“We have no idea what to expect,” Brad Keselowski said ahead of the 2025 Food City 500 race. In the previous iteration of the same race, the RFK Racing driver/owner had been at the forefront. Keselowski clinched third place after tackling a tire management race featuring over 54 lead changes. The tire falloff was unlike anything NASCAR had seen at Bristol. Yet attempts to replicate that phenomenon led to confusion that persists until today.
Brad Keselowski could not crack the playoffs this year, clinching 8 top tens and 4 top fives. The No. 6 Ford driver started poorly but clinched top 20 finishes in the last two races. Ahead of the Bristol race, Keselowski improved his qualifying – yet doubts enshroud the upcoming race.
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Brad Keselowski is tired of the ambiguity
When NASCAR injected the PJ1 track compound into Bristol Motor Speedway’s surface in March 2024, nobody expected much. That move, coupled with the track’s conditions and weather, resulted in a thrilling tire wear race, which Denny Hamlin won. The reception for the race was so stunning that NASCAR immediately appointed Goodyear to work on a replication. Yet in 2024’s Bristol night race, Kyle Larson dominated the race, which had little to no tire falloff. In fact, the Hendrick Motorsports driver led for 873 of 1000 laps in the last two Bristol races, sweeping all three stages in both events. So Brad Keselowski does not know what to expect anymore.
When Bob Pockrass asked Brad Keselowski about the tire falloff in times, the latter replied, “No, nothing significant.” The RFK driver qualified in 18th place, much better than the 32nd and 23rd qualifying spots in the last two weekends. He attributed that to a better tire grip that was a surprise, but nothing is certain anymore in Goodyear’s ‘science experiment.’ Keselowski continued, “The tire held up really, really well today, but surprised by that. We’ll see tomorrow how it holds up. You know, tomorrow’s made different tests as he gets into the night. More cars on the track at one time. So our weekly science experiment continues.”
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Brad Keselowski has a good history at Bristol Motor Speedway. He fetched three wins at the track while driving for Team Penske in 2011, 2012, and 2020. In this year’s April race, Keselowski led the RFK Racing trio of racers and finished in 16th place after overcoming handling challenges and chassis adjustments. Yet his opinion back then matches his opinion at present, and it reeks of confusion. Keselowski said in April, “We tested there last February. We saw the tire wear issues. We came back and had tire wear issues. We had another test there in the summer – same thing. We came back for the fall race, and it was great…It’s something you can’t really explain to people or understand until you see it.”
While Brad Keselowski grapples with his Bristol track troubles, he also grapples with an unfortunate string of events affecting the USA.
Tribulations of the heart
NASCAR drivers often help victims of natural disasters. For instance, Greg Biffle and Cleetus McFarland actively helped people in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. Now, the man-made tragedies recently rocking the United States have left ripples of unrest among people. Gun violence is a recurrent issue in the country, and recently resurged at Evergreen High School. A student opened fire, wounding three classmates and throwing the campus into chaos. The shooting shocked the quiet Colorado town, triggering an emergency response and drawing in federal authorities. This deeply unsettling incident also drew Brad Keselowski’s heartfelt words.
Witnessing reports of the tragedy flood X, the NASCAR Cup Series champion slipped into fear. Brad Keselowski wrote, “Opening up this app feels like a dangerous game. One day inspiring and the next day heartbreaking. Both just make me want to hug the family.” Among the four students hospitalized was the suspected shooter. Jacki Kelley, a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, told the media that it was still unclear how the suspect sustained injuries. Yet she also noted she did not “believe law enforcement fired any rounds.” Investigators continue to probe the motive. No details have yet been released about the suspect’s background, potential grievances, or how the firearm was obtained.
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Brad Keselowski concerns himself with issues both on and off the track. Let’s wait and see how far the RFK Racing owner goes to leave a mark in Bristol.