RFK Racing heads to Talladega for Sunday’s 500-mile Cup race with momentum at the track: Brad Keselowski is its strongest historical contender, Chris Buescher was runner-up in the spring, and Ryan Preece won a stage there. The team is looking to rebound from modest finishes at Phoenix while keeping its three drivers in the championship hunt.

By the Numbers
  • Sunday’s race is 188 laps and 500.08 miles, with stages ending on laps 98, 143 and 188.
  • Keselowski has 6 Talladega wins and 17 top-10 finishes in 35 starts.
  • Buescher finished 2nd in the spring race and led 22 laps; Preece led 21 laps and won a stage.
  • RFK has 5 Cup wins at Talladega. Its drivers are 15th (Buescher), 16th (Preece) and 18th (Keselowski) in points.
Yes, But

RFK’s Talladega record and recent results at the track offer reason for optimism, but its latest outing at Phoenix was challenging: Keselowski finished 16th, Preece 18th, and Buescher’s team wrestled with handling adjustments.

State of Play
  • Keselowski is tied for second all-time in Talladega Cup wins with 6.
  • Buescher has led in 6 consecutive Talladega races, totaling 49 laps.
  • Preece has 3 top-10s at the track and qualified in the top 5 in 2 of his last 3 Talladega races.
What’s Next

Qualifying is Saturday at 1 p.m. ET, with the race set for Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. The 500-mile event gives RFK a chance to turn its Talladega speed into a win and improve its points position.

Bottom Line

Talladega is a prime opportunity for RFK: Keselowski brings a proven winning record, while Buescher and Preece have shown they can lead. The key is converting that track-specific speed into a finish that strengthens the team’s season.