Brad Keselowski’s NASCAR Driver Gets Candid on Daytona Fumble With Honest HMS Admission

Ryan Preece’s visit to Daytona seems cursed in some manner. In 2023, his car went airborne, flipped mid-air a dozen times before crashing on the ground. That horrifying crash had a sequel this February, when a brush with Christopher Bell made his Ford rear up into a wheelie on its back wheels before going airborne. Although those spine-chilling endeavors finally came to an end on his last visit to the superspeedway, fresh threats appeared. They were none other than Hendrick Motorsports rivals.

Ryan Preece was a hair’s breadth away from clinching a 2025 playoff seat. He clinched 10 top tens and 3 top fives across the regular season. What is more, Preece regularly beat both Brad Keselowski, his team owner, and Chris Buescher, his teammate, in terms of stats. But an encounter in Daytona dashed his final ambition, which Preece talked about recently.

Ryan Preece knew it was deliberate

The No. 60 Ford driver has reversed his 2024 misfortunes. After leaving Stewart-Haas Racing with not-so-good memories, Ryan Preece had a fresh slate under Brad Keselowski’s banner. And he has done a great job – his average start is up seven spots over last year. He is within the top 20 in points after the playoff reset. The ramped-up TV time is also a bonus, as Preece has been mentioned more and more on race broadcasts as he’s run better. However, all these achievements came loose with his run at Daytona. During the Coke Zero Sugar 400, Preece was in the perfect spot to win. With two laps to go, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott did what they could to push Alex Bowman into the playoffs. So they split Preece and sent him back through the middle, ending his shot at the victory.

As he ended up finishing a disappointing 14th, Ryan Preece’s frustration knew no bounds. After having a verbal outburst, the RFK star reflected at large in Daytona on Backstretch banter: “I felt like we had control of the race; we really did. When we did that, it just when, when I made that move to go up in front of the forty-three just simultaneously the five happened to harpoon the forty-three and give him a really big nudge that got him out of shape. And that just put you know basically three out of the four cars that were behind me were Hendrick cars. And you know they needed to do what their organization needed to do, which was basically get rid of me.”

As a result of this, all three RFK Racing cars ended up missing the playoffs. This was a big blow to the organization, which was looking to get two in on points if there weren’t 14 different winners in the first 16 races. Ryan Preece‘s teammate, Chris Buescher, was in the top 10 in points after Daytona before the reset. Preece lamented the fact that both he and Buescher fell behind last weekend. “Frustrated,” he said. “I did everything right, put the car where I needed to be… If I had Chris right behind or if I could have gotten in the same line, that would have been best best-case scenario.”

Now, however, Ryan Preece is looking forward to making up for his mistakes. While he is at it, he will participate in a special motorsports event.

Participating in a legacy event

Many NASCAR drivers have a common hobby – owning collector vehicles. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a car graveyard, located on his private property at Dirty Mo Acres in North Carolina. It is a collection of over 75 wrecked race cars, including NASCAR, IndyCar, and even a Truck Series machine. Ryan Preece will be part of an event immortalizing this hobby recently – the Collector Car Live at The Big E. The event will spotlight the legacy of the New England Auto Racers. It will also feature a curated collection of more than 100 classic, custom, and collector show vehicles. This collection ranges from the early 1900s to modern marvels.

Ryan Preece will join the “Track Talk: A Conversation on Racing, History and Horsepower,” a special panel on stage. The panel discussion will be held at 3 p.m. with FOX NASCAR’s Mike Joy, Wayne Carini of Chasing Classic Cars, Steve Magnante of Barrett-Jackson, and special guest Preece. A meet and greet with show hosts and Preece will take place at 4 p.m. The Big E, celebrating the rich history and culture of New England, continues to attract large crowds with events like Collector Car Live, showcasing the finest in automotive history and racing talent.

Despite a failed attempt at making the playoffs, Ryan Preece’s enthusiasm is intact. Success may be waiting for the RFK Racing driver just around the corner.