Ryan Preece Breaks Silence After NASCAR Denies RFK Racing Appeal
· Yahoo Sports
Ryan Preece arrived at Nashville Superspeedway carrying more than just another race weekend on his schedule.
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Just days after NASCAR’s National Motorsports Appeals Panel upheld a 25-point penalty and $50,000 fine stemming from an incident involving Ty Gibbs at Texas Motor Speedway, the RFK Racing driver publicly addressed the ruling for the first time.
While Preece made it clear he has strong feelings about the outcome, he also made it equally clear that dwelling on the decision will not change it.
“I have a lot of thoughts, but I’m looking forward to racing here this weekend,” Preece told reporters Saturday at Nashville Superspeedway. “It is what it is.”
The appeal decision represented a significant setback for the No. 60 team, particularly as the NASCAR Cup Series season approaches the stretch run toward the playoffs. Yet Preece’s comments suggested his focus has already shifted from what happened in the appeals room to what happens on the racetrack over the next 13 races.
Preece Still Believes RFK Had A Strong Case
Although Preece declined to publicly challenge the panel’s decision, he acknowledged that RFK Racing felt strongly enough about the circumstances to pursue the appeal.
According to Preece, RFK president Chip Bowers played a major role in reviewing the situation and helping determine whether the team should move forward with the process.
“Chip looked at [the data] and said, ‘This is absolutely worth appealing over,'” Preece noted. “I thank him. He knows I’m a very passionate person about racing, put a lot into it. When I say I didn’t do something, I didn’t.”
Preece also credited crew chief Derrick Finley and other members of the organization for supporting him throughout the appeal process.
Still, one lesson appears to have come from the ordeal.
Asked about how he would handle a similar situation in the future, Preece indicated he would be much more cautious about expressing frustration over the team radio.
“I can promise you, I wouldn’t hit that button.”
Later, he expanded on that thought while discussing a conversation with RFK owner Jack Roush.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for him,” Preece said of Roush. “There was a lot of interviews on how drivers use their radios to vent – it’s kind of like going to a psychiatrist. You aren’t going to sit into a mirror and talk to yourself, you need somebody to hear it. Certainly, won’t be hitting that button anymore.”
The Bigger Concern Is The Playoff Picture
RFK Racing teammates Ryan Preece (right) and Brad Keselowski walk the track before practice for the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Feb. 1, 2025, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Both drivers addressed the aftermath of NASCAR’s decision to uphold Preece’s 25-point penalty ahead of the Nashville race weekend.While the appeal itself generated headlines, the larger story may be what the penalty means for Preece’s postseason hopes.
The 25-point deduction dropped him closer to the playoff cut line at a critical point in the season. According to NASCAR, Preece sits just 15 points ahead of Austin Cindric as the regular season reaches its halfway mark.
The timing is particularly frustrating because Preece has quietly put together one of the strongest seasons of his Cup Series career. He owns a 15.3 average finish through the opening portion of the year and has recorded top-10 finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway and EchoPark Speedway.
Preece even compared the penalty’s impact to suffering a DNF in the standings.
Despite that, he is not panicking.
“I’m not too concerned,” Preece added. “I like the fact that it puts us in this situation of playing offense more than being concerned of we need to keep it in 12th or hopefully above. Now, we have to fight to go forward and that’s where our goals are.”
RFK Racing co-owner Brad Keselowski struck a similar tone while acknowledging the obvious impact of losing those points.
“It’s nice to have all three cars currently sitting inside of The Chase line,” Keselowski said proudly. “Certainly, would be more comfortable without that penalty.”
For now, the appeal is over. The penalty remains. And with Nashville marking the beginning of the second half of the regular season, Preece’s attention is squarely on proving his playoff credentials on the track rather than in a hearing room.