“A year ago, I was the idiot” - Brad Keselowski talks about RFK Racing’s turnaround in 2023 and how the ‘rhetoric changes’

RFK Racing co-owner Brad Keselowski has had an amazing 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. He has managed to qualify for the 2023 playoff season after missing out on the postseason last year.

RFK Racing’s both drivers, Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski, have advanced to the Round of 12 playoffs, but the season has been different for the two.

Buescher has won three races this season - at Richmond Raceway, Michigan Raceway, and the regular-season finale Dayton International Speedway. Keselowski is yet to win his first race with RFK Racing but he is one of the most consistent drivers of the 2023 season. He has scored six top-five and 14 top-10 finishes, including a pair of runner-up finishes.

Last week, ahead of the Texas playoff race, Brad Keselowski spoke about the team's turnaround over the last year. He also shed light on how he has gone from an "idiot" in many fans’ minds to a hero by making RFK Racing a strong team this season.

“It’s funny how the rhetoric changes. A year ago, I was the idiot that left the team that finished fifth and sixth in points the last few years, and had a shot to win races and championships to, I think I finished 28th in points. And now, this year, I’m the hero, or whatever you want to call it,” Keselowski said, as quoted by Sportscasting.

“It’s kind of like you’re never as good and never as bad as whatever people might be saying about you. As I would have told people last year when I looked like maybe a not so smart person — things are better than you think they are. I would say right now — got to keep it calm and not get too caught into our own press clippings at the moment,” he added.

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“We’re just trying to enjoy the ride” – Brad Keselowski

The 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion is trying to enjoy the moment they have earned. He knows that his team has a lot of work to do but also that they can do a lot of damage with the crew he has.

Keselowski said:

“We’re just trying to enjoy the ride. Nothing is given. Everything is earned. We have a lot of work left in front of us but I’m excited about the group of people we have. There’s some really good people in this company and on these teams and we can do a lot of damage.”

Brad Keselowski currently sits at seventh place in the Cup Series playoff standings, seven points above the cut-off line going into the next race of Round of 12 at Talladega Superspeedway.