Ryan Preece, piloting the No. 60 Crumbl/Sysco Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing, is targeting a major result at the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series event in Las Vegas after his recent sixth-place finish on the Charlotte ROVAL. That result marked Preece’s 11th top-10 of 2025—a career-best for the Connecticut native—as he and his team approach the closing stages of the season. The Ryan Preece Las Vegas race ambition is clear: break through for his first NASCAR Cup Series victory as new partners back his efforts this weekend.
Preece addressed the media ahead of the Las Vegas event, reflecting on his team’s progress, the introduction of new sponsors Crumbl Cookie and Sysco, and his belief that strong results can continue through the final four races.
New Sponsors, New Motivation for RFK Racing
As the season draws to a close, Preece is energized by having Crumbl Cookie and Sysco as fresh partners adorning the No. 60 Ford. He credits his sixth-place run at Charlotte’s ROVAL as an important turning point after a stretch of races with unrealized potential in late summer. That positive momentum is now fueling the team’s approach to both Las Vegas and the remaining races, which include tracks where Preece feels competitive and confident.
“Honestly, the ROVAL was a nice way to kind of get back on track. I felt like there were definitely some runs in August and September that had a lot of potential, it just kind of seemed like we hit a rut and weren’t able to capitalize on some of the days we were having. The ROVAL seemed like it got us out of that slump, so heading to Las Vegas, having Crumbl Cookie and Sysco on the car is exciting for us. It’s a new partner for RFK and then going to Talladega and Martinsville and Phoenix, these next four races are all places that I enjoy going to. We’ve had some good results and a place that we’re going for a second time, so we can still try to capitalize and win before the season is over.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Intermediate Tracks Provide Preece with New Opportunities
Las Vegas represents a key mile-and-a-half track for Preece, who views these circuits as benchmarks for performance and team growth. The gains learned earlier this year at the Nevada venue are points of emphasis for Preece—especially with another Las Vegas race coming in March next season. He is optimistic about the car and team and sees this weekend as not only vital for the current campaign, but also as preparation for 2026.
“That’s a great way of looking at it. For us, I feel like the mile-and-a-halves have been just progress and something I’ve grown more and more comfortable with, and really just leaning on Brad and Chris. Going to Las Vegas, where we had a solid run earlier this year, it’s kind of like a benchmark of, ‘hey, what can we do to continue to make progress and contend for a win.’ We had a strong qualifying effort and worked on the car throughout the day, so I feel like this is a place that we could definitely see progress. I feel a lot more comfortable in the cars and that makes me feel very optimistic going into it. The goal is still to win. Even though we’re not in the playoffs and RFK is not in the playoffs, that’s the goal for all three of our teams, so that’s the plan.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Navigating Playoffs and Team Goals in the Final Stretch
Though neither Preece nor RFK Racing are part of the NASCAR playoffs, the team’s competitive drive remains strong. Preece explains the balance between supporting Ford-affiliated playoff contenders and focusing on his own team’s goals. He is determined to race for wins over simply playing a supporting or passive role, stating his commitment to giving the best effort for his crew, the Fenway Group, Brad Keselowski, and Jack Roush.
“I think that’s challenging. Every situation is different and at the end of the day we’re still racing for our team and the seasons that we still have going on. I didn’t make the playoff format. In other forms of sports, when you’re not in the playoffs, you’re not playing. Well, we’re still playing. We’re still a part of these races, so from a bigger picture standpoint within the Ford group, Joey and Ryan Blaney, we want the best for them. We want them to go to Phoenix and go get Ford another title, but, at the same time, going to Las Vegas, Talladega, Martinsville and Phoenix, we need to go capitalize for Jack, for the Fenway Group, for Brad and put ourselves in contention to win. If I just chose to ride around in 15th or 10th or whatever and not try to win the race, I wouldn’t be doing myself justice, my family justice or the team justice. Every situation is different, but I didn’t make this format, and I still have to race for my team.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Prepared for Race Day Challenges at Las Vegas
Preece describes preparation for each race as highly situational, noting that adaptability is key given the unpredictable nature of competition. He feels more confident heading into Las Vegas compared to earlier in the year, driven by a clear focus on winning and continually adjusting his approach as events unfold.
“I think every situation is different and how you approach that, you can’t sit here and say that right now because you don’t know what it’s gonna be. You don’t know the situation you’re gonna be in or not be in, so with that being said, it’s really difficult to say what you’re going to do in the moment because as a race car driver your number one focus is to win. That is our job, and how I approach a weekend from a racing perspective as a race car driver is to win and you adjust your goals accordingly throughout that event. For me, I feel more prepared going into this Las Vegas race than I did earlier this season, so I’m looking forward to that.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Racing Ethos: Competing Without Compromising Integrity
Preece comments on the unwritten rules of intense on-track competition, making clear that while he races aggressively for his own results, he maintains respect for fellow drivers, including those in the playoff hunt. He emphasizes that while he won’t intentionally disrupt other contending drivers such as Joey Logano or Ryan Blaney, he won’t shy away from pursuing victory outright when the opportunity arises.
“I’m not gonna wreck Joey Logano or Ryan Blaney or anybody to win, but if I’m leading at the end of that race, I don’t know. What am I gonna do, give up a win? So, at the end of the day if any competitor is faster than me and they’re able to beat me without me rolling over, then good for them. They won, but I’m not gonna lift.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Martinsville and Short Track Racing Insights
Preece feels at home at challenging short tracks like Martinsville, describing how his background racing on quarter-mile ovals has helped him master the half-mile venue’s unique demands. That experience strengthens his confidence for upcoming events at both Martinsville and other similar circuits.
“Martinsville is a place that I’ve definitely been comfortable at, whether it was a modified or a Cup car, it’s been a place that we’ve had speed. I’m just comfortable. As far as what it takes to be fast around there, I feel like that’s something that you learn when you’re short track racing in your style when it comes to the shorter type of race track. For me, Martinsville just fits that style. It fits what I grew up racing, which even though it’s a half-mile racetrack, I’m used to racing on quarter-mile bullrings, so anything you can do to be fast at those places translates to Martinsville.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Measuring Season Success and Looking Forward
Despite falling short of a playoff berth, Preece is proud of the consistency and growth his new team at RFK Racing has shown. He highlights strong execution, steady improvement, and the building of a foundation that he hopes will yield even greater results next season, emphasizing growth through adversity and the high potential he sees in the organization for the future.
“I’ll be honest with you, I think it shocked a lot of people for a first-year team that has never been together or been at RFK as an organization, so I feel like we’ve executed and done a good job on being consistent and making progress outside of winning. A win would have locked us into the playoffs, but if you take away winning and you’re in, I see some things. I think we’d be like 12th or whatever in points and that’s not something to be upset with. I think that’s a solid foundation towards hopefully a really, really strong contending season next year. At the end of the day, all I can do is control the things that I can control. For me, I feel like we’ve made a lot of progress and we continue to make progress and even in moments of adversity we find a way to execute, so I see a really high ceiling on all fronts and that makes me feel really optimistic and excited about 2026.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Connecting Fans and Sponsors Through Personality
Preece is grateful for the opportunity to show off his personality off the track through sponsor activations and media engagements. He appreciates the partnerships with Kroger brands and credits RFK Racing for giving fans a closer look at who he is outside the car, which helps build stronger relationships with sponsors and fans alike.
“To be honest with you, I like all of the Kroger partners that we’ve had. Between Minute Rice, Cookie Crumbl, the pizza rolls last week, the list goes on and on. I would say RFK and Kroger have just given me the outlet for you guys to see it. Sometimes I guess it’s not up to me for TV or what-not to come over and ask questions are really just kind of show those things, so RFK I feel like has done a great job showing it because that’s how I am naturally. In moments when you need to be serious, I’m serious, but, at the same time, I feel like we have a great relationship at RFK between Chris, Brad and myself and it makes those things easy.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Personal and Professional Growth in 2025
Reflecting on his journey from New England short tracks to the Cup Series, Preece shares how simplifying his role helped him to grow as a driver. With the support of his wife, team owner Brad Keselowski, and crew chief Chris, he has learned to focus on driving rather than spreading himself too thin, noting the positive impact this approach has had on his performance and approach to racing.
“For me, perspective is everything. Coming from New England, coming from modifieds and the background that I come from, there have been different points in my career. There was Ryan Preece the race car driver. Then there was Ryan Preece that had to be a mechanic as well as a race car driver and have to take on a lot of different roles. Sometimes you need to simplify things and just focus on what your job is, so, for me, it was really tough to separate the guy who built race cars and was trying to understand the setup and why it wasn’t doing what it needed it to do, instead of just worrying about, ‘hey, this is what I need,’ or ‘this is what I need to turn better,’ or ‘I need to be tighter,’ or whatever it may be. So, I feel like coming over to RFK, a lot of conversations with my wife and great conversations with Brad as well as the relationship I already had with Chris, it was easy to just have honest conversations or at least listening and taking it from a different vantage point and how I needed to adjust myself. I feel like I had a lot of growth this year and that’s been nice.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Insights and Inspiration from Brad Keselowski
Preece credits team co-owner and competitor Brad Keselowski for providing valuable insight and motivation. Drawing parallels between their careers, he discusses the importance of hard work and continual improvement, reinforcing his determination to earn his first Cup Series win and to keep striving until that goal is achieved.
“Honestly, it would be really tough to put into words on just a Zoom call about how much I’ve really enjoyed working with Brad because I didn’t even realize some of the stories that I’ve learned along the way about him and his career and how many similarities there really are between his career and mine, so just how you have to work hard to get here. For me, that’s been really nice and seeing perspective and how I’ve looked at things and how he looks at things and areas to keep making better, so that’s been nice. My job moving forward is I want to win. Even though at the Cup Series level I haven’t won, I’ve won in everything I’ve ever been in and it’s something that I’m not OK, like even though we finished sixth at the ROVAL I find it difficult when people are like, ‘Oh yeah, we finished sixth,’ and they’re happy that week. Now, I’ve had five years of a challenging Cup career, so I find success in that, but I still as a race car driver and as a competitor I’m not OK with it because I want to win. There’s a burning desire to succeed and win and I feel like between these next four races as well as going through next season we’re gonna go do that, and I won’t stop until we do.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Collaborative Teamwork Fuels Improvements
Preece points to the synergy within the No. 60 team—especially with Keselowski and crew chief Chris—as a driving factor in their continued improvement. Their shared driver-owner perspective allows them to work together efficiently, refining setups and strategies race-by-race for incremental gains.
“There are a few types of tracks that I would like to continue to build on, ones that I feel like I’ve had success with in the past. I think that’s the nice part about working with Brad as a car owner as well as a driver is he’s feeling the same things I’m feeling. It’s not like you’re talking about things in a meeting afterwards and you’re trying to decipher, ‘is he really feeling this or is it somewhere else?’ Typically, the conversations that Chris, Brad and myself are having is all things that are very similar and how can we make them better. I guess answering the previous question as well is we can streamline that process and that’s been nice.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Executing at Las Vegas: What Made the Difference in the Spring
Preece achieved a standout third-place finish at the spring Las Vegas race, a result he attributes to team execution, pit strategy, and quick adaptation during the event. He recounts how good restarts, Derrick’s decisions on the pit box, and the ability to react to racing circumstances were all integral to their spring success, fueling optimism for another strong performance.
“I think it was an execution of a lot of different things. The speed in the car. Good restart choices. Executing the race is ultimately what got us that third-place finish. I think between pit strategy, I remember there were two guys racing really hard at the end of that race taking air off each other that made us go from a fifth-place finish to a third-place finish and allowed us to capitalize on that, so that was just a group team effort between the car, Derrick’s great calls, the pit crew executing on pit road, and I felt like I did a good job on restarts. I felt like that was where we saw a lot of potential and built momentum for us. I think a lot of different things on that.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Adapting Strategy for the Upcoming Las Vegas Event
With weather predicted to be milder for this fall’s Las Vegas race, Preece is preparing for tire management and race conditions that may differ from earlier in the season. He expects to use the Kansas tire, which offers more wear, and will rely on data from practice and qualifying to adjust strategies on race day. The focus, Preece says, is to build on past progress while seeking the team’s breakthrough win.
“The last time I checked the weather it’s supposed to be in the mid-seventies, so it’s probably a relatively cool race for Las Vegas. It’s hard to say. From what I understand, it’s gonna be the Kansas tire. Kansas had a good amount of wear. As far as how you choose to manage those tires at a mile-and-a-half I’m not entirely sure yet. I felt like I did a pretty good job managing our tires at the ROVAL and taking care of them and understanding the situation after practice, so I don’t necessarily have a game plan set in stone because I feel like you need to see how practice and qualifying goes and then look through information and based off of feel make the best decisions on race day. It’s hard to say just yet, but I feel like we’re one step ahead of where we were when we went in March because this is a track that I felt like we had a lot of potential and hopefully we can go execute, we can do all of the things that we need to do and maybe win.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Preece’s Perspective on the Las Vegas Circuit
The Las Vegas track stands out for its high speeds and technical demands, particularly through turns one and two, which feature challenging bumps. Preece enjoys the varied lines available around the circuit and the need for creativity, which he sees as a major draw and an area where he can excel.
“To me, Las Vegas is definitely what you just said, it’s one of the faster paced mile-and-a-halves, like true mile-and-a-halves. It has a lot of character. One and two has bumps, which can be pretty sketchy, but there’s multiple ways to make speed, so, for me, that’s what makes it really interesting about it. It’s kind of not the same as the old Atlanta, but there’s a lot of technique to getting around turns three and four and going where people don’t and trying to maximize that, so I think Las Vegas is definitely a place when we as drivers go to a mile-and-a-half, that’s one of the favorites.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
Continuous Improvement: Learning from Past Races
Preece is committed to studying past races—including the spring Las Vegas event—in the ongoing effort to refine his driving and approach. He recognizes that racing is an ever-evolving process, with constant opportunities to improve and adjust his style for better results.
“Yeah, I mean there are always things that I feel we can look back on and possibly do better. For me, it’s just continuing to zone in on the style that I want to be better at a mile-and-a-half, so I think we’ve made some gains and we’ll see this weekend.”
— Ryan Preece, Driver
What’s at Stake: Significance for the Team and Preece’s Career
The final events of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series calendar offer Preece and RFK Racing ongoing opportunities to validate their progress and set the stage for a stronger campaign next year. With support from teammates such as Brad Keselowski and Chris, buy-in from sponsors, and flashes of high performance, the team is determined to capitalize on late-season momentum. The Ryan Preece Las Vegas race is not just about chasing a first win—it’s about solidifying RFK’s place as a rebuilt organization and propelling Preece into the conversation for contenders to watch heading into 2026.
The approach is one of passion and resilience, with Preece channeling the lessons of his journey and the collective effort of the RFK Racing crew. As he prepares to take the green flag at Las Vegas, all eyes are on whether the Connecticut driver can transform optimism and preparation into a breakthrough Cup victory.
