The 2024 season was not the best for Stewart Haas Racing team drivers. Particularly after the team announced that it would be ceasing operations, a challenge was for drivers to find new teams. Among the drivers who had their fair share of struggle navigating through this journey was none other than Ryan Preece. 

He went the longest without a permanent seat for 2025 and this is when Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing came to his aid. The RFK Racing team had announced new plans and Ryan Preece seemed to be a good fit to materialize the plans further.  Now that it is showtime, Brad Keselowski, owner of RFK Racing has some predictions to make. 

Will Preece’s debut run with RFK bring in beginners’ luck

Despite making select starts across all three national series in 2022, Ryan Preece has yet to significantly impact the NASCAR Cup Series. While he secured a win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, his Cup Series record remains underwhelming. Preece was the last one to get placed on the team of Stewart Haas Racing drivers. However, it seems as though his new boss, Keselowski does have high hopes for him. Making some predictions, Keselowski took to his social media and posted, “I feel Ryan will win his first cup race this year”. 

Ryan Preece started his journey in the world of NASCAR about seven years back. He consequently amassed about four wins, speeding across his Craftsman Truck Series and Xfinity Series career. However, since the time he joined the Cup Series, it hasn’t been favorable for him. It was in 2022 that Preece joined the Stewart Haas Racing team and out of the 187 cup races that he has run for, not one of them ended with a victory. 

Prior to his stint with the Stewart Haas Racing team, he had a three-year tenure with JTG Daugherty Racing from 2019 to 2021. The success rate during this journey was also quite limited given just one top-five and three top-10 finishes in his rookie season. While Keselowski’s confidence in Preece is noteworthy, the challenge ahead remains steep. 

This comes at a point when RFK Racing has gone through significant changes with the crew as well to establish itself as a top-tier team. If Preece is to break his winless streak, capitalizing on short-track opportunities, where he has historically excelled, might be his best shot.

Preece gets his new crew chief for the 2025 season

Trending

1

Justice for NASCAR Legend as FBI Takes Down Elite Car Thieves in Shocking Undercover Operation

2

Kyle Busch Handed “Final Warning” by NASCAR as Internal Friction Erupts at Chevrolet

3

Chase Elliott Branded NASCAR’s “Last Big Hope” as ‘Loudmouth’ Denny Hamlin Earns Controversial Veteran’s Respect

4

Denny Hamlin Pushed Around at Bowman Gray by Roger Penske’s New Short Track Master

5

Ryan Blaney Exposes Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Hilariously Nosey Antics at His Wedding

Walking into RFK Racing could prove to be eventful for Ryan Preece given that this is a renewed shot to gain traction in the Cup Series. For the 2025 season, he will be under the able guidance of Derrick Finley. Finley will be aiding as the crew chief for the No. 60 team and before this, he was seen in the role of part-time entry for the last season. 

Announcing his entry into the team, Brad Keselowski said in a press conference, “We’re thrilled to have [Derrick Finley] lead the No. 60 team. His experience and technical knowledge of the sport will play a crucial role in the initial development and growth of the No. 60 team”. 

Finley may not have been full-time in the Cup Series since 2018, but his recent success shows promise. Although he is yet to mark his victory, it was under his able guidance that Joey Hand and the No. 60 team achieved an impressive fourth-place finish at the Chicago Street Course in 2024. Given that the innings with SHR are new for both Finley and Preece, it can usher in an era of promise for both the driver and the chief.