34-year-old Ryan Preece prepares for the next chapter of his Cup Series career with RFK Racing picking him to pilot their third entry. The former Stewart-Haas Racing man will drive the No. 60 Ford Mustang Dark Horse beginning in 2025. He is no doubt an exemplary driver, but there are specific reasons why team co-owner Brad Keselowski chose him from the range of options he had.
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Journalist Claire B Lang wrote on X, “I look for people who have specific talent sets…combined with work ethic” @keselowski He says @RyanPreece_ has it all just hasn’t been in the right situation before to truly showcase his ability.”
Preece has four top-5s and 16 top-10s in 187 Cup Series starts since 2015. He earned one top-5 and four top-10s in the season that just ended.
True to what Keselowski noted, Stewart-Haas Racing was no place for a driver to thrive in its final years. Any talent that Preece had might have been subdued by the larger issues that the organization faced.
A change in team is potentially the break that he is looking for to fulfill his potential. The top brass at RFK Racing are sure that they will be able to provide him with what he needs.
Team President Steve Newmark said, “Ryan Preece is who we identified from day one when discussing this third entry, and his young talent from the grassroots level all the way up to the Cup Series is something that excites us moving forward.”
All three entries of the team will be sponsored by Kroger Racing. Nearly 20 grocery brands under Kroger will be featured on the cars throughout 2025.
This is not Preece’s first time association with Kroger
Kroger was previously the sponsor for JTG Daugherty Racing, the team that Preece drove for from 2019-2021. He moved to Stewart-Haas Racing when the outfit shifted to being a single-car team.
Following team ownership troubles, Kroger Racing had to leave the team following the 2024 season and was looking for suitors. Enter RFK Racing.
All the cars fell into place as though they were predestined and Preece is under Kroger’s umbrella again. Not to mention Chris Buescher received sponsorship from the company from 2016 to 2019 when he was a JTG Daugherty Racing driver as well. All that’s left to do now is perform.
The financials are strong. The teammates have great chemistry. The leadership is determined. RFK Racing under Keselowski has all the signs of becoming a major powerhouse in the Cup Series again. Preece could be the final piece of the puzzle.
