RFK Racing is one of the most storied organizations in NASCAR — a team with 39 seasons of history, eight championships, and a name that carries the legacy of three of the most influential figures the sport has ever seen.
But as of late 2026, that name is about to change. The departure of co-owner and driver Brad Keselowski — announced on September 29, 2026 — has put the team’s ownership structure under the microscope. Who actually owns RFK Racing? And what happens next?
Who Owns RFK Racing Right Now in 2026?
RFK Racing — formally named Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing — is co-owned by three parties: Roush Enterprises (led by founder Jack Roush), Fenway Sports Group (led by principal owner John W. Henry), and Brad Keselowski, who holds a minority stake as a driver-owner.
However, Keselowski announced on September 29, 2026 that he will leave the team at the end of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, and both sides are currently working through the process of unwinding his ownership stake.
Once that process is complete, RFK Racing will be owned and operated entirely by Roush Enterprises and Fenway Sports Group — the two foundational partners who have run the organization together since 2007.
Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Owner / Party | Role | Stake | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Roush / Roush Enterprises | Founder & Co-Owner | Majority stake | Founded the team in 1988; NASCAR Hall of Famer; winningest owner in NASCAR history |
| Fenway Sports Group (John W. Henry) | Co-Owner | ~50% stake | Bought into team in 2007; also owns Boston Red Sox, Liverpool FC, Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Brad Keselowski | Minority Co-Owner (exiting) | Minority stake | Joined as co-owner in 2021; leaving at end of 2026 season; tried to buy full team |
| Roush-Yates Engines | Engine Partner | Joint venture | Partnership between Roush and Doug Yates; supplies Ford power to multiple NASCAR teams |
The Origin Story: Jack Roush and One Ford in 1988
The RFK Racing story begins not with a partnership or an investment firm, but with one man’s obsessive pursuit of speed.
Jack Roush — born in 1942 in Manchester, Ohio — launched his first NASCAR Cup Series team in 1988 with a single Ford and driver Mark Martin.
Before NASCAR, Roush had already built a reputation as one of the finest engineering minds in American motorsport, winning championships across drag racing, sports car racing, and the SCCA Trans-Am Series through his company Jack Roush Performance Engineering, founded in 1976.
In NASCAR, Roush expanded relentlessly. By the peak of his operation in the early 2000s, he ran five full-time Cup Series teams simultaneously — the largest single-owner operation in the sport’s history.
His team won back-to-back NASCAR Cup Series championships in 2003 and 2004 with driver Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch respectively.
Roush is officially recognized as the winningest owner in NASCAR history, with more than 400 victories across all series and 31 championships. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2017.
How Fenway Sports Group Came to Co-Own RFK Racing
By the mid-2000s, Roush was looking for a business partner who could bring commercial muscle, marketing expertise, and long-term financial stability to the team. He found exactly that in Boston.
On February 14, 2007, Fenway Sports Group (FSG) purchased a 50% stake in Roush Racing for an undisclosed sum, renaming the team Roush Fenway Racing.
FSG is the Boston-based sports conglomerate founded and controlled by John W. Henry, a commodities trader and sports investor who had previously owned the Florida Marlins.
At the time of the NASCAR deal, FSG already owned the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park. Henry has since expanded FSG into one of the most powerful multi-sport ownership groups in the world, adding Liverpool FC in 2010, the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2021, and a stake in TGL’s Boston Common Golf team.
The NASCAR partnership was the first time an owner of a Big Four professional sports franchise had crossed over into NASCAR ownership — a landmark moment that FSG president Mike Dee described as unprecedented in American sports.
Brad Keselowski Joins — And Now Leaves
In July 2021, RFK Racing announced that Brad Keselowski — the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion and one of the sport’s most high-profile figures — would join the team as a driver and minority co-owner beginning with the 2022 season.
The team was renamed Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, giving the organization a name that reflected all three of its major stakeholders.
Keselowski drove the No. 6 Ford and played a significant role in modernizing the team’s competitive operations, investing in data, process, and technology improvements that helped reshape how RFK approached race weekends. But results on the track were mixed, and the relationship eventually ran its course.
On September 29, 2026, RFK Racing issued a formal statement confirming that Keselowski would conclude his tenure at the end of the 2026 season.
In a further twist, Keselowski confirmed to reporters just days ago — on October 24, 2026 — that he had made an unsolicited bid to buy the entire team outright, which Jack Roush and Fenway Sports Group declined. He has made clear he still wants to own a NASCAR team.
The two sides are working through the process of unwinding his minority ownership stake, with RFK stating they will “collaboratively and mutually work through the appropriate next steps.”
What Does RFK Racing Look Like Going Forward?
RFK Racing has confirmed it will remain a three-car NASCAR Cup Series operation after Keselowski’s departure, continuing to field the No. 6, No. 17, and a third car.
Chris Buescher drives the No. 17 and is expected to continue. The No. 6 driver for 2027 has not been announced as of October 2026.
Roush Enterprises and Fenway Sports Group have both publicly reaffirmed their commitment to the team’s long-term future.
FSG’s involvement in NASCAR now pre-dates its ownership of the Pittsburgh Penguins by more than a decade, making RFK Racing one of the most enduring parts of Henry’s sports empire.
The team also operates Roush-Yates Engines, a joint venture between Jack Roush and engine builder Doug Yates that supplies Ford power not only to RFK Racing but to multiple other NASCAR teams — making Roush a key infrastructure partner for the entire Ford program in the sport.
For broader context on how NASCAR team ownership works and what the league itself looks like structurally, the story of who owns NASCAR as an organization offers important background.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns RFK Racing in 2026?
RFK Racing is co-owned by Jack Roush (via Roush Enterprises) and John W. Henry (via Fenway Sports Group), with Brad Keselowski holding a minority stake he is in the process of exiting.
Q2. What does RFK stand for in RFK Racing?
RFK stands for Roush, Fenway, and Keselowski — the three owners who formed the current partnership starting with the 2022 season.
Q3. Is Brad Keselowski still an owner of RFK Racing?
Keselowski announced his departure on September 29, 2026, and both sides are working through the process of unwinding his minority ownership stake. He will leave at the end of the 2026 season.
Q4. When did Fenway Sports Group buy into the team?
Fenway Sports Group purchased a 50% stake in Roush Racing on February 14, 2007, renaming it Roush Fenway Racing.
Q5. Who founded RFK Racing?
Jack Roush founded the team in 1988 as Roush Racing, entering NASCAR’s Cup Series with a single Ford and driver Mark Martin.
Q6. Did Brad Keselowski try to buy RFK Racing outright?
Yes. Keselowski confirmed on October 24, 2026 that he made an unsolicited bid to purchase the entire team, which Roush and Fenway Sports Group declined.
Q7. How many NASCAR Cup championships has RFK Racing won?
The team has won eight championships in NASCAR’s top three divisions across its history, including back-to-back Cup Series titles in 2003 and 2004.
Q8. What other sports does Fenway Sports Group own besides RFK Racing?
Fenway Sports Group also owns the Boston Red Sox (MLB), Liverpool FC (English Premier League), the Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL), and Boston Common Golf in TGL.
RFK Racing is owned by Jack Roush through Roush Enterprises and John W. Henry through Fenway Sports Group — the partnership that has run the team together since February 2007.
Brad Keselowski holds a minority stake that is in the process of being unwound following his September 29, 2026 announcement that he will leave the team at the end of the current season. His unsolicited bid to buy the full team was rejected.
Jack Roush built this organization from a single Ford in 1988 into a NASCAR institution with eight championships and more than 400 wins.
Fenway Sports Group — the same ownership group behind the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool FC, and the Pittsburgh Penguins — has been the commercial backbone since 2007. Together, they are one of the most enduring ownership partnerships in American motorsport, and they are not going anywhere.
Official website: rfkracing.com
