Photo credit: www.motorsport.com
Late in 2024, a significant deal emerged, placing Ryan Preece in a third RFK Racing entry for the 2025 season. Initially, many doubted Preece’s ability to contend for victories early on. In a recent conversation with Motorsport.com, he expressed that he was contemplating a return to his home state as opportunities in the Cup Series were rapidly filling up.
However, Preece’s performance at Talladega has solidified his position, indicating he isn’t going anywhere. He has now achieved multiple top-five finishes in a single season for the first time in his career, all within just ten races. Following a third-place finish in Las Vegas, he recorded a career-best second place at Talladega, just shy of victory.
Chasing the Elusive Win
The race concluded with a heart-pounding finale as Preece raced side by side with Austin Cindric, the eventual winner. Cindric benefited from a draft from lapped cars that gave him the crucial advantage. The finish was incredibly tight, with just a 0.022-second gap, leaving Preece still seeking his first win after 197 NASCAR Cup Series starts.
“I’m happy, but as a racer, you want to win,” Preece shared. “I felt like during the tri-oval, we were all together, so nobody was leaving me. I wish I could have side-drafted Austin [Cindric] to pull him back.”
Expressing gratitude to his sponsors and team, Preece remarked, “Without this opportunity, I’d probably be back in Connecticut racing Modifieds. This one is for the modified crowd.” Preece has a strong legacy in NASCAR’s Modified division, where he earned a championship in 2013.
With this impressive performance, Preece is currently ranked 13th in the Cup standings, ahead of both his veteran RFK Racing teammates, who did not advance past the first stage at Talladega.
Reflecting on the race, Preece noted that he and his No. 60 team executed their strategy well, stating: “I felt like we executed Stage 3 exactly as needed. We came out in front of our group and navigated through traffic effectively. Once we were in the top lane, it was essential to manage the cars behind us and protect our gains. I’m incredibly proud of the effort from everyone at RFK for this race car… It’s a great day, but I wanted to win.”
Source
www.motorsport.com