Brad Keselowski Outlines Ryan Preece’s “Critical” Skill That NASCAR Drivers Require to Win

Every move that Brad Keselowski has made since he became the co-owner of RFK Racing has been a highly calculated one. So was the decision to transform the team into a three-car operation and make Ryan Preece the face of the third team. Seven races into the 2025 Cup Series season, he has received affirmation that his calls have been on point.

Preece has been exceeding expectations in the new machinery and has impressed his superiors. He finished third in Las Vegas, ninth in Homestead-Miami, and seventh in Martinsville.

Following the three consecutive top-10 results, Keselowski spoke to CBS Sports and heaped confidence on his No. 60 Ford Mustang driver.

He said, “Right now what I like about Ryan is he’s taking what we have and he’s executing at a level that’s probably as good or better than the equipment he’s got. … I like his work ethic, the moves he makes, how he takes smart risks – All of those to me are critical to being successful at this level.”

There isn’t any reason for him to be surprised. He was always aware of the skill and talent that the 34-year-old carried. His downfall at his previous team, Stewart-Haas Racing, was a result of the team’s internal issues. Now that Preece is in equipment worthy of his caliber, he can bring in results. But Keselowski is certain that this isn’t where things stop.

He continued, “I’m happy for it and excited that he’s doing all the things we thought he could do. I think he can do even more than he’s done so far. I think he can win races. And we’re pushing him to get to that spot.” Not many team owners would be as involved with a driver’s success as he is. But being a benefactor isn’t the only dynamic for him.

How has Keselowski been performing in 2025?

Keselowski drives the No. 6 Ford Mustang for his team. He broke a pretty lengthy winless streak last year in Darlington. However, by the looks of it, he has another one sneaking up on him. He is yet to garner a top-10 finish in 2025 after seven races. His best finish of 11th place came in Las Vegas.

His car will sport an attractive gold and black paint scheme this weekend to promote Castrol’s product claims of 7 Critical Areas of performance and protection. It does not exactly fit the purpose of the Throwback Weekend. 

However, the iconic driver likes to think that people will remember this scheme in a Throwback Weekend many years from now because he won the race.

He said, “Somebody made this comment when we did the unveil, ‘hopefully this will be something that somebody else throws back to in another 10, 20 years’ because we win in it this weekend. That’s OK too.” Notably, Keselowski’s father ran cars with gold letters on them back in the day. It certainly makes things more special for him.