Keselowski cited horsepower gap after Gateway outburst

NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 19, 2026

Keselowski’s Gateway outburst

Brad Keselowski said his radio outburst during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Gateway came from pure frustration after Joey Logano passed him. Keselowski said he wanted to win, and he said the reaction was not one of his proudest moments. He also said the episode was meant to show fans that NASCAR cars are not truly equal, even in the Next Gen era, and he argued that equipment differences still matter. Keselowski pointed to RFK Racing drivers Ryan Preece and Chris Buescher as examples of drivers who regularly get more out of their cars than the equipment should allow. He went further on the radio, saying his team was treated like Ford’s “s*** box” team. The comments turned a tense moment on track into a broader message about what separates one team from another when the field looks close on paper but feels very different from behind the wheel.

Horsepower gap hurt RFK

Keselowski said RFK Racing was at a horsepower disadvantage compared with Team Penske’s Ford program, and he tied that gap directly to Logano’s pass. He said Logano got by with a better motor, which fed the frustration that spilled onto the radio. RFK crew chief Jeremy Bullins pushed back on the idea that the difference is large, saying any horsepower gap is minimal. Bullins also praised Ford and Roush Yates for their support. The larger picture still points to a team trying to close ground inside the Ford camp. The article said RFK Racing had lagged behind Team Penske among Ford teams, even though several Ford teams used the same FR9 engine. That mismatch has fueled debate about how much equipment really separates teams in the Cup Series and how much a driver can overcome through execution, setup and race craft alone. Keselowski’s complaint was not a stray radio message. It was his way of putting that debate back in front of the garage and the fan base at the same time.

RFK and Ford context

A week later at Bristol Motor Speedway, Keselowski said he has a good relationship with engine builder Doug Yates, which adds another layer to the story around RFK Racing and Ford. Keselowski has been willing to call out what he sees on track, but he also kept the conversation tied to the people helping power the program. He also used Preece and Buescher as proof that strong drivers can rise above average equipment when the car gives them a chance. That message landed in a wider Ford context that has drawn criticism before. Kevin Harvick said in July that Ford was “a little bit dysfunctional,” and the numbers in the story point to a manufacturer that has not matched Toyota’s pace in wins. Ford had six wins compared with Toyota’s 15. For Keselowski, the issue is personal as well as competitive. His last win came at Darlington and his winless streak has reached 87 races. That run gives extra weight to every flashpoint, every radio message and every conversation about whether RFK has the tools to fight at the front on equal terms.