Brad Keselowski found final-stage trouble in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race, hitting the wall and spoiling a promising day at Kansas Speedway.
Keselowski’s No. 6 RFK Racing Ford was running second in the 38-car field when a rear tire lost pressure in the 195th of 267 laps in Sunday’s AdventHealth 400. He halted the car on the apron at the exit of Turn 2 and was towed away, finishing 37th in the 38-car field.
RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Kansas
“Just a lot of things that are not coming together, and that’s how the sport goes,” Keselowski said. “You ride the wave, and we’re on the bad side of the wave, but we’re going to push hard to get to the right side of it.”
Keselowski also had a rear-tire issue in Saturday’s practice session. He dropped to the rear of the field for Sunday’s start because of unapproved adjustments, and he said that Sunday’s tire issue came with little warning. “Not really,” Keselowski said, “just went a big boom.”
Keselowski, who qualified 36th, entered Sunday’s 400-miler ranked 32nd in the Cup Series standings. He drove into contention and ended Stage 2 in sixth place to collect stage points.
The owner/driver is still seeking his first top-10 result in what’s been a rocky first 12 races to start the 2025 season. Sunday’s outcome marked his third consecutive DNF and his fifth this year, but there was at least a silver-lining effect to be found in the No. 6 team’s performance before his race unraveled.
“I mean, we put ourselves in position like that, you win races,” Keselowski said, “and I felt like this is a pretty significant overhaul of the 6 team from where we were last year, and there are some pieces that are starting to click and maybe not getting the result, but showing the potential to get the result. Today was a step forward for us, even though the running order, the finishing order is not going to show it.”
MORE: Cup Series schedule
The Cup Series turns next week to the annual NASCAR All-Star Race, and Keselowski is qualified for the main event by virtue of his victory last spring at Darlington Raceway. He won’t be able to stem the tide in the non-points event and will have to wait two weeks to get that chance at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“Go win the Coke 600 — that’s where my emotions are at,” said Keselowski, now 33rd in Cup points. “Bring cars and speed like this to the Coke 600 and let’s go win it.”