Kevin Harvick makes his pick for driver under most pressure at Atlanta this weekend

As the summer rages on, there’s only so many more bites at the apple for NASCAR Cup Series drivers on the outside looking in for the playoffs. The pressure is mounting, and Kevin Harvick has his eyes on a couple wheelmen ahead of this weekend’s race in Atlanta.

One of those men is Brad Keselowski. After a demoralizing performance at Pocono, where the No. 6 Ford team had some speed to contend, if not for some pit road mishaps by the driver, their morale is all over the place. Making the playoffs on points is a long-shot, so they’re going to have to get to Victory Lane.

The good news? Atlanta has been a great track for Keselowski, and Ford in general. Harvick believes there’s pressure on the No. 6 team, but that could be a good thing for their chances in Georgia.

“I think this is another opportunity for Brad Keselowski. I think that he’s going to be in the mix this week,” Harvick predicted. “The Fords are going to be strong. We know that the Hendrick cars have shown that they can run well at this particular track. It’s a balance. You’ve got to be able to be pushed, you’ve got to be able to push a little bit. You’ve got to have that handling.

“It’s going to be hot. When you have hot mixed into everything that goes into Atlanta, it adds another layer. … I think that there’s going to be a handling piece that comes into effect at Atlanta.”

In the past, Keselowski has won in Atlanta twice, with his victories coming in 2017 and 2019. He finished as the runner-up at the venue in 2023, and he’s been competitive year-in and year-out since the reconfiguration.

The Rochester, Michigan native will need to keep his nose clean and show some improved speed once again this weekend. At least RFK Racing as a whole has improved over the past couple of weeks. It was a slow start to the season, and it put Keselowski in a hole. Still, he’s capable of winning and clinching his spot in the Top 16.

At the moment, Keselowski is P30 in the overall Cup Series point standings. He’s amassed three top tens, one top five and five DNFs in 2025. Those aren’t the type of numbers we’ve come to expect from the former Cup Series champion.

Kevin Harvick wants to see more, and Brad Keselowski will be looking to deliver. Whether or not he’s able to remain to be seen. He’ll have a chance to get back to his winning ways at Atlanta this weekend, but the 41-year-old can’t squander many more opportunities this season.