When Stewart-Haas Racing closed its doors last year, its drivers found new homes in no time. Josh Berry, Noah Gragson, and Chase Briscoe landed on their feet. The lone exception was Ryan Preece, left without a seat until Brad Keselowski extended a lifeline through RFK Racing.
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The move paid dividends. Statistically, 2025 has been Preece’s strongest Cup Series season to date: one pole, three top fives, 13 top 10s, and 133 laps led, with an average finish of 15.8 heading into the Phoenix finale.
Yet for Preece, the transformation runs deeper than numbers on paper. This season, he has rediscovered the joy of driving, largely by taking a step back. Ironically, he admitted he’s been less hands-on with the car itself, choosing to focus solely on his craft behind the wheel.
During his Phoenix press conference, Preece reflected on how his approach evolved. In past seasons, he juggled multiple roles: driver, strategist, and even doing the duties of a part-time crew chief, trying to control every variable. “I feel like in the final 10-12 races last year, I came to terms that as much as I was trying to help, I was doing more harm,” he said. Entering 2025, he decided to trust his team completely and channel his energy into driving.
He credits that mental shift and the structure at RFK for his resurgence. “So, a change in mindset was probably a big piece of that, as well as coming over to RFK and seeing what Brad’s been able to help build and continue to build back up of what we can be.”
“We’re all frustrated we didn’t make the playoffs, but there’s a ton of potential between all three of us, and I’m excited for that. For me, it was probably a change in mindset as well as a great group of people that came together and are working on accomplishing the goal. That’s probably the biggest thing I can give you.”
Working alongside Keselowski, the 2012 Cup champion, has also been an education. Preece admitted he hadn’t fully appreciated his new boss’s depth until joining him. But the one thing he has grown to appreciate about Keselowski is his entire backstory.
“I think the biggest thing that opened my eyes to him is he’s a forward thinker. He’s not complacent. He’s always looking to continue to improve all aspects of the company. It doesn’t matter if it’s the race cars, the marketing, or the hospitality side, he’s a forward thinker, and that’s a huge part if you want to be successful on and off the track in racing, so that surprised me a lot. He’s very, very hands-on.”
Though Preece will finish 18th in the standings this season, his course points upward. The confidence, composure, and collaboration he’s found at RFK imply that his best racing may still lie ahead. With Keselowski’s guidance and momentum on his side, the #60 Ford Mustang driver looks ready to turn next season’s playoff battle into a fight where his name belongs in the mix.
