Like owner, like driver. Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing’s team co-owner, Brad Keselowski, has made community service a cornerstone of his career through his Checkered Flag Foundation. The 41-year-old has continued the Tribute to Veterans program, honoring service members, first responders, and their families, which is presented by BuildSubmarines.com. And that spirit of public service has extended to his race team, where one of his drivers recently stepped into the spotlight for a very different mission.

When Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation director Katrina Morris set out to fight the epidemic of drivers illegally passing school buses, she wanted a partner who could make people stop and pay attention. She found that partner in NASCAR. Thanks to ROUSH CleanTech’s connections in the racing world, Morris brought Cup Series driver Ryan Preece on board for a hard-hitting public service announcement filmed at the RFK Racing Museum in North Carolina on September 10. This will debut on October 20 during National School Bus Safety Week, and its message is blunt: if a professional driver like Preece has time to stop for a school bus, so should everyone else.

For the project that had been years in the making, Blue Bird provided the school bus, and national and state associations pitched in support, and before long, the shoot was underway. Katrina Morris couldn’t be happier with this partnership, saying, “It warms my heart because they’re not just thinking, ‘We did this, so now we’re done. [They] want to expand. What can we do to make this grow? What can we do to help this issue that we’re all having and we’re all facing?”

The message struck home even with Ryan Preece himself. Morris recalls telling him about the real danger children face every single day from motorists who ignore bus stop arms. She remembers telling him, “Children’s lives are in danger every day. And he looked at me, and I said see, I got your attention … You guys doing this for us and lending us your voice is hopefully going to help us to get that message out even further.” That kind of reaction is exactly why NASCAR’s involvement matters, according to Morris; it takes a routine safety reminder and makes it impossible to ignore.

The campaign carries weight not just because of its NASCAR connection but because of the broader correlation between it. Groups from Ohio to Indiana, along with companies like Dean Transportation, First Light Safety, and Set Seg Insurance, all contributed resources and support. Their logos now ride on the bus featured in the PSA, a quiet nod to the fact that student safety isn’t the responsibility of a single school district or one association; it is everyone’s job.

As ROUSH CleanTech executive vice president Todd Mouw put it, the issue is bigger than traffic laws. By combining racing’s reach with the urgency of school transportation leaders, the PSA is designed to do more than air during safety week. It is meant to shake drivers out of their bad habits, remind them what is at stake, and ultimately make sure every kid gets to school and home safely.

But this is just one side of the picture. RFK Racing‘s Ryan Preece has a bigger heart. Taking time out of the busy NASCAR Cup Series schedule, the 34-year-old, among many drivers, converged on Lime Rock Park this Monday for Sonny Whelen’s “Racing for a Cure” endurance karting event. Over the course of four grueling hours, 20 teams went wheel to wheel, not just for bragging rights but to raise funds for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research.

The star-studded lineup featured NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece, Xfinity Series up-and-comers Connor Zilisch (soon to be a Trackhouse Cup driver) and Jesse Love, as well as grassroots talents from the Stafford Speedway’s Weekly Division. They were joined by Whelen employees and Whelen-backed athletes, all united and turning laps for a bigger purpose. For Preece, the event carried a special resonance.

He credited the Whelen Modified Tour for shaping him into the racer he is, describing the Northeast’s tight-knit racing community as “local supporting local.” It was a reminder that while the competition was fierce on the track, the heart of the day was about giving back. But amid all the good doing, the RKF Racing has made some bold changes within.

Brad Keselowski’s RFK Racing undergoes a president change

RFK Racing has tapped Chip Bowers as the new team president, overseeing the organization’s three full-time Cup Series entries: Brad Keselowski’s No. 6, Chris Buescher’s No. 17, and Ryan Preece’s No. 60. With more than 30 years of experience across the NBA, WNBA, and MLB, Bowers brings a wealth of sports business expertise to the table. His resume includes serving as president of business operations for the Miami Marlins, Chief Marketing Officer for the Golden State Warriors, and, most recently, president of Elevate, a leading sports and entertainment consulting firm.

At RFK, his mission will be to drive sustainable growth, deepen corporate partnerships, and push innovation while building on the momentum established under the team’s current leadership. The 2012 Cup Series champion, Brad Keselowski, praised the hire: “Chip brings a fresh perspective that we’re really excited about. He has proven he can grow organizations and think creatively in some of the most competitive sports markets, and that experience will help us find new ways to strengthen our team.”

RFK may have fallen short with 2025 drivers and is still chasing its first win of the season, with Brad Keselowski narrowly missing out on a win last weekend at Bristol, but there are signs of resilience. All three drivers rank among the top four in points among non-playoff contenders, providing the foundation the team hopes for. Bowers can help turn that into future success.