5 Days to Daytona: RFK Racing #60

Although there are still 5 Days to Daytona, today’s article marks the final preview for an individual team. The RFK Racing #60 team marks the final of 36 team previews for the 2025 season. For the final 4 days of articles, there will be a preview for the open/non-chartered teams, the two lower series, and silly season. Daytona Speedweek predictions will close out the series. As for today, RFK Racing will enter the 2025 with a new team. In 5 Days to Daytona, what can fans expect out of the RFK Racing #60 team?

The #60 Team

Days to Daytona: RFK Racing #60 - Team — Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Driver: Ryan Preece

Crew Chief: Derrick Finley

Sponsors: Kroger, Mohawk Northeast, Castrol, BuildSubmarines.com, Fastenal

2024 Statistics: 1 Top-5, 5 Top-10s, 2 Laps Led, 20.9 Average Finish

2025 Season Preview

Preece’s Best Opportunity

This was discussed a bit in the news article when RFK Racing officially announced a third fulltime team with Ryan Preece driving. Although he has spent 5 fulltime seasons in Cup, it can be argued that none of those years were with great opportunities. Then JTG-Daugherty likely should not have been a two car team while Stewart-Haas Racing was on an escalating decline. However, RFK Racing should be in the midst of their upswing. Since Brad Keselowski became part-owner, the organization has 6 wins and 3 playoff appearances. If Ryan Preece struggles this season, it would be tough to blame it on the team.

Short Track Strength

What might be most encouraging about this venture is the team’s strengths matches the driver’s. Ryan Preece is a known short track ace. His best performances during his Cup tenure were on short tracks, especially Martinsville and Richmond. Meanwhile, the best speed RFK Racing has shown consistently has been on every NASCAR short track. If Preece is able to fully exploit this strength, it would not be asinine to see him win at Martinsville or Richmond.

Pressure From the Jump

When the murmurs starting floating around about RFK Racing running a third fulltime team, the idea of Ryan Preece filling that seat did not thrill many. However, the knowledge that Kroger would essentially be the finances behind the third entry locked Preece into that ride. As mentioned above, a third RFK car should be at worst a Top-15 car most weeks. There will be pressure for Preece to perform, which he has acknowledged in pre-season interviews. The question will be if Preece struggles, will Kroger allow a driver swap or press to keep their favored guy behind the wheel?

Daytona 500 Outlook

Days to Daytona: RFK Racing #60 - Preece Daytona — Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

RFK Racing and Daytona International Speedway, you know that the speed will be there. Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski have worked well at Daytona during the NextGen era. The addition of David Ragan during last year’s 500 did not do much to move the needle though. However, Ryan Preece could be an improvement there due to more familiarity with the car. A trio of RFK cars working together could be an unstoppable force, as long as they can survive until the end.

However, Ryan Preece’s recent history at Daytona International Speedway is shaky at best. Famously, Preece went for an intense tumble down the backstretch in 2023, which called for the removal of the backstretch grass. That was his most famous wreck, but Preece has yet to avoid trouble in his NextGen starts at Daytona. When Preece finishes on the lead lap at Daytona, his average finish is 6.0. Maybe a change of teams will lead to better luck for Preece to be there at the end of this year’s Daytona 500.