Preece Shines, Keselowski Reaches Milestone at Martinsville for RFK Racing

RFK Racing's trio of drivers overcame challenges to deliver solid finishes at the historic short track.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 6:08pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the chaos and energy of a NASCAR race at Martinsville Speedway, with the cars and track broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes of vibrant color.RFK Racing's drivers navigated the tight turns and short straightaways of Martinsville Speedway, showcasing the team's adaptability in the face of adversity.Martinsville Today

Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing had a hard-fought effort at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday. Ryan Preece topped the RFK Racing trio, running inside the top ten for much of the afternoon. Brad Keselowski finished directly behind Preece, marking his 600th career start, while Chris Buescher overcame a flukish obstacle to turn in a solid 19th place finish.

Why it matters

Martinsville is one of the most historic and challenging short tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. RFK Racing's performance at this pivotal race showcases their ability to adapt and overcome adversity, an important trait as the team continues to build momentum throughout the season.

The details

Ryan Preece showed speed early, finishing practice 8th overall and qualifying in the top 20. He strategically worked his way toward the front, managing tire wear and maximizing track position to score a 10th place stage finish. Preece climbed as high as 9th before finishing 12th. Brad Keselowski, making his 600th career start, steadily carved his way through the field, advancing into the top 15 by the end of Stage 2. He mounted a late charge, finishing 13th. Chris Buescher had an unexpected challenge when he had to pit for a wheel issue, but the team used strategy to help him get back on the lead lap, and he finished 19th.

  • Preece finished Stage One in 10th place.
  • Preece finished Stage Two in 11th place.
  • Preece climbed as high as 9th before finishing 12th.
  • Keselowski made his 600th career start on Sunday.
  • Buescher had to pit early in Stage Two for a wheel issue, but the team helped him get back on the lead lap.

The players

Ryan Preece

Preece drove the #60 Body Guard Ford Mustang Dark Horse and showed speed throughout the weekend, finishing 12th after running as high as 9th.

Brad Keselowski

Keselowski drove the #6 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang in his 600th career start, finishing 13th after a hard-fought effort.

Chris Buescher

Buescher drove the #17 Kroger / Thomas' High Protein Bagels Ford Mustang, overcoming an unexpected wheel issue to finish 19th.

Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing

The RFK Racing team fielded cars for Preece, Keselowski, and Buescher at the Martinsville Speedway race.

Martinsville Speedway

The historic short track in Martinsville, Virginia hosted the NASCAR Cup Series race where RFK Racing competed.

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What they’re saying

“I think we brought a relatively good Ford Mustang but ultimately didn't have things go our way.”

— Ryan Preece, Driver, #60 Body Guard Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“A real blue-collar day. We need to qualify better; we need to have better restarts and need to have a little bit better day on pit road too to be able to win. But we fought really hard to get what we got and dug out of some holes.”

— Brad Keselowski, Driver, #6 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang

“That's the most fun I've ever had at Martinsville, leading up to the wheel issue. We should buy a lottery ticket because the chances of that happening are slim to none. Bummer, I was having such a good time.”

— Chris Buescher, Driver, #17 Kroger / Thomas' High Protein Bagels Ford Mustang

What’s next

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee on Sunday, April 12 at 3:00pm EST on FS1.

The takeaway

RFK Racing's performance at the historic Martinsville Speedway showcased the team's ability to adapt and overcome challenges, an important trait as they continue to build momentum throughout the season. The trio of Preece, Keselowski, and Buescher all delivered solid finishes, demonstrating the depth of talent within the organization.