When Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) folded at the end of 2024, many believed Ryan Preece’s Cup Series career might be over. But fast-forward to the summer of 2025, and Preece is flipping the script. He’s stacking top-five finishes, stirring up the playoff picture, and catching the attention of insiders, including Kevin Harvick, who’s had plenty to say about Preece’s rise, and a few pointed words for SHR.
A year ago, Ryan Preece was fighting to stay afloat in a struggling organization. When the team shut down last year, he was left without a ride, and without financial backing. Once again, he had to bet on himself, just like he did years ago when sheer grit and self-funded hustle carried him to victory lane.
But thanks to RFK Racing and a leap into their third car, the No.60 Ford, opportunity knocked. Now, through the summer stretch of 2025, Preece isn’t just surviving, he’s thriving, outpacing expectations with a series of top-five performances and injecting new life into the playoff chase that Cup Series insiders have taken notice of.
Kevin Harvick’s candid reflection and stinging comparison
In a recent conversation, Kevin Harvick praised Preece’s impressive run with RFK Racing, recalling how Preece had previously gambled on his career by self-funding a winning effort.
Harvick emphasized that Preece’s self-belief, mental toughness, and driving talent are shining through again in 2025. He credited RFK’s support and belief in Preece as key factors in his current consistent performance, which Harvick always anticipated would happen in the right circumstances.
On the recent episode of “Happy Hours,” Harvick recalled “He took all the chances on himself and put himself in victory lane and spent his own money and created his own situation to believe in himself,” emphasizing that this self-belief and the gritty bet on his future is paying dividends again this season. Harvick commented, “The consistency that they have had… and this is what everybody… let’s go back… this is what I for sure expected out of Ryan Preece.”
Kevin Harvick then drew a sharp line between this resurgence and the struggles at Preece’s former Cup Series employer, Stewart-Haas Racing, co-owned by Tony Stewart and Gene Haas.
He didn’t mince words about SHR’s decline: “How bad those cars were actually in over those last couple years with everything that was happening… because all of those guys have gone on to shine…” For Harvick, the proof is in the results Josh Berry has since tasted victory, Chase Briscoe is performing solidly, and now Preece is the one delivering consistent quality for RFK.
No longer burdened by organizational turmoil, Preece is part of a thriving garage atmosphere. Harvick cited the visible camaraderie among RFK teammates Preece, Chris Buescher, and Brad Keselowski during driver intros and behind the scenes. “It’s a good vibe that they have going on at RFK… with the chemistry of everything that they have going on….Preece and that 60 car have just got it done.”
Kaitlyn Vincie, joining Harvick on the episode, highlighted the staggering change: “I was looking at the stats from last year…Ryan Preece, and it is a dramatic difference.”
Kevin Harvick agreed: “You can’t even compare, and now we realize it’s really not even fair to compare those notes.” The collaborative energy at RFK stands in stark contrast to the troubled years before. With the playoff cut looming, Mamba Smith pointed out that Preece is “one Cup win away from being on the short list of winning in all three series,” recalling his hard-fought wins at Iowa, Nashville, and Bristol and predicting RFK could win races outright in the coming weeks. Even Harvick sees the No.60 as poised for a breakthrough, needing “just a little bit of speed” to capitalize on their momentum.
An upward trajectory built on discipline and chemistry
Preece’s resurgence isn’t just about escaping a struggling organization; it’s about blending personal discipline, improved team culture, and on-track execution. Since joining RFK, he has logged his best season to date, notching back-to-back top-five finishes for the first time in his Cup career. At the midpoint of the season, he’s riding the edge of playoff contention, occupying the 16th and final spot, just ahead of AJ Allmendinger.
Through adversity, including a disqualification at Talladega and a four-race slump in April and May, Preece and RFK have bounced back, signaling that they’re learning and tweaking rather than folding under pressure. Preece attributes much of his improved form to a driving style adapted for tracks like Nashville, paired with being “disciplined with the line” and constantly reviewing his approach.
Earlier this month, during an interview, Ryan said, “No… He’s (Brad) my teammate and owner. He’s part of the group that signs my check. I want to do the best thing I can for him and do what’s right for the company… If I didn’t get as loose as I did and I felt like I could challenge the 19 or the 24 for the win, I would have raced the sh*t out of him.”
One missing but critical link remains: qualifying consistency. Outside of two top-five starts, Preece’s average start is mired outside the top-20. Still, his openness about these weaknesses and the willingness to work through them with input from RFK’s leadership mirrors the chemistry described by Harvick.
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