Austin Dillon's victory at Richmond Raceway locked him into the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, but that result carried major implications for RFK Racing. The Brad Keselowski-owned team kept itself in contention all year, but now finds its postseason hopes hanging by a thread.With just two playoff spots remaining heading into Daytona, Dillon's win pushed both RFK drivers - Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece - below the cutline. Dillon led 107 laps at Richmond to claim the Cook Out 400 and snatch a playoff berth despite entering the night buried in 28th in points.For RFK Racing, the outcome was a gut punch. Chris Buescher, Ryan Preece, and team co-owner Brad Keselowski have been steady throughout the season, but Dillon's win essentially eliminated the room they had. At this stage, with Tyler Reddick (+89) and Alex Bowman (+60) holding the last provisional playoff spots, only a win or a massive points swing could rescue RFK's playoff hopes.Brian Murphy, RFK Racing's Body Assembly Manager since 2024, responded directly to a fan who criticised the system after Dillon's berth, saying on X:"It is what it is. It’s more important now than ever for us to understand & appreciate what all the men and women at @RFKracing have been able to accomplish these last few months & how close we are to achieving our goals regardless of the outcome of this years playoff push."Murphy's reply captured the difficult reality. While RFK Racing's drivers have shown consistency, the playoff format heavily rewards race wins. That's why Shane van Gisbergen, sitting 24th in points with 464, is safely in the playoffs thanks to his four road course victories despite mediocre oval performances.It's also why Dillon, who had not recorded a single top-five finish all year before Richmond, immediately jumped into the playoff grid with one breakthrough win. The same applies to Josh Berry, 22nd in points with 476, but guaranteed a spot because of his earlier victory. In another X post, Murphy highlighted this contradiction:Brian Murphy @Brian_Murphy_LINK#NASCAR’s current Championship Format can undoubtedly create an unreasonable and unhealthy mindset of success. Regardless of what happens next week in Daytona, I’m incredibly proud of everyone on this team and the momentum we’ve built. We're going to continue to #StandOnTheGas!Murphy's words underlined the solidarity within the camp. RFK's Fords have been strong enough to contend most weekends, but with only two slots left and at least one likely to go to a new winner at Daytona, the team's consistency may not be enough. The playoff math is clear: Buescher (-94), Preece (-94), and Keselowski (-189) are all chasing long odds, and Bowman could also be vulnerable if a new winner emerges. As things stand, the cutoff leaves no margin for error.How was RFK Racing's night at Richmond?(L-R) Chris Buescher, Brad Keselowski, and Ryan Preece at The Glen - Source: GettyRyan Preece carried momentum into Richmond and made a statement by qualifying on pole. The No. 60 driver led the opening 58 laps and looked poised for a breakout night after a sixth-place finish in Stage 1. But pitting at stage breaks and later a brake-pedal issue derailed his evening as he faded to a disappointing 35th-place finish.Last year's Richmond winner, Chris Buescher, struggled throughout the night. Starting 12th, the No. 17 Ford slipped back and could never recover despite multiple adjustments. After being shuffled in traffic and battling handling issues, he ended two laps down in 30th.Brad Keselowski, meanwhile, turned in the best finish of the RFK Racing trio. His No. 6 Ford overcame a mid-race setback in a crash and late pit cycle challenges to charge back through the field. Using a saved tire set wisely, he pushed in the final stretch to finish ninth. It was his fourth top-10 in the last five races, but he is still well outside the cutline and needs a win to qualify.While only one of RFK's three drivers can mathematically make the playoffs and there is a likelihood that none may advance, the team's collective performance has been admirable. As Murphy pointed out, the bigger picture for RFK Racing is about progress and the pride in how far they’ve come.