The landscape of NASCAR is experiencing a seismic shift. With new drivers entering the arena, seasoned veterans like Brad Keselowski are stepping in as mentors. After a tough debut at the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of The Americas, young prodigy, Zilisch, received priceless advice from competitor-turned-mentor, Kyle Busch. Another retired veteran, Ryan Newman, is also gearing up to share his dynamic racing insights with the new wave of talent.
Ryan Newman, a true icon of modern motorsports, is known for his eternal competitive spirit. Nicknamed “Rocket Man” because of his remarkable performance in qualifying rounds, his engineering smarts, coupled with traditional racing grit, are legendary. Even after retiring from full-time Cup racing in 2023, Newman’s love for racing hasn’t lost any momentum. He’s frequently seen testing the waters in various forms of racing and is set to boost a young racer from Brad Keselowski’s stable, who has been making waves on the race track lately.
Despite stepping down from full-time NASCAR, Newman’s racing fire hasn’t dimmed a bit. He’s competed full time in the SMART Modified Tour and made his debut on the CARS Tour late model stock in 2025. Newman has bagged his fourth SMART Modified Tour win at Orange County Speedway’s “Rumble in Rougemont” and crossed the finish line 14th in his CARS Tour debut. The results exemplify his undying passion for short-track competition. Indeed, the man’s still got it!
While reminiscing about his racing journey, Newman expressed high hopes for Ryan Preece, a racer who developed their racing chops at grassroots levels. Preece showed promise early on, winning the 2013 Whelen Modified Tour championship, and has proven himself to be not just a local sensation but also an emerging talent in the Xfinity and Cup Series.
Nonetheless, Preece’s steady ascent in NASCAR can be credited to his mentor, Brad Keselowski. Keselowski offered Preece not just a chance but also indispensable mentorship at a critical juncture in his career. After a rocky stint with Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024, Preece entrusts the key to his future with Keselowski’s RFK Racing for the 2025 season in the form of the new No. 60 Ford Mustang Dark Horse.
Both Keselowski and Newman have repeatedly expressed their faith in Preece’s potential, drawing parallels between his early struggles and Joey Logano‘s eventual success. For Newman, witnessing Preece defy the odds and succeed serves as a personal affirmation for perseverance. He views it as a testament to the importance of identifying raw talent despite the challenges on the road to success.
With Preece now set to start fourth in the 2025 Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, it opens up an opportunity for him to finally make his mark under Keselowski’s guidance and Newman’s support. His strong qualifying effort, coupled with his past experiences and success at Talladega, could pave the way for his first Cup Series victory at this notoriously unpredictable track.
As the race is about to start, all eyes will be on Ryan Preece. Would he be able to leverage his qualifying speed and past victories to clinch his first Cup Series triumph at the Alabama superspeedway? Only time will reveal the answer but there’s an undeniable excitement in the air surrounding this promising new talent in NASCAR racing.
