In an absolute bombshell announcement on Tuesday, RFK Racing and Brad Keselowski confirmed that they would be parting ways at the conclusion of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series campaign, leaving both a Chase-caliber seat and championship-winning driver up for grabs.

Following the November season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Keselowski will no longer serve as the driver of the No. 6 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, a ride that he’s held since joining the ownership group of what is now RFK Racing at the start of 2022.

On the flip side, RFK Racing, believed to have solidified its three-driver lineup for 2027, will now be weighing its options as they search for the new driver of the iconic No. 6. The team said in its announcement Tuesday that it plans to run three full-time entries in 2027 and continues its search for a third NASCAR Cup Series Charter.

When it comes to NASCAR’s “Silly Season”, an announcement of this proportion is rare in late-September, when the majority of drivers and teams have already figured out, or begun to figure out, their plans for the following season, leaving the pool for rides and drivers quite shallow.

Let’s look at some options, shall we?

WHO COULD RFK RACING HIRE TO TAKE OVER THE NO. 6?

With 192 days until the 2027 DAYTONA 500, RFK Racing has limited options as far as what it can do with its NASCAR Cup Series vacancy. John Hunter Nemechek was recently released from his ride at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB at season’s end (a team he thought he had a 2027 contract with), and could make sense, considering he’s got some funding on his side. But, looking at his previous body of work, is that a hire that RFK Racing wants to make?

NASCAR Truck Series driver Layne Riggs *could* be an option here, as pretty much the only real development driver for Ford Racing in NASCAR’s National Series. But, Riggs just confirmed, less than a month ago, that he’d be returning to Front Row Motorsports in the newly named NASCAR FedEx Freight Truck Series in 2027. RFK Racing could try to work with FRM and Riggs to finagle the Bahama, North Carolina-native into a Cup Series seat, but it would take some work.

Then, there’s the nuclear option: RFK Racing could try to poach a driver from a different team/manufacturer. Several drivers and teams have inked contracts for the 2027 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series campaign, but guys like Sheldon Creed, Sammy Smith, Harrison Burton, Jeb Burton, and Parker Retzlaff (just to name a few) don’t have deals. Retzlaff did drive for RFK Racing’s eSports team multiple years ago, so did NASCAR Truck Series driver Kaden Honeycutt, but, without Keselowski (who has had an eye for driver development in the past), would they pull that trigger?

Maybe Corey LaJoie, who filled in for Keselowski in The Clash and attempted to run a fourth RFK Racing entry in the DAYTONA 500, could be the guy that lands the No. 6. But, since February, he’s moved into a full-time driver role with Kaulig Racing and RAM.

Now, that’s assuming RFK Racing sticks to their plan to field three NASCAR Cup Series entries.

Under new competition leadership, the organization could pivot and place Ryan Preece in the Chartered No. 6 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, instead of the No. 60, and not add a third full-time driver for 2027. That would help the team avoid being forced into a decision that it may not want to make.

WHERE COULD BRAD KESELOWSKI LAND?

Let’s make something clear: Brad Keselowski is going SOMEWHERE.

In a statement released Tuesday, the Rochester Hills, Michigan-native said “I’m nowhere near ready to be done as a driver. I still have a lot I want to accomplish in this sport, and I’m looking forward to what comes next.”

With a sixth season at RFK Racing no longer in the cards for Keselowski, what comes next? And, what, at this point in the silly season landscape, is available for the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion?

Kaulig Racing is one of the few NASCAR Cup Series teams that have an unannounced seat for 2027, with the status of the No. 10 being unknown. Could Keselowski reunite with the automaker that got him his NASCAR Cup Series championship and help bring Dodge and Kaulig to NASCAR’s top-level as a competitive force, while also working his development team magic on the Truck Series program? While the narrative seems to fit from all angles, it doesn’t seem like, at least right now, that’s where this story is heading.

Rick Ware Racing and Haas Factory Team haven’t explicitly announced NASCAR Cup Series plans for 2027, but both teams have obvious familial ties. Would Cody Ware or Cole Custer be willing to step aside so that their family’s teams could acquire Keselowski? Obviously, Keselowski, in either of those situations, could acquire an ownership stake in the team, if that’s something he’s still interested in.

Trackhouse Racing could also provide an interesting opportunity for Keselowski but would probably require some logistical finagling to make work. The team is looking for a driver to take over the No. 88 that Connor Zilisch is vacating after 2027, but that leaves the 42-year-old without a seat for a year, which isn’t an ideal situation. Is Keselowski a valuable enough asset for Marks to buy Zilisch’s contract out a year early, or maybe buy out the contract of Ross Chastain or Shane Van Gisbergen?

Then, there’s always the remote possibility that another bombshell could drop in the NASCAR Cup Series garage. Not many people saw Keselowski leaving RFK Racing a mere two weeks ago, so, who is to say that another team doesn’t pull the trigger and get a proven winner in their grasp.

ANOTHER QUESTION?

Of course, everybody wants to know who will drive the No. 6 Ford Mustang in 2027, and where Brad Keselowski will be driving, but there’s another interesting part of this equation that isn’t answered. What is RFK Racing going to do, from an executive and leadership side.

Keselowski, since his joining RFK Racing in 2022, has been heading up the competition operations of the NASCAR Cup Series operation and has been working adamantly to push the organization forward into the future. The future Hall of Famer was often considered the future of RFK Racing, formerly known as Roush Fenway Racing, so what happens now?

Jack Roush is 84. He’s stepped back from his role in the competition department of the organization in recent years, and while Fenway Sports Group is there, as well, they’ve never been one to take a forward-facing leadership role. The future of this team is up in the air, and whether they are able to find a new future-focused executive, is yet to be seen.

There aren’t a lot of veteran drivers in NASCAR, right now, looking to become owners – at least that the public is aware of. So, more than likely, something like this will be coming from left field.