There was a time when Ryan Preece and Tony Stewart seemed like a perfect match. Stewart, the three-time Cup champion and owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, took Preece under his wing, giving him a shot in the No. 41 car in 2023. But after SHR’s shutdown at the end of 2024, Preece found himself at a crossroads. He was left without a seat and was facing the daunting possibility of racing modifieds once again in Connecticut. That’s until RFK Racing came to his rescue, with the guidance of Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher.

Now, as Preece embarks on his redemption tour in 2025, he’s making it clear that his focus is on winning. And while Stewart’s influence shaped his career, it’s Keselowski and Buescher who are steering him toward the next level. Preece’s words, after his impressive finish at Talladega, spoke volumes as he reflected on how far he’s come and what he still hopes to prove.

Ryan Preece on embracing new beginnings with RFK Racing

After his time with Stewart-Haas, Preece’s shift to RFK Racing has reinvigorated his career. He credits Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher for playing pivotal roles in his progress, mentioning, “I can’t thank Brad and Chris enough, to be honest with you, just for how open they are.” Recognizing Ryan Preece’s talent and work ethic, RFK Racing team co-owner Brad Keselowski signed him for the new No. 60 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. “[Preece] probably hasn’t been in the opportunities he needs to be in to be successful,” Keselowski had said, explaining his decision.

Ryan Preece’s path to redemption has been marked by years of struggling for consistent results. Reflecting on his journey, he said, “I’m here to win and you know, for the past six years or five years I’ve done a lot of freaking losing.” Preece is yet to win a race in 187 Cup Series races in a career spanning over 7 years. Moreover, his last win in the Xfinity series came back at the 2018 Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300. So, despite being under the mentorship of three-time Cup Series and 1997 IndyCar Champion Tony Stewart, Preece’s results at SHR did not reflect that, as he picked up just two top-5 and seven top-10 finishes across his two-year stint.

Meanwhile, Keselowski and Buescher’s mentorship has allowed Preece to adopt fresh perspectives, an important change after years of frustration. Preece elaborated, saying, “Advice or just different perspectives. That’s been super helpful for me to keep escalating and being a better race car driver.” Their support has provided the mental boost he needed to rebound from a string of underwhelming finishes. Preece’s second-place run at Talladega is a testament to the positive impact of their guidance.

Looking ahead, Preece is more determined than ever to prove himself. He believes his years of hard work are finally paying off, stating, “We’re getting closer and closer, I think.” And Talladega proved it with Ryan Preece missing out on the race win by just 0.022 seconds. After the close result, Preece is particularly optimistic about his versatility across different race types. “We’re going to be a threat at short tracks, mile and a halves, super speedways, and road courses,” Preece asserted.

Though critics may have written him off before the start of the 2025 season, Preece’s growing success speaks for itself. He believes his performance will speak louder than his past struggles: “I don’t really know if people kind of write me off just because of the past previous years, but I think we’re proving that we’re going to be a threat.” Preece’s renewed drive and focus after Talladega could be the perfect formula for a breakout season. However, just as he was soaking in his glorious result, the post-race inspection revealed the worst for RFK Racing.

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Talladega brings a bitter ending for RFK racing

While Ryan Preece’s near-win electrified RFK Racing fans, the post-race inspection brought them back down to earth. Preece’s No.60 RFK Racing Ford was found to violate Rule 14.5.8.F as they had three shims instead of two on the rear spoiler. Preece was credited with a 38th place finish after this, only adding to the woes of Keselowski and Buescher.

Brad Keselowski, both co-owner and driver, has long been a Talladega specialist and was seen as a favorite to contend for the win. However, his race unraveled after getting caught in a multi-car incident on lap 43. Keselowski veered into Kyle Busch after losing control, causing a multi-car wreck. The damage proved terminal! It eliminated any chance of a comeback and left Keselowski with a disappointing 36th-place DNF finish that did not reflect the team’s potential.

Chris Buescher faced his own share of misfortune. Despite running solidly for much of the race, Buescher suffered damage due to the Keselowski-Busch incident. He, then, spun on lap 53, taking Christopher Bell along with him. The result? Buescher faced the same fate as Keselowski and retired his car. He was placed 34th with a DNF to his name. The double DNF for Keselowski and Buescher was a blow for RFK Racing, given the momentum the organization hoped to build with its new three-car effort.

Both drivers have been instrumental in elevating the team’s performance since Keselowski joined as co-owner. Their early exits at Talladega were a stark reminder of the unpredictability of superspeedway racing. With Preece’s runner-up finish as a silver lining being snapped away, RFK Racing will regroup and look to rebound as the season continues. They will be determined to turn disappointment into future success, starting with the next race at Texas Motor Speedway.