Brad Keselowski opens up on what it would mean to him to qualify for the NASCAR championship playoff

Brad Keselowski shared his thoughts on what reaching the NASCAR championship playoff would mean to him and his RFK Racing team. Kelly Crandall, a NASCAR journalist, shared a post on X, issuing Keselowski’s statement about securing a playoff berth and what it represents for a driver and an organization.

Keselowski is 19th in the drivers' standings with 465 points after 24 races. He is yet to win a race this season, a factor that puts him at a disadvantage compared to drivers who have already locked in playoff spots with victories. Despite the lack of a win, Keselowski has recorded seven top-10 finishes and four top-5 results. He has led 154 laps across the season.

Kelly Crandall wrote:

“"It means a lot to me." Brad Keselowski has two races left to make some magic happen and secure a postseason berth. Something that he says makes a statement about a driver and a race team:”

Kelly Crandall

@KellyCrandall

"It means a lot to me." Brad Keselowski has two races left to make some magic happen and secure a postseason berth. Something that he says makes a statement about a driver and a race team:

The two upcoming races will determine whether Keselowski’s playoff hopes stay alive; the Cup Series heads to Richmond Raceway for the penultimate race of the regular season. Richmond is a track where Keselowski has previously won and had strong runs. He expressed confidence that the speed shown at Iowa earlier this year could carry over.

“We are really pumped. We ran so well in Iowa. We hope that success will carry over. I have won there a few times and we’ve had some good runs. A lot of positive thoughts going into the weekend,” Keselowski said (via Speedway Digest).

After Richmond, the regular season will conclude at Daytona International Speedway, a track known for unpredictable outcomes that could shake up the playoff picture. The NASCAR championship playoff format adds urgency for Brad Keselowski and other drivers fighting for the final spots.

The postseason begins with the Round of 16, where a win automatically advances a driver to the next round. Points are reset at the start of each round, and playoff points carry over until the Championship 4 at Phoenix.

The Round of 16 will feature races at Darlington, Kansas, and Bristol, followed by the Round of 12 at Texas, Talladega, and the Charlotte Roval. The Round of 8 will be contested at Las Vegas, Homestead-Miami Speedway, and Martinsville Speedway. The season ends with the Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, where the highest-finishing driver among the final four contenders is crowned champion.

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Brad Keselowski explains how a tire shortage could affect Richmond race strategy

Watkins Glen, New York, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski (6) looks on prior to the Go Bowling at The Glen - Source: Imagn

Brad Keselowski has also raised concerns about tire supply for the upcoming Cookout 400 at Richmond Raceway. He warned that teams might face trouble managing tire wear across the race distance.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, August 16, Keselowski pointed to the limited number of tire sets available. Each team will have eight sets for the race, plus one for practice and one from qualifying that carries over. Based on his calculations, he said the supply would only cover about 45 laps per set, which is not enough for the expected race distance.

Kelly Crandall shared his comments on X. According to Crandall, Brad Keselowski said:

“We’re in trouble. The tire’s supposed to be the option tire, it doesn’t look like the option tire, it doesn’t drive like the option tire. It’s going to be harder to run more than 50 laps on it. If you look at the amount of tires we have, we have enough tires to go, I think it’s like 45 laps a set. Rough math. Not enough. The math ain’t mathing.”

Keselowski added that cooler nighttime conditions might help extend tire life, but at the moment, “it does not look good.”

Goodyear has supplied the same tire combination that was used earlier at Bowman Gray, Martinsville, and North Wilkesboro. The right-side tire is unchanged from last year’s Richmond event, while the left-side compound is softer. Softer tires give drivers more grip but also wear faster, especially at a track like Richmond, where surface temperatures affect durability.