Ryan Preece has been subjected to plenty of backlash. After a lackluster season with Stewart-Haas Racing, the 34-year-old’s future at NASCAR’s highest level was looking uncertain. However, RFK Racing came to the rescue, signing him for the No. 60 Ford for the 2025 season after leasing a charter from Rick Ware Racing. The decision to give him a Cup Series place came with plenty of criticism, as several fans felt he was undeserving of a place amongst the sport’s heavyweights.

The narrative isn’t accepted by the sport’s entire fanbase, though. While Preece has his share of critics, plenty of supporters have also come to the Connecticut native’s defense. With a few months remaining before the racing driver takes the wheel once again, who will he prove right after his debut season with RFK Racing?

Ryan Preece is finally getting his big break

Ryan Preece always had the potential. Despite making just 12 Truck Series appearances, the driver secured a win on his debut and managed to get eight top-five results with David Gilliland Racing. His performances in the Xfinity Series were equally impressive, with two wins despite competing in a part-time capacity except for his 2016 season with JD Motorsports. However, the step into NASCAR’s highest level was a difficult one for the Connecticut native, who has struggled in his five full seasons in the Cup Series.

Despite his topsy-turvy results, RFK Racing took a gamble on Ryan Preece. As per a tweet uploaded by NASCAR journalist Claire B. Lang, Brad Keselowski shared his reasoning behind hiring the 34-year-old, saying, “I look for people who have specific talent sets…combined with work ethic.”

Justifying his performances in the No. 41 team, the driver/co-owner went on to say that Preece’s circumstances didn’t allow him to fulfill his potential at Stewart-Haas Racing, as the team shut down operations at the end of 2024.

Given the limited resources at Preece’s disposal in his final year at SHR, five top-ten results are quite a decent return, despite the larger issues the organization faced in 2024. However, if his performances at JTG Daugherty Racing are anything to go by, Ryan Preece finished 26th in the 2019 Cup Series season, while Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who took over the No. 47 car the following year, also ended up in the same position. Is lackluster equipment an accurate reflection of his capability as a racing driver?

At the age of 34, Ryan Preece is no longer a prospect. However, RFK Racing is optimistic that he can fulfill his potential at the No. 60 Ford in 2025. Expressing faith in the driver’s ability, team president Steve Newmark said, “Ryan Preece is who we identified from day one when discussing this third entry, and his young talent from the grassroots level all the way up to the Cup Series is something that excites us moving forward.” Having an association with the team’s new sponsor, Kroger, also helps, as the retail company previously sponsored JTG Daugherty Racing while Preece drove for them from 2019 to 2021.

NASCAR fans defend Preece from overrated claims

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Ryan Preece has faced plenty of flak after his appointment at RFK Racing. While a section of the fanbase considers him ‘overrated’, others have come to his defense. Expressing faith in the 34-year-old’s abilities, a Reddit user felt that the racing driver needs to be given a responsibility combined with good equipment to see him fulfill his potential. Expressing that he could eventually replace Alex Bowman at Hendrick Motorsports, the fan wrote, “He just needs to be the leader at a top organization, then he can show how good he is. Preece to the #48 after he gets waxed by Brad and Buescher all season.”

In an era where sponsorships are key for a driver to secure an opportunity in the Cup Series, a fan felt that Preece’s appointment is as per the trends that are currently being followed by the stock car racing industry. Justifying the decision because of the financial incentives, the fan wrote, “I’m not saying Preece is a future Cup champion but when you look at the bigger picture, he makes sense for a third car when he brings Kroger to the group along with likely other sponsorship from United Rentals.”

Echoing a similar sentiment, another fan felt that with veteran drivers such as Martin Truex Jr. retiring, the Cup Series was facing a shortage of good prospects. On that note, the fan said, “I’m not a Preece guy, but who else is out there do you put in the 60? There’s a lot of average talent in all forms of NASCAR with good drivers retiring.” Comparing Ryan Preece to the driver who took over his No. 47 seat at JTG Daugherty Racing, a NASCAR fan wrote on Reddit, “I’d also argue Preece would be better than Stenhouse, who I don’t see any better than Michael Waltrip.”

Even though plenty of fans claimed that the only reason Ryan Preece got his seat at RFK Racing was because of retail giant Kroger, a NASCAR fan struggled to identify the problem, dismissing claims of nepotism by saying, “Again, why are we hating a guy who has a steady relationship with a big sponsor? I’m not saying I didn’t like seeing companies I can’t find in a 5-mile radius is bad, & especially how Preece has ZERO relation to any Kroger executive.”

What are your thoughts about Ryan Preece taking over RFK Racing’s third team? Let us know in the comments!