“Brad was very firm on, I want this amount of money and ownership. I was like, ‘Woah. What?’ I mean, it was a lot.”
Brad Keselowski is leaving RFK Racing. He’s the K in the name of the team and they are currently working out a way to disolve his ownership role.
Brad Keselowski to depart RFK Racing after 2026
Keselowski wanted to race for 5 more years. The team didn’t want him to race for that long and they couldn’t come to an agreement.
Now, Keselowski is a free agent heading into the 2027 season. This isn’t his first time. In a different timeline, the NASCAR lineup could have looked very different.
Keselowski previously left Team Penske after thirteen years following the 2021 season. 23XI Racing, the team owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan made their debut in 2022.
Keselowski was a free agent just ahead of the debut for 23XI Racing. Naturally, Keselowski was in the running for a 23XI seat.
That’s a story that hasn’t been told before…
Denny Hamlin says he reached out to Brad Keselowski to drive for 23XI Racing in their 2022 debut
“I just think back to when he left Penske. I think I contacted Brad about driving as 23XI,” Denny Hamlin stated via Actions Detrimental.
“Brad was very firm on, I want this amount of money and ownership. I was like, ‘Woah. What?’ I mean, it was a lot.”
“The opportunity came up at RFK. They were willing to pay and to give him the ownership.”
“He wanted control. As a driver, listen, That’s why I had to start my own race team. Because when I was kicking the tires on a few race teams that I was looking to invest in, I never was going to get enough say so to make to make me feeling like I truly had enough stake in the game.”
“I want to run it like I think it needs to be run. I’ve been around long enough to know how to do it. It’s something I wanted to try.”
“No one can argue the results that Brad has gotten out of Roush Fenway. They’ve won a decent amount of races.”
Between 2018 and 2021, Roush Fenway Racing was without a race win. Since Keselowski joined the team with an owner role in 2022, they have won seven races. However, only one of those has come from the No. 6 team.
“I’m only doing my job here and I don’t mean to upset anyone that might be in the trenches and know a lot more than I do. It just was not a good look when every turn, it was like, ‘Toyotas doing all these great things and here we are twiddling our thumbs over here.’ “
“Was it a money thing? I can just speak from experience and listening to the rumblings. Brad, once he feels he has a certain value, he’s not going to come off that value.”
Jeremy Bullins departs RFK Racing
Kyle Busch leaving JGR
“And, that happened to Kyle Busch also. Gibbs was willing to keep him but he was only willing to keep him at a certain price. They had to make it make sense for them and Kyle was very similar to Brad.”
“Eventually it led to hard feelings and a split.”
Keselowski says he has offers on the table. But, he hasn’t clarified what those are either.
“Brad is playing the game. If you’ve got offers. Is it like a winner in Cup? I find that hard to beleive. But, there is no other free agent like him in talent or racing I.Q. He’s got expirience building up organizations.”
Hamlin added, “Who am I to say he ain’t worth every penny that he’s asking for?”
2027 would be Keselowski’s 20th season in the NASCAR Cup Series. In 624 races, he has collected 36 race wins.
Kaulig Racing addresses Brad Keselowski signing rumors
