Brad Keselowski has responded to a detailed report about his split with RFK Racing as his five-year partnership with the NASCAR Cup Series team approaches its end.
On Thursday, after The Athletic published an investigation into the reasons for the split, Keselowski posted a short message on X that seemed to reference one of the report’s more unusual details. “Didn’t know so many people loved hoodies,” he wrote.
The comment referred to claims that Keselowski introduced changes after joining the team in 2022.
RFK Racing has described the split as a disagreement over career plans, but the report also explored differences in leadership, business decisions, and the team’s working culture.
NASCAR News: Brad Keselowski Responds to RFK Racing Report
Keselowski’s hoodie comment followed reporting by The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi about his departure from RFK Racing after the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.
According to the report, Keselowski introduced a “no hoodies” rule after arriving from Team Penske. He also pushed for white walls in the shop, an upgraded gym, and laptop wallpapers that displayed the team’s core values.
The changes aimed to bring RFK closer to the professional culture Keselowski had experienced at Penske.
Keselowski joined the organization, then known as Roush Fenway Racing, as the driver of the No. 6 Ford and a minority owner. He held a reported 5% stake, with an option to increase it to 20%.
The report said the ownership structure limited his influence on major decisions because Jack Roush and Fenway Sports Group representatives often voted together.
RFK Racing Explains Why Brad Keselowski Is Leaving
RFK Racing president Chip Bowers has said the separation comes down to different plans for Keselowski’s future. The team wanted him to keep driving for another 1 to 3 years before moving into a competition-director role. Keselowski wants to keep racing longer.
Bowers also rejected claims of a personal dispute between Keselowski and Fenway Sports Group.
“You’ll hear a lot of things that there were arguments between Brad and Fenway Sports Group,” Bowers said. “Could not be further from the truth. There is no adversarial relationship. We are all still friends.”
In an email to The Athletic, Bowers said the team had considered and adopted some of Keselowski’s ideas, including its color scheme, logo and company values. He added that not every proposal made at a business receives approval.
However, the report described disagreements over leadership and strategy. Sources said Keselowski sought more input on marketing, sponsorship, and branding but didn’t always get the response he wanted.
A 2023 proposal to buy a third charter and expand into IMSA racing was reportedly rejected because the financial projections did not provide enough support.
NASCAR Cup Series Results Show Changes Under Keselowski
Keselowski’s time at RFK Racing changed the team’s culture and performance. Teammate Chris Buescher said the organization had grown too used to finishing around 15th.
Reflecting on the changes last month, Buescher said: “So many things have changed for us through the years, like on the culture side of things and how we’ve tried to drive everybody to have that pride of workmanship and ownership in what they do. … His signature is on a lot of things as you walk through the shop.”
RFK Racing recorded multiple wins and playoff appearances during Keselowski’s time with the team, although it did not reach the championship level expected when the partnership was announced in 2021.
Keselowski has remained measured in his public comments about the split. Asked about Bowers’ explanation, he said the situation would “become clear in time.”
He also pushed back against the idea that his competition role required him to oversee every operational detail, saying, “I’m not in the building ordering steel on a Tuesday.”
RFK Racing is now working to unwind Keselowski’s ownership stake. Bowers has said the team remains committed to adding a third charter and that Keselowski faces no non-compete restrictions. He has not announced his plans for the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season.
NASCAR Cup Series Driver Shrugs Off RFK Racing Report as Split Story Takes a New Turn