Ryan Preece, once under the guidance of the legendary Tony Stewart at Stewart-Haas Racing, is steering his career in a new direction as he embarks on what many are calling a redemption tour in 2025. With Stewart-Haas Racing’s closure in 2024, Preece faced uncertainty and a possible return to modified racing in Connecticut. However, RFK Racing offered him a lifeline, guided by the expertise of Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher. As Preece eagerly begins this new phase, he acknowledges the significant influence Stewart had on his early career, yet his sights are now firmly set on the possibilities that RFK Racing presents.
Having transitioned from Stewart-Haas to RFK Racing, Preece finds himself rejuvenated in his career. He attributes this renewal to Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher, who have been instrumental in his progress. Preece expresses his gratitude, saying,
“I can’t thank Brad and Chris enough, just for how open they are.” Keselowski, co-owner of RFK Racing, recognized Preece’s potential and signed him for the No. 60
Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Keselowski once noted, “He probably hasn’t been in the opportunities he needs to be in to be successful.”
Preece’s journey has been challenging, marked by years of searching for consistent results. Reflecting on past struggles, he mentions,
“I’m here to win and, you know, for the past six years or five years I’ve done a lot of freaking losing.”
Despite Tony Stewart’s mentorship, Preece’s results at Stewart-Haas were modest, with two top-five and seven top-ten finishes across two seasons. His last victory in the Xfinity series dates back to the 2018 Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300.
Under the mentorship of Keselowski and Buescher, Preece developed new perspectives, which he describes as pivotal after years of frustration. He explained,
“Advice or just different perspectives. That’s been super helpful for me to keep escalating and being a better race car driver.”
Their support catalyzed a change in mindset, exemplified by his second-place finish at Talladega, the impact of which cannot be overstated.
Looking to the future, Preece is more determined than ever to excel. He believes that years of commitment are finally yielding results, evidenced by his close finish at Talladega, just 0.022 seconds shy of victory. Preece maintains optimism about his capabilities across various race tracks, stating,
“We’re going to be a threat at short tracks, mile and a halves, super speedways, and road courses.”
Despite facing skepticism from critics before the 2025 season, Preece’s improving performances argue a different story. He noted,
“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.”
Talladega could mark a turning point for Preece, steering him towards a breakout season, though challenges remain, as revealed in the post-race inspection.
However, the excitement of Preece’s near-victory was tempered when an inspection discovered a rules violation in his No. 60 RFK Racing Ford due to additional shims on the rear spoiler. Consequently, his finish was adjusted to 38th place, a setback for RFK Racing.
Brad Keselowski, a co-owner and driver, was expected to perform well at Talladega, given his expertise. However, a series of misfortunes, including a collision involving
Kyle Busch, resulted in a disappointing 36th-place finish. Similarly, Chris Buescher faced challenges, suffering damage from the Keselowski-Busch incident, eventually leading to a spin that took out
Christopher Bell. Buescher’s race ended prematurely in 34th place, marking a day of disappointment for RFK Racing.
Both Keselowski and Buescher have played crucial roles in elevating RFK Racing since Keselowski joined as co-owner. Their early exits at Talladega underscored the unpredictable nature of superspeedway racing. Nonetheless, RFK Racing remains hopeful to rebound from these setbacks, starting with the upcoming race at Texas Motor Speedway.
