Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing co-owner and full-time NASCAR driver, has raised serious concerns about increasing reckless behavior among mid-pack drivers in the Cup Series. His warnings came in the wake of the 2024 Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, highlighting what he sees as a troubling cultural shift undermining driver discipline and race integrity.
Keselowski shared an onboard video from the race showing aggressive driving tactics in the mid-field, emphasizing the growing trend of drivers running 15th place or worse deliberately causing wrecks. He linked these incidents to a lack of accountability among teams and drivers, which he fears is damaging the sport’s competitive spirit.
Observations on Aggression in the Middle of the Pack
At the Iowa Corn 350 held at Iowa Speedway, the race was marked by 12 cautions and several obvious crashes, illustrating the pattern Keselowski described. One pivotal moment involved Carson Hocevar nudging Zane Smith during Lap 229, sending Smith’s No. 38 car into the SAFER barriers. Smith, positioned 23rd at the time, was out of playoff contention, and the incident typified the kind of mid-pack chaos Keselowski condemns as destructive and unnecessary.
The recurring wrecks from drivers far back in the field have drawn attention not only from Keselowski but from other racers such as part-time competitor Josh Bilicki. Bilicki questioned whether aerodynamic challenges with the current Next Gen car were driving this behavior or if it was more about the new generation of drivers. Keselowski firmly rejected the car as the root cause, placing responsibility on the attitudes and decisions of the drivers themselves.
“In your opinion, how much of this is caused by aero blocking and how hard it is to pass with the current car? Or is it just the new gen of racers?” —Josh Bilicki
“It’s not the car,” —Brad Keselowski
While Keselowski acknowledges incidents at the front can be significant, his concern is the frequency of seemingly deliberate wrecks in the congested middle of the pack, which often serve no competitive purpose beyond creating chaos.
Impact of Aerodynamics and Changing Ownership Approach on NASCAR Culture
The introduction of the Next Gen car in 2022 was meant to bring equality and excitement to NASCAR racing, but it instead amplified aerodynamic challenges. The cars’ sensitivity to airflow has made it much harder to pass, especially in traffic, and has led to a form of aero-blocking where drivers in front can control air currents to disrupt those trailing closely behind.
This phenomenon was evident at tracks like Dover, where even faster cars struggled to complete overtakes because dirty air destabilized them during attempts. Traditional bump-and-run tactics are less effective since drivers cannot get close enough to make contact, leading to frustrations that spill over into aggressive behavior.
Yet Keselowski stresses that aerodynamics alone do not explain the reckless actions. He points toward a shift in team ownership culture over the years, including how owners enforce discipline and hold drivers accountable.
“Car owners used to be much more present and accountability driven. They would surely fire you for one of two reasons – Wrecking and Not running well. If you did both as a driver, no chance of making it. This made all the drivers not want to wreck when they weren’t running well.” —Brad Keselowski
In previous NASCAR eras, drivers risked losing their rides if they damaged their cars while running poorly because owners strictly controlled contracts and team standing. This system motivated drivers to self-police their conduct, preventing careless wrecks. The current landscape, however, is quite different.
Modern teams tend to be leaner and less hands-on, with owners often less involved in day-to-day accountability. Cost controls and advancements in car construction have made vehicles more replaceable, reducing the consequences for damaging wrecks. Drivers trying to establish themselves face pressure to be aggressive, sometimes resulting in contact that lacks strategic merit.
Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin have described the Next Gen cars as “composite bodies,” interchangeable and disposable, reflecting a mentality that contributes to diminished respect for vehicles and racing etiquette. For Keselowski, this environment has allowed impatience and desperation to overshadow skill and strategic racecraft in the field’s middle portion.
Consequences and the Future of Mid-Pack Racing Conduct
The growing acceptance of aggressive mid-pack behavior risks eroding the NASCAR racing culture that emphasized respect, accountability, and race preservation. Keselowski’s observations suggest that without stronger oversight from team owners and more deliberate enforcement of discipline, these reckless driving trends will persist, harming the sport’s competitiveness and fan experience.
This trend not only threatens the quality of racing but also raises larger questions about what NASCAR values and how it cultivates its talent. The pressure on drivers to perform in a highly replaceable environment may continue to incentivize hazardous conduct unless the sport addresses accountability and the influence of team leadership.
As the 2024 season progresses, the spotlight on mid-pack driver behavior, aero-blocking challenges, and ownership responsibility may compel NASCAR and its teams to reconsider policies that ensure racing remains competitive and respectful for all participants.