One of the longest-running rumors of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season was that Ryan Preece will race for RFK racing in 2025. This rumor is all but confirmed, as insiders, NASCAR itself, and RFK have walked around the subject for several weeks now. But for those who’ve missed out, here’s a look at what has happened with this long term rumor so far.
On May 28, Stewart-Haas Racing announced its closure 15 years into its existence. The team fielded four drivers this season: Josh Barry, Noah Gregson, Chase, Briscoe, and Ryan Preece. As these drivers seemingly flew off the free agency shelf, Preece remained a free agent throughout the summer.
Even rumors that Preece would join the newly named Haas Factory Team fell apart when Gene Haas announced that Cole Custer would drive that entry in 2025. Coming out of the summer months and the Olympic break, in particular, many fans wondered why they hadn’t heard anything about Ryan Preece.
On Aug. 15, Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal published a major story on X. The story stated that Kroger, currently a sponsor at JTG-Daugherty Racing, will jump ship to RFK Racing in 2025.
This was shocking not only because Kroger was tied to Joe Gibbs Racing for 2025 but also because Stern circled Ryan Preece as the leading candidate to drive this new entry. However, those inside the garage kept rather tight lips about this signing as the month went on.
Even at NASCAR playoff media day in early September, Brad Keselowski danced around the subject without any word on the matter.
However, this expansion makes sense, as with Kroger, RFK Racing will be one of the most sponsored teams on the grid.
As this story simmered down with other major silly season news revolving around 23XI racing, a post from RFK Racing’s X account made fans all the more speculative about Preece’s future with the team.
The numbers in this time stamp in this meme includes RFK’s 6 and 17. However, it stops right before looping up to the next minute. While some thought this was over speculation, most fans felt it was a reference to this new car, perhaps numbered as the No. 60.
Up until this point. This was the first time that RFK had suggested that this third car was happening.
What’s Happening? On Monday, NASCAR hosted a test of Goodyear’s wet-weather tire at Homestead Miami Speedway. While this testing is newsworthy…
On Oct. 29, the story had its next biggest news day when NASCAR Cup Series Managing Director Brad Moran appeared on SiriusXM channel 90. Moran said, “Preece was in the 60 car, which is his drive for next year.”
These comments reference Preece testing what some thought was the No. 6 but revealed to be the number 60 at Homestead following the Cup Series race weekend. This interview was the first time anyone associated directly with NASCAR had mentioned Preece being the driver of the number 60.
Following the conclusion of the NASCAR Cup series season at Phoenix, RFK Racing posted a photo on Instagram of Brad Keselowski and Ryan Preece walking together post-race.
Of course, fans took this post to be a reference to Preece heading to RFK in 2025, as the photo was on the very last slide in the post. Furthermore, Brad Keselowski tweeted that you should expect major announcements in the coming weeks, with emphasis on the word official.
On November 19, RFK Racing, Kroger, and Preece confirmed the new car. The worst-kept secret in NASCAR was over. This deal included the rumored leased charter from Rick Ware Racing, though, at press time, it is unknown what charter that is.
This announcement included jokes from Brad and the RFK social media admin (with reference to the No. 59 car rumor).
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