Ryan Preece Opens Up on Daytona Setback and Hendrick Motorsports’ Tactical Play

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway was a high-stakes battleground, where dreams of playoff glory hung in the balance. For RFK Racing’s Ryan Preece, it was a race that promised a breakthrough but ended in frustration. Preece, driving the No. 60 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, was tantalizingly close to securing a playoff berth, only to see his hopes dashed in a chaotic finish. In a candid post-race reflection, Preece didn’t shy away from pointing fingers, particularly at the strategic maneuvers of Hendrick Motorsports drivers that left him stranded. His comments, paired with his raw emotion, offer a glimpse into the cutthroat world of NASCAR’s playoff chase and the lingering question: was it just bad luck, or something more?

A Season of Promise for Preece and RFK Racing

Ryan Preece’s 2025 season has been a revelation. After years of grinding through underfunded rides and inconsistent results, his move to RFK Racing under Brad Keselowski’s leadership marked a turning point. Preece, a 34-year-old Connecticut native, brought a gritty determination honed in the Whelen Modified Tour, where he clinched a championship in 2013. This year, he outshone expectations, racking up seven top-10 finishes and three top-fives, often outpacing his teammates, Keselowski and Chris Buescher. His third-place finish at Las Vegas and a near-win at Talladega—thwarted by a rear spoiler disqualification—showcased a driver hitting his stride.

Entering Daytona, Preece sat 17th in the standings with 591 points, needing a win to leap into the playoffs. RFK Racing, now a three-car operation, had high hopes of getting at least two drivers into the postseason. Buescher held the 16th and final playoff spot, 34 points ahead of Preece, while Keselowski, despite a summer resurgence, also needed a victory. Daytona, with its unpredictable pack racing and superspeedway chaos, was the perfect stage for Preece to seize his moment. Or so it seemed.

The Daytona Drama Unfolds

The Coke Zero Sugar 400 was a pressure cooker from the start. With 13 different winners already locked into the playoffs, the race was a last-chance saloon for drivers like Preece. He started strong, leading segments of the race and positioning his No. 60 Ford competitively in the pack. “I felt like we had control of the race; we really did,” Preece said on Backstretch Banter, his voice tinged with both confidence and frustration. His strategy was clear: stay at the front, manage the lanes, and rely on drafting support to hold position.

But in the closing laps, the race took a brutal turn. Preece made a bold move to slot in front of Erik Jones’ No. 43 car, aiming to maintain his lead. Simultaneously, Kyle Larson’s No. 5 car gave Jones a significant push, unsettling the No. 43 and triggering a chain reaction. “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,” Preece recounted. The result was catastrophic for Preece. Three of the four cars behind him were Hendrick Motorsports entries—Larson, Chase Elliott, and William Byron—who prioritized protecting their teammate Alex Bowman, a driver on the playoff bubble.

Preece didn’t mince words about the outcome. “They needed to do what their organization needed to do, which was basically get rid of me,” he admitted on Backstretch Banter. The Hendrick drivers’ three-wide push isolated Preece, leaving him without the drafting support crucial for superspeedway success. “If I had a Ford behind me, we would’ve f—–g won that race! I mean, I know why they did it,” he added in a post-race interview with Matt Weaver, his frustration palpable. The move allowed Ryan Blaney to surge to victory by a razor-thin 0.031 seconds over Daniel Suarez, while Preece tumbled to a disappointing 14th-place finish.

Hendrick’s Strategy: Teamwork or Sabotage?

Preece’s comments shine a spotlight on the unspoken dynamics of NASCAR racing, where team alliances can make or break a driver’s day. Hendrick Motorsports, the winningest team in Cup Series history, is no stranger to strategic teamwork. With Bowman’s playoff spot at risk, Larson, Elliott, and Byron’s coordinated push was a calculated move to safeguard their teammate’s position. “The 9 and the 5 were worried about their teammate that would have been bumped out, so it was a shitty situation,” Preece noted, acknowledging the harsh reality of rival team priorities.

This wasn’t the first time Preece felt the sting of Hendrick’s tactics. Earlier in the season, similar dynamics played out, with Hendrick drivers focusing on their own agenda. For Preece, it was a bitter pill to swallow, especially after a season where he consistently outperformed expectations. “I did everything right, put the car where I needed to be,” he lamented, reflecting on the missed opportunity. Had teammate Buescher been directly behind him, or had he slotted into a different line, the outcome might have been different. Instead, Preece was left to rue what could have been.

The Emotional Toll and a Look Ahead

The Daytona disappointment hit Preece hard. “Frustrated,” he admitted, his voice carrying the weight of a season’s worth of effort. Yet, his candor reveals a driver who refuses to dwell on setbacks. Preece’s journey has been defined by resilience, from surviving terrifying airborne crashes at Daytona in 2023 and earlier in 2025 to earning the respect of his RFK crew. An insider at RFK praised his leadership, noting, “He’s been really just a joy to work with… he’s such a good leader to the guys.” This team-first mentality has been a cornerstone of Preece’s resurgence, and it’s why RFK remains optimistic about his future.

Despite missing the playoffs, Preece’s focus has already shifted to redemption. He’s set to participate in a special motorsports event, “Track Talk: A Conversation on Racing, History and Horsepower,” alongside FOX NASCAR’s Mike Joy and other industry figures. The event, part of The Big E’s Collector Car Live, underscores Preece’s growing stature in the sport and his passion for its history. For RFK Racing, the playoff miss stings, but the team’s upward trajectory—fueled by Preece’s consistency and Keselowski’s strategic vision—suggests brighter days ahead.

Why This Matters to NASCAR Fans

Preece’s Daytona story resonates because it captures the raw emotion and high stakes that define NASCAR’s playoff chase. His willingness to call out Hendrick’s tactics, while acknowledging the sport’s competitive nature, adds a layer of authenticity that fans crave. It’s a reminder that behind the horsepower and paint schemes are human stories of triumph, frustration, and relentless pursuit. For RFK Racing, the 2025 season was a step forward, with Preece emerging as an unexpected force. As the series heads to Darlington for the playoff opener, the question lingers: can Preece channel this setback into a defining moment in 2026?

For now, Preece’s Daytona fumble serves as a microcosm of NASCAR’s unforgiving landscape, where split-second decisions and team loyalties can alter a season’s trajectory. His honest admission and unfiltered passion ensure that fans will be watching closely, eager to see if he can turn near-misses into victories. In a sport where every lap is a gamble, Ryan Preece is proving he’s all in.