One of the biggest upsets of the NASCAR playoffs came when 2012 Cup champion Brad Keselowski failed to advance past the Round of 16. Despite a regular-season win that bolstered RFK Racing’s confidence, the team’s inconsistent performance in the playoffs led to a disappointing early elimination.
Former NASCAR champion Kevin Harvick weighed in on Keselowski’s playoff exit, pointing fingers squarely at RFK Racing’s inconsistency. Harvick noted that while the team had a brief stretch of strong performances in the middle of the season, their overall form has been erratic, leaving NASCAR fans puzzled.
“I think we’ve been surprised about this all year,” Harvick said. “They had that one moment in time, in the middle of the year, around Darlington, those three, four, five weeks right there, where they had good speed, and then it’s just been really hit or miss from them.”
Harvick highlighted that RFK Racing’s pattern of inconsistency has been a major problem. Despite Chris Buescher’s standout win at Watkins Glen, the team has struggled to deliver fast cars week in and week out, making it impossible to build momentum.
“Chris Buescher was obviously fast at Watkins Glen last week and did a phenomenal job to win the race, but it’s not been consistent. It’s been very inconsistent, as to what happens on a week-to-week basis,” Harvick explained. “It’s easy to do with this particular car, but I think Brad’s been deep in the field the last couple of weeks, just struggling.”
Following his elimination, Keselowski outlined his goals moving forward. He acknowledged RFK Racing’s potential as a championship-caliber team but emphasized the need for consistency and faster cars to remain competitive.
“We just didn’t have the pace,” Keselowski admitted. “We want to run better. We want to win races and make deep runs in playoffs and be in the final four—all those things. Obviously, anything short of that is disappointing. We’ll come back and charge up more for next year.”
Keselowski remains optimistic about RFK Racing’s future, aiming to re-establish the team as an elite force in NASCAR before he eventually retires. As the 2024 season draws to a close, all eyes will be on Keselowski and RFK Racing to see if they can bounce back and reclaim their status among the top contenders in the sport.
