In a press conference in Las Vegas on Saturday, Chip Bowers, President of RFK Racing, spoke to members of the media for the first time since Tuesday’s bombshell announcement that Brad Keselowski would not return to the organization in 2027.
Per Bowers, who fielded questions from inquiring minds for more than twenty minutes, the separation between the three-car NASCAR Cup Series team and the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion came primarily as a result of differing plans for the future.
While RFK Racing was looking for its co-owner and competition lead to transition into a primarily competition position within the next three-to-five years, the 42-year-old NASCAR Cup Series driver had different plans, expressing his desire to continue racing for more than five years.
That is what started the breakdown of contract talks between RFK and Keselowski, which resulted in the two teams parting ways after the final six races of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series campaign.
Even though things didn’t work out, though, there’s no bad blood. RFK Racing has made peace with this move and wishes Keselowski the best with what he wants to do moving forward – meaning there won’t be any kind of NASCOURT case coming regarding the separation.
Keselowski, should he so please, will be welcome to drive in the NASCAR Cup Series, be a team owner in the NASCAR Cup Series, or run a competition lead in the NASCAR Cup Series, or any of NASCAR’s National Series for that matter, without objection from RFK.
Of course, Keselowski, in a tight-lipped manner Saturday at Las Vegas, didn’t have much to say about his future, except that he’d like to continue being a team owner, and wants to continue driving for several years, while also being open to opportunities outside the Cup Series.
Among other important notes during the 20-plus minute press conference on Saturday, was that the organization is continuing to be a three-car NASCAR Cup Series team and is beginning its search for who will drive its third entry in 2027 – a search the team expects will take a couple of months.
Ryan Preece, whose option was picked up to remain with RFK Racing for 2027, will be driving a Chartered NASCAR Cup Series entry next year, as will Chris Buescher, meaning the team’s new driver will be the one running an Open car, if they cannot acquire a charter – something that they are determined “aggressively” to carry out.
In fact, Bowers mentioned on Saturday that the ownership group of RFK Racing has said, as recently as a couple of days ago, that they are willing to purchase a NASCAR Cup Series charter (which several industry experts have valued at $100 million or more), there just needs to be one for sale, and they are exploring every possible avenue in which that could become feasible.
Zero of their partners are tied to Brad Keselowski, and the team has the sponsorship dollars to run a third entry as Open, if they need too – obviously, they don’t want, too, Bowers says, as running an open entry means you make significantly less money. But Keselowski’s departure is not a financial hit for RFK Racing.
This isn’t a soap opera. There’s no incoming legal battle. This is two parties, both professionals, ending a healthy working relationship (and doing so in a healthy way) because they don’t see eye-to-eye on the future.
