Jack Roush entered NASCAR in 1988, building the race operation as an extension of his established automotive engineering and road-racing equipment business based in Livonia, Michigan. Early Roush drivers in various series included Tommy Kendall, Scott Pruett, and Willy T. Ribbs. The NASCAR Cup program began with a single car and grew steadily through the 1990s as Roush recruited talent through an unconventional elimination-style audition process known as "The Gong Show," named after the 1970s television program. The combine invited thousands of driver applicants through a series of driving, public relations, and personality evaluations before awarding development contracts to top performers. Notable Gong Show graduates include Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, and David Ragan.
Between 1998 and the mid-2000s, Roush Racing expanded to five simultaneous Cup Series teams — a record in NASCAR — fielding cars numbered 6, 16, 17, 26 (later 97), and 99. In 2005, the organization made history by placing all five of its teams in the Chase for the Nextel Cup, an unprecedented feat that no other organization has matched. The team's engine program, operating in partnership with Yates Racing from 2004 under the Roush-Yates Engines banner, became one of the most competitive in the sport and eventually supplied power to most Ford-affiliated Cup teams.
The team's championship success arrived in consecutive seasons: Matt Kenseth won the 2003 Winston Cup title in what would be the final season under that championship name, and Kurt Busch won the inaugural 2004 Nextel Cup championship. These back-to-back titles cemented Roush Racing as the preeminent Ford operation in NASCAR during the decade.
Roush's NASCAR Nationwide/Xfinity Series operation began in 1992 with Mark Martin in the No. 60 car. The program won three Nationwide Series driver championships — Greg Biffle in 2002, Carl Edwards in 2007, and Chris Buescher in 2015 — along with owner's championships and numerous races throughout its history. The Xfinity program closed after the 2018 season following the departures of Ryan Reed, Chase Briscoe, and Austin Cindric.
From 1995 to 2009, Roush fielded Craftsman Truck Series teams for drivers including Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, and Colin Braun, winning fifty races and the 2000 series championship with Biffle. Roush used the Truck Series as a primary proving ground for young talent before advancing drivers to higher series.
The team's most consequential off-track development came in 2004 when Roush Racing and longtime rival Robert Yates Racing combined their engine divisions to form Roush-Yates Engines. The partnership significantly elevated power output for both organizations and became the engine supplier of choice across most Ford teams in NASCAR, including Wood Brothers Racing, Team Penske, Front Row Motorsports, and Rick Ware Racing.
NASCAR ordered Roush Fenway to reduce its Cup operation to four teams following the 2009 season, requiring the team to relinquish the No. 26 operation. The team further contracted to three cars after 2011 and to two after 2016. On February 14, 2007, the Fenway Sports Group — owners of the Boston Red Sox — purchased a 50 percent stake in Roush Racing to form Roush Fenway Racing, marking the first time owners of a major professional sports franchise had crossed into NASCAR team ownership.
In 2021, Brad Keselowski joined the organization as a driver and co-owner, replacing Ryan Newman in the No. 6, and the team was rebranded as RFK Racing in 2022.
Roush Racing's sustained success across multiple NASCAR series throughout the 1990s and 2000s established it as one of the defining large-format team structures in the sport. Its driver development pipeline, the Gong Show recruitment system, and the Roush-Yates Engines partnership represent lasting contributions to NASCAR's infrastructure that continue through its successor organization.