Brad Keselowski likely hoped Jeremy Bullins’ return as his crew chief at RFK Racing in 2025 would bring back some of their old success. The two had made several trips to Victory Lane together in the Xfinity Series, won five Cup Series races during their time at Team Penske, and finished second in the Cup Series standings in 2020.
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But NASCAR is a ‘what have you done for me lately?’ sport, and with the results failing to match those earlier highs, Keselowski is now preparing for another change. Earlier this week, the former Cup Series champion announced that his Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing team had made changes within the organization.
His old partner and crew chief, Jeremy Bullins, would leave his role, with Mike Skarbowski taking over his duties.
The No. 6 driver said in a statement released by the team, “I am very appreciative of all the work and effort Jeremy Bullins put into the #6 car as my crew chief in the past two seasons. I wish him the best in his next endeavor. Looking ahead, I’m also excited about Mike Skarbowski stepping into this role.
Mike was previously RFK’s race support manager and crew chief of the #99 car at Daytona in February. We believe in him, and we’re looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.”
Bullins has vacated his role with immediate effect, with Skarbowski set to take over this weekend at Kansas. According to reports, Bullins has departed to explore opportunities elsewhere, and the split was amicable.
Keselowski and Bullins’ history in NASCAR
Bullins’ first stint in NASCAR came all the way back in 1999 with Wood Brothers Racing. He worked with Elliott Sadler in the No. 21 car for a while before moving around to several teams. His stops included ST Motorsports in the then-Busch Series, Robert Yates Racing, and Richard Childress Racing. At RCR, he worked with Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer, helping them collect nine wins.
His big break came in 2012 when he joined Team Penske in the Nationwide Series. During his time there, he worked with drivers such as Parker Kligerman, Jacques Villeneuve, and Keselowski. His Penske stint in the Nationwide Series lasted until 2014, before he received a major promotion. For the 2015 season, Bullins moved to Team Penske’s Cup Series operation, where he worked with Blaney until 2019.
In 2020, Bullins began working with Keselowski in the Cup Series, and the two won three races together. That same year, Keselowski finished runner-up to Chase Elliott in the championship standings, ahead of teammate Joey Logano and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin. The Keselowski-Bullins partnership continued through 2021, when they added one more win.
Keselowski left Team Penske for Roush Fenway Racing, now known as RFK Racing, while Bullins began working with Austin Cindric. Their partnership continued through 2023, but Bullins was moved back to Wood Brothers Racing midway through the season. Cindric had struggled that year, and Team Penske decided that a crew chief change was needed. Bullins then worked with Harrison Burton through the end of the 2024 season.
In 2025, Bullins reunited with Keselowski at RFK Racing, bringing their partnership full circle. However, that reunion has now come to an end, with Bullins leaving his role with immediate effect. They went winless in 55 races and didn’t make it to the postseason in 2025 or 2026.
Now, Keselowski will be keen to build a strong rapport with his new crew chief, Skarbowski. The driver-crew chief relationship is crucial in NASCAR, and with just seven races remaining in the 2026 season, the pair will have limited time to get to know each other before turning their attention to 2027.
For now, Keselowski’s focus will be on helping his RFK Racing teammates, Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece, who have made the Chase. Buescher and Preece sit 14th and 15th in the standings, respectively, leaving them with plenty of ground to make up in the championship fight. However, RFK Racing has already shown this season that it can deliver when it matters most, with Preece winning the do-or-die Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona to secure a postseason spot for the first time in his career.
RFK Racing will continue fighting through the rest of the season, but Keselowski and Skarbowski will also have one eye on 2027. The RFK co-owner last made the postseason in 2024, and next year will give him another opportunity to get back into the championship picture.
