Brad Keselowski delivers his verdict on hot subject of NASCAR Cup drivers in Xfinity

Modified Apr 17, 2025 17:28 GMT

NASCAR: Food City 500 - Source: Imagn — Brad Keselowski at Bristol Motor Speedway on Apr 13, 2025. Image: Imagn

NASCAR Cup Series team owner and driver Brad Keselowski joined the debate over whether Cup drivers should compete in Xfinity races and supported the idea of Cup drivers racing in the Xfinity Series.

Kyle Larson was dominant last week at Bristol, as he ended up winning both the Cup and Xfinity races after almost winning the Truck race too. Later, the Hendrick Motorsports driver shared that he wanted to "embarrass" Xfinity drivers during a podcast with former driver Kevin Harvick. Larson wanted to push younger drivers to understand what it really takes to race at the highest level, but his comments started a new wave of debate.

On X (formerly Twitter), CBS Sports' Steven Taranto shared the statistics for the 2006 Xfinity season, when Harvick claimed his second championship in the series after winning nine races. He pointed out the dominance of the experienced driver and asked:

"Are you sure you want Cup guys in Xfinity again? Are you really, really sure you want this?"

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Larson and Harvick believe that racing against Cup drivers actually helps younger drivers improve, and Keselowski seems to agree with that notion.

"Yes. Very sure," Brad Keselowski replied to Taranto's post.

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Currently, Cup drivers with over three years of experience can only race in five Xfinity races a year, and they are not allowed in the playoffs (the last eight races) of the season. These rules were made to give Xfinity drivers more chances to win and attract sponsors. However, some believe it is time to rethink the rules, with suggestions to remove the five-race limit during the regular season.

Meanwhile, Keselowski, who drives the No. 6 Ford for his team RFK Racing, has experience as a team owner across NASCAR’s top series.

"The set of problems you have are different" - Brad Keselowski on NASCAR Cup and Truck Series owner challenges

Brad Keselowski (6) during practice and qualifying at Darlington Raceway - Source: Imagn

Brad Keselowski Racing competed in the NASCAR Truck Series for about a decade between 2008 and 2017. Keselowski gave the team its first top-10 finish and hoped to join the Cup Series but ended up joining Roush Fenway Racing as co-owner and driver in 2022.

During a recent interview, Keselowski shared his thoughts on how owning a Cup Series compared with owning one in the Truck or Xfinity Series.

"It’s such a different set or series of problems being a Cup owner than being a Truck owner or an Xfinity Series owner, and it can be really scary and intimidating. The set of problems you have are different and less discouraging," Brad Keselowski said (via AutoWeek).

Keselowski also mentioned that the Cup Series is more political and harder to move up. At the same time, it offers more support and better business opportunities, according to him.

Brad Keselowski is currently ranked 31st in the Cup points standings. His teammate Chris Buescher is ranked 12th after four top-10s and one top-5 finish after the first nine races of this braseason.

About the author

Palak Gupta is a dynamic motorsports writer with a unique blend of experience in economics and a passion for storytelling. Her enthusiasm for writing and a keen interest in racing steered her toward this field. With two years of professional writing experience, Palak has previously worked with Bhoomi, a non-profit organization, and as a content executive at MoreTasks Business Solution.

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Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar