, Stage 3: Ends at lap 500
RFK RACING RACE SUMMARY: Ryan Preece has sometimes described himself as “a short-track killer,” and, although he did not win, he validated those words at Martinsville. After setting fast time in practice Saturday, followed by a strong 6th place qualifying effort, he became a serious threat on Sunday. Preece put the BuildSubmarines.com Ford into the lead on Lap 84 and kept it there for 41 circuits. Very much in contention, Preece was among the fastest on the Martinsville half mile, until a loose wheel in Stage Two derailed his day. Despite fighting relentlessly to regain lost position, Preece finished 23rd. Chris Buescher made his 400th career start, and used his veteran experience, working to dial in the Nerds Gummy Cluster’s Ford throughout the day, before finishing 24th. Brad Keselowski, in the TravelCenters of America Ford, faced his own challenges, diligently working to manage tire wear and maintain grip throughout the afternoon, ultimately finishing 27th.
DRIVER HIGHLIGHTS
Ryan Preece – No. 60 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Finish: 23rd
Start: 6th
Laps Led: 41
Stage Results: S1- 3rd, S2-30th
Headline takeaway: Ryan Preece was among the early standouts, leading 41 laps and finishing 3rd in Stage One. However, a loose wheel during Stage Two, proved costly, causing him to spin and fight from behind the remainder of the race.
Preece Quote: “This is a tough one. We had a rocket ship. The BuildSubmarines.com Ford was the car to beat today for much of Stage One. And I know we would’ve been there at the end. But this is a tough sport and things happen. We’ll go to Homestead and finish this season strong.”
Chris Buescher – No. 17 Kroger / Nerds Gummy Clusters Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Finish: 24th
Start: 18th
Laps Led: —
Stage Results: S1-26th, S2-23rd
Headline takeaway:
Buescher Quote: “Overall, a pretty decent run. We just got caught a lap down at the end of Stage One and that really got us behind and really from there it was a matter of how the race played out. There was a lot of brake checking and crashes and that’s a little more egregious than normal. We tried a little strategy there to try to get something out of it.”
Brad Keselowski – No. 6 TravelCenters of America Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Finish: 27th
Start: 23rd
Laps Led: —
Stage Results: S1-33rd, S2-29th
Headline takeaway: Brad Keselowski fought to work his way through the field, but tight short track confines and rapid lap times by the leaders forced him to claw his way from behind. Although he fell laps behind, the team continued to grind, using wave around strategy to gather back lost laps, before finishing for 27th.
Keselowski Quote: “Not a good day. We really struggled in the first stage. Made some good adjustments and got better we just weren’t fast enough.”
Point Standings:
Buescher: 16th
Preece: 14th
Keselowski: 19th
Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the season finale’ November 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5 mile oval – Homestead, FL). The race begins at 3:00 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBC Sports 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 and English Premier League’s Li
