Ryan Preece’s steady rise through the ranks is finally showing on paper, with his stats taking a huge positive bump compared to the last two seasons. That’s exactly why he heads into Talladega this Sunday with confidence.
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After averaging 20.94 and 20.89 in 2023 and 2024, Preece has trimmed that number down to 16.2 this season, proving that his move to RFK Racing has paid dividends. On drafting tracks, his average finish of 22.5 in 33 starts doesn’t leap off the page, but flashes of speed at Daytona, Talladega, and Atlanta have shown that he’s learning how to run with the big dogs.
Back in the spring race, Preece started fourth but limped home in 38th after trouble struck. Still, he believes he can keep his nose clean this time and be in the mix when it counts.
With no playoff teammates depending on him for a push, the pressure is off. This weekend, he’s driving solely for himself.
“Confidence-wise, I have a lot of confidence going into Superspeedways this year. I mean, between the 500, Talladega, Daytona, we’ve been in contention with three to go, leading a lane,” Preece said.
“So, right now, it’s trying to make everything line up. So, it works out that the we are the one in victory lane. And, that’s all you can do because if you put yourself in in contention and give yourself opportunities to win, law of averages end up being on being on your side,” he continued.
When asked if the confidence came from joining Brad Keselowski’s camp, Preece admitted that running for RFK has given him more freedom behind the wheel. Being able to race the way he wants to, he said, allows him to be aggressive when it matters most and build trust among other drivers in the draft.
Preece feels like he’s made himself the kind of driver and team others want to hook up with if they’re trying to win or run up front.
Preece has already stacked three top-five finishes this year, at Las Vegas, Indianapolis, and Iowa, each on a different style of track, showing how versatile he is. Add 12 top tens to the mix, and a strong run at a superspeedway doesn’t seem like a long shot. For the #60 RFK Racing driver, this weekend, it’s simply about keeping his foot in the door long enough for fortune to swing his way finally.
