Brad Keselowski says he's waiting for RFK Racing to ‘match the potential’ after last season’s letdown

Brad Keselowski made headlines after finishing fifth at Charlotte Motor Speedway — his strongest run of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season so far. He led five laps during the race, a small but notable breakthrough, as it marked the first time he had led any race this season. Speaking to reporters after the race, Keselowski addressed both the encouraging result and the larger struggle RFK Racing is facing.

Keselowski’s message was clear — the pieces are there, but the full picture hasn’t come together yet. After a frustrating 2024 season where RFK showed flashes of speed but fell short in execution, Keselowski wants his team to achieve their full potential.

“We have more potential now, but didn’t have the execution we had last year,” Keselowski said. “I’m just eager to get the execution to match the potential.” (via NASCAR.com)

Despite improvements in speed and race pace, Brad Keselowski and the RFK Racing crew haven’t found the right formula to finish races strong week after week. He currently sits 32nd in the standings. His Charlotte result was just his second top-15 finish in 13 starts this year.

Keselowski admitted that while the points don’t reflect it, there’s genuine progress behind the scenes, especially with the No. 6 team. According to him,

“The cars are developing more speed. Our execution’s getting better... We need to build off of that and incrementally inch our way toward being able to win and I think we’re really close to that right now.” (via NASCAR.com)

Brad Keselowski shared how in the final stretch of the race, his car was among the fastest on the track. It’s also worth noting that the Charlotte result was his best since an 11th-place finish at Las Vegas all the way back in March. Before that, it was mostly finishing outside the top 20.

Brad Keselowski hasn’t won a race since Darlington in 2024, and he needs a win to secure a playoff berth. The next few weeks are crucial for both his season and RFK Racing’s outlook.

---

Brad Keselowski shared his candid thoughts on the idea of a sequel to Days of Thunder

While dealing with performance issues on track, Brad Keselowski has also been vocal off-track — this time about a potential sequel to the NASCAR-themed film Days of Thunder. The 2012 Cup champion recently jumped into the Hollywood conversation surrounding the return of Cole Trickle.

This comes after journalist Adam Stern reported that actor Tom Cruise is in talks to develop a sequel to the 1990 racing movie. The film, starring Cruise and inspired by NASCAR, remains iconic for fans — Brad Keselowski included. After Stern posted the news, Keselowski quote-tweeted it, tagging both Tom Cruise and NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon, saying,

“Make it happen pls @TomCruise @JeffGordonWeb. We are all pulling for this!”

Brad Keselowski

@keselowski

Make it happen pls

@TomCruise

@JeffGordonWeb

We are all pulling for this.

As per The Spun, Tom Cruise has confirmed that a legacy sequel to Days of Thunder is under active discussion. While promoting Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, Cruise said he’s considering several follow-ups, including Days of Thunder. Director Christopher McQuarrie also revealed he already has a clear premise for the sequel, though Paramount Pictures has not officially announced the project yet.