Chris Buescher’s 2025 NASCAR season has been a rollercoaster, packed with moments that have kept fans glued to their screens. Whether he’s battling for top-fives or shaking up the playoff picture, Buescher and the RFK Racing team have been right in the thick of the action. But just as the season seemed to be hitting its stride, news broke that RFK Racing had been slapped with a penalty at Kansas.
This was a development that sent shockwaves through the garage and the fanbase alike. What’s really caught everyone’s attention, though, isn’t just the penalty itself. But it was the team’s reaction, or rather, their lack of one. As the dust settles, fans are left wondering why RFK Racing has chosen to stay so quiet and what it means for the rest of their season.
RFK Racing faces a major penalty after Kansas
Chris Buescher’s 2025 season took a major hit recently. The reason? Well, NASCAR handed down a stiff L1-level penalty to the No. 17 RFK Racing team following the Kansas Speedway race. Post-race inspections at NASCAR’s R&D Center revealed the car had exceeded the maximum reinforcement allowed for its front bumper cover. This violated Sections 14.1.C and 14.5.4.G of the NASCAR Rule Book.
The result was a heavy penalty! Buescher and the team were docked 60 championship points and five Playoff points. Moreover, crew chief Scott Graves received a two-race suspension. RFK Racing was also fined $75,000. Before the penalty, Buescher was sitting 12th in the driver standings, well within the Playoff cutline. But, given the stiffness, the deduction dropped the RFK Racing driver to 24th position. Buescher now trails the Playoff bubble by 27 points with 14 regular-season races left. The timing couldn’t be worse! The RFK Racing team now faces an uphill battle to recover lost ground, all while heading into the high-profile All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. A no-points race after all.
RFK Racing’s initial response was notably reserved. In a brief statement, the team said, “We remain committed to full compliance with NASCAR’s rules. We are carefully reviewing the details of the situation to determine if we will file an appeal within the timeframe allotted.” As of now, the team has not indicated whether they will appeal the penalty, and Doug Randolph will serve as interim crew chief for the upcoming race.
— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) May 15, 2025
This muted acknowledgment has left fans with more questions than answers. Especially since this comes just two weeks after Ryan Preece got disqualified at the race at Talladega after finishing a career high 2nd place behind Joey Logano. RFK chose not to appeal then, and by their response, it looks like they might go down the same route again.
With such a significant penalty and the team’s Playoff hopes in jeopardy, many are wondering why RFK Racing hasn’t been more vocal or transparent. That silence is fueling frustration among the fanbase, setting the stage for even more scrutiny in the days ahead.
NASCAR fans question RFK Racing’s appeal strategy
RFK Racing’s quiet reaction to their Kansas penalty hasn’t gone unnoticed. Fans are filling comment sections with skepticism and sarcasm. “Has any team ever got busted and responded with ‘you got us’?” one fan joked, highlighting how rare it is for teams to openly admit fault. Most teams, when penalized, either maintain innocence or at least signal their intent to appeal. That’s why RFK’s reviewing their options response feels especially vague.
Another fan pointed out, “I love how their answer to whether or not they’ll appeal is ‘idk yet’ instead of maintaining innocence.” This non-committal stance has left many wondering if the team is buying time or just avoiding the spotlight. Another fan pointed out, “They kind of have to appeal this one, based on the 19 winning their appeal (which shocked the garage), anything is possible.”
The uncertainty of RFK Racing is only amplified by the recent success of Joe Gibbs Racing and Chase Briscoe. They won their appeal to a 100-point penalty after the Daytona 500. Briscoe’s team was initially hit hard for supposed modifications to the spoiler base. But the appeals panel found the infraction was due to the assembly process, not an intentional rules violation. As a result, all penalties, including a four-race crew chief suspension and a $100,000 fine, were wiped away. Briscoe vaulted back up the standings.
However, one fan rightly pointed out, “They are loopholing this a little. If you lose the appeal, the crew chief is now out for two points races.” Even if crew chief Scott Graves has to sit out for two races, one of them will be for the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro. Since it is a non-points race, it won’t affect RFK Racing much. But, on the other hand, if they lose the appeal, they risk losing the crew chief for the two points-playing races at Charlotte and Nashville.
The Brad Keselowski co-owned team has until 5 p.m. Monday to decide whether to appeal, per NASCAR’s rules. This deadline ensures teams have a brief window to review evidence and make their case. But with so much at stake, fans are left wondering. Will RFK Racing fight the penalty? Or quietly take their lumps and move on? Let us know what you think in the comments!
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