Brad Keselowski reacts as his Chicago race ends prematurely after wreck

Brad Keselowski exited the NASCAR Cup Series race at Chicago Street early due to what seemed an inevitable crash on Sunday, July 6. The #6 RFK Racing driver told NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass he tried to avoid the wreck, but several cars swarmed him from behind.

The crash happened as early as lap four, when Carson Hocevar hit the wall off turn 10 and spun, creating a blockade. Keselowski slammed the brakes, but Daniel Suarez pushed him into the wreck before others piled up the track.

His #6 Ford Mustang had a broken left front suspension, forcing his sixth DNF of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. The other drivers collected in the crash were Austin Dillon, Todd Gilliland, AJ Allmendinger, Will Brown, and Riley Herbst.

Speaking about his early exit from the streets of Chicago, Brad Keselowski said (via Bob Pockrass on X):

“Wrong spot, wrong time. The #77 (Carson Hocevar) wrecked and blocked the track. I was going to get stopped to not hit him, or if I was going to, it was going to be light, then like three cars came from behind and blasted us.”

“It broke the left front suspension off the car. It's a shame we never got a chance to show what we had. I thought we were pretty good, but that's just how it goes,” he added.

Due to the track layout, spotters have a more challenging task than on ovals, which Pockrass speculated might have been a factor in the crash. However, the 2012 NASCAR champion defended his spotter, saying:

“Actually, my spotter did tell me. He did a good job. He called out the wreck, but there was nowhere to go.”

With Keselowski out of the race, he was eliminated from the In-Season Challenge, losing to the 32nd-seeded Ty Dillon. His playoff chances were also jeopardized with seven races left in the regular season. He entered the Grant Park 165 as the 27th-seeded driver in the standings.

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“We're in such a great spot”: Brad Keselowski on search for new RFK Racing president

In a pre-race interview in Chicago, Brad Keselowski touched on Steve Newmark leaving the presidential role at RFK Racing. The 41-year-old Michigan native had no hard feelings over the decision and remained optimistic about their future.

The RFK Racing driver and co-owner said (via Bob Pockrass on X):

“We are still kind of working through, we are not in a rush, we're in such a great spot. We all have our major contracts locked up with the drivers, crew chiefs, and most of our people... We feel really good about taking our time and kind of seeing what comes to us.” [0:52]

While RFK Racing looks for a new team president, Steve Newmark is heading to the University of North Carolina to become an athletics director. Newmark is leaving the role in August after 15 years of service.

The Ford-affiliated team currently fields three drivers in NASCAR's premier series, including Brad Keselowski, Chris Buescher, and Ryan Preece. This year marks the team's return to a three-car lineup, with Preece driving the latest third car, the #60 Ford.