RFK Racing is expanding its operations sporting a third car, the #60 Ford, piloted by Ryan Preece for the upcoming season. The announcement of Preece’s integration into the team emerged shortly after the end of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Season, though the crew chief for the #60 team remained undisclosed. Recent updates show that Derrick Finley has been designated to spearhead the team.
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Finley, a familiar face within RFK Racing since 2022, is well-versed in the crew chief responsibilities. During the 2024 season, he helmed the #Stage60 program. He managed the #60 team across three races with drivers David Ragan at Daytona International Speedway, Cam Waters at Sonoma Raceway, and Joey Hand at Chicago Street Race.
His role as a crew chief is backed by two decades of experience, guiding NASCAR drivers such as Michael McDowell at Front Row Motorsports, Joe Nemechek with the Jerry Freeze team, and others including Reed Sorenson, Josh Wise, Justin Marks, Brett Moffitt, and Chris Buescher.
Derrick’s career spans multiple senior roles, including Director of Operations, Technical Director, and Competition Director across various organizations like Front Row Motorsports, Petty Enterprises, and Michael Waltrip Racing. Although a victory has eluded him thus far, his guidance on the race track has led to eight top-10 finishes for his drivers.
Meanwhile, Preece brings a record of four top-five and 16 top-10 finishes from 187 career NASCAR Cup Series starts. In the upcoming season, under Finley’s leadership, Preece will aim to enhance these statistics beginning with their first collaboration at the Busch Light Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, followed by Daytona.
Expressing enthusiasm about his new role, Finley remarked, “I am incredibly excited to lead the No. 60 team. I’m looking forward to working with Ryan (Preece) and the entire team. It’s a great opportunity to help start up a new team as we continue to grow at RFK Racing.”
Preece and Keselowski are excited about Finley elevating to the role of crew chief
Preece, eager for his first NASCAR Cup Series victory and having raced for four different teams over his seven-year career in the top tier, expressed his confidence in Finley’s deep-rooted experience at RFK Racing as pivotal for a strong start with his new team.
He noted, “Derrick will be a big help in getting the team integrated in the RFK processes. His experience with the procedures the organization has in place will help lay the foundation for the No. 60 car.”
Echoing this optimism, Keselowski conveyed his excitement about having Finley at the helm of the #60 team. He emphasized that Finley’s experience and technical acumen will be important for the team’s early development and ongoing success.
