09/01/2025

Buescher Leads RFK Racing at Darlington

Buescher 10th, Keselowski 15th and Preece 16th in Southern 500

DARLINGTON, SC (August 31, 2025) – The Southern 500 is one of the season’s most demanding races, and Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing met the challenge. Chris Buescher, Brad Keselowski, and Ryan Preece each delivered strong efforts Sunday at Darlington Raceway. Buescher earned his 14th top 10 finish this year, Keselowski posted what was perhaps the comeback of the race, and Preece overcame late adversity to score a respectable finish.

17 Chris Buescher

Chris Buescher attacked the Track Too Tough to Tame Sunday night, starting from the 15th position. The Kroger / Tree Top Ford immediately showed speed but was forced to navigate early chaos when Josh Berry spun in the opening laps. The No. 17 team quickly assessed the possibility of right-rear damage, but Buescher confirmed the steering felt fine, and they escaped without significant issues. He managed to stay in contention, finishing Stage One in 21st.

In Stage Two, Buescher continued to displaying strength. Restarting 19th, he quickly picked off positions and climbed into the mid-pack before minor contact with the No. 77 scuffed his Ford but sustained no serious damage. A series of cautions gave the team chances to execute flawless pit stops, cycling Buescher as high as seventh on restarts. His now had forward momentum, and by the stage’s end, had gained 10 spots from Stage One to finish 11th.

The final stage saw Buescher continue his determined climb. Running 11th early, he surged into the top 10 thanks to consistently strong pit stops. Buescher climbed as high as sixth, but as the laps wound down, a three-wide battle with Ross Chastain and AJ Allmendinger shuffled him back to eighth. He kept his composure through the intensity of Darlington’s closing laps. After a final round of stops set him up 15th for the restart with 48 laps to go, he charged back to secure a very respectable 10th-place finish.

“A bad start getting caught up in that accident, it got us way behind,” said Buescher. “Overall, it was pretty decent. We got better during the day.”

6 Brad Keselowski

Brad Keselowski’s Southern 500 was defined by perseverance as he overcame early adversity to drive the BuildSubmarines.com Ford to a solid finish under the Darlington lights. After starting 32nd, Keselowski threaded his way through traffic, including an early spin by Josh Berry. The biggest obstacle, however, came on pit road when the left-front tire wasn’t completely tight as he left his box. Instead of returning to his stall, Keselowski was forced to stop in Joey Logano’s pit stall, where the loose wheel was tightened by the 22 team. He was still assessed a drive-through penalty for pitting outside his box and finished Stage One in 33rd, two laps down.

In Stage Two, Keselowski and his RFK team clawed back with determination. After pitting between segments, he began turning competitive lap times and even passed some lead-lap cars. When an early caution came out, the No. 6 team stayed out, gaining one lap back as the leaders pitted. Keselowski finally returned to the lead lap by taking the wave-around in the next caution period. He ended the stage in 23rd and was eager to capitalize on the opportunity in the final stage.

Stage Three showcased Keselowski’s resilience. Restarting 23rd, he began picking his way forward, climbing into 19th before a caution on lap 316 gave him a chance to pit once more. Lined up 17th with under 50 laps remaining, Keselowski battled fiercely with playoff contenders and continued to gain ground. By the checkered flag, he had fought his way to a 15th-place finish, an impressive comeback from two laps down.

“We had really good long run speed,” said Keselowski.  “We needed all 500 miles today, that’s for sure. We passed some cars there towards the end and got ourselves a solid finish, but we want to be a little better.”

60 Ryan Preece

Ryan Preece lined up 27th for Sunday’s Southern 500 and wasted little time showing the Trimble Ford’s speed. After dodging early trouble, he began picking off positions, settling into the mid-20s by the midpoint of the opening stage. The way he flashed through the corners and posted fast, consistent lap times drew praise from crew chief Derrick Finley, and he ended Stage One in 23rd with confidence that his car would come alive as adjustments took hold.

That proved true in Stage Two, when Finley’s calls on pit road gave Preece the ability to surge forward. Restarting outside the top 20, he cracked the top 10 by lap 167, saying, “this is the best we’ve been, the car is coming to us.” Even a scrape with Cody Ware couldn’t slow his momentum, as Preece quickly regrouped and reestablished himself inside the front-running pack. By the end of the stage, he was ninth, earning valuable stage points and showcasing the form that has defined his strongest Cup Series season to date.

The final stage saw Preece continue to fight. He climbed as high as eighth, battling with Kyle Larson while navigating the challenges of Darlington’s narrow groove. A late caution set up a sprint to the finish, and Preece restarted eighth with 48 laps remaining. Although a brake issue hampered his drive over the closing stretch, he still managed to bring the No. 60 Ford home in 16th.