As the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway concluded with Kyle Larson’s second career victory, the ongoing dominance of Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Penske Racing continued to fuel debate within the sport. Larson’s strategic triumph, a rare success amongst the Championship 4, highlighted a persistent imbalance of power within the NASCAR landscape.
The race itself showcased a staggering lead held by Chevrolet and Toyota, combined, with 260 laps led. However, the championship ultimately fell to Chevrolet’s Larson, marking the manufacturer’s continued stronghold.
Brad Keselowski, co-owner of RFK Racing (a Ford team), voiced his concerns publicly, directly addressing the role of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in perpetuating this dominance. In a X post, responding to the question, “Can someone other than Hendrick, Penske or Gibbs win the cup series championship?” Keselowski stated, “Not realistically with the current OEM rules.”
Keselowski’s criticism centers on the substantial financial and technical resources provided by Chevrolet and Toyota to their top teams. Historically, since 2004, every Cup Series champion has emerged from one of these three organizations or a direct affiliate – such as Kevin Harvick from Stewart-Haas Racing or Martin Truex Jr. from Furniture Row Racing, who received crucial engine chassis support from HMS and JGR, respectively.
The comments resonated deeply with fans, many of whom expressed frustration with the near-total control wielded by the “Big 3.” One fan commented, “He is lobbying hard for more practice so that they can get their cars better. Simulation at the level the top 2 teams are operating it at probably costs 10x a year what they would spend on 2 more practice sessions per weekend. And fords simulation is pure shit anyway because they put all their resources into f1 and the upcoming car brad mentioned a few days ago. Spec racing has always made the field further spread apart between those that have funding and those that dont. Dirtbikes, superbikes, go karts. All the same shit. Spec = $$$$$$$$”
Keselowski himself has previously noted that the loss of practice sessions has not resulted in significant cost savings for teams like RFK Racing, forcing them to invest heavily in sophisticated simulation models to bridge the knowledge gap. Another fan added, “He’s a Dodge guy. Has said before he wouldn’t join a foreign make. I would love to see them court Dodge in the future. I’m sure he would love to have RAM if they had a Craftsman truck team.”
The return of the RAM truck to the Truck Series in 2026 provided a potential avenue for increased manufacturer diversity. While some fans noted similarities to Formula 1’s fluctuating championship landscape – where Mercedes, Red Bull Racing, and McLaren have each won multiple championships in the past six years – the persistent dominance of the Big 3 remains a significant factor. One fan expressed concern about internal team morale, stating, “I very much appreciate Brad’s openness, but I will say if I was an employee at RFK I’d be pretty discouraged if my boss basically said we can’t realistically achieve what should be our annual goal lol.”
Historically, since Kurt Busch’s 2004 title with Roush Racing, every single NASCAR Cup Series champion has been a driver from either HMS, JGR, or Penske, or from a team receiving critical manufacturer support.
As the dust settles, Brad Keselowski’s words linger, a reminder that NASCAR’s balance of power remains as contested as ever.