RYAN PREECE (RFK RACING) FORD
2024 DRIVER FANTASY POINTS: 22nd
2025 FANTASY NASCAR RANK: 24TH
* The 2025 ranking are based on the driver’s projected points scored for the 2025 season and not his predicted finish in the Cup Series standings. The rankings are based on the driver’s performance last year, momentum heading into the 2025 season and the strength of the driver’s team.
2024 RECAP / 2025 PREVIEW: Ryan Preece has been a full-time Cup Series driver for five seasons. His last two years were with Stewart-Haas Racing in the No. 41 car. Preece performed a lot better than I expected last year. He had 5 finishes in the top-10 (Martinsville, Nashville, Watkins Glen, Bristol and Homestead). The best finish for Preece came at Nashville when he started 22nd and finished 4th. Preece has always been at his best on the short tracks. His best track is Bristol and Preece is surprisingly a good sleeper pick at the Charlotte Roval.
Ryan Preece moves from one Ford to another Ford in 2025. Preece will be behind the seat of the newly formed No. 60 team for RFK Racing. The team purchased a charter from Rick Ware Racing to form a 3rd team. RFK Racing has been showing some improvements over the last two years, but are they ready to add a 3rd team? That is the question that needs to be answered in 2025. Having Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher as teammates is not a bad place to be for Preece. It may take some time for the No. 60 team to get going this year, but Preece will still be a good pick for your fantasy lineups whenever the Cup Series travels to a short track in 2025.
SUPERSPEEDWAY VALUE (DAYTONA, TALLADEGA, ATLANTA)
Ryan Preece has had some success on the Superspeedways in his career. He finished 4th at Daytona in 2021, 8th at Talladega in 2023 and he finished both races at Atlanta in the top-18 last year. He has been inconsistent at these tracks, but maybe the switch to RFK Racing will help Preece gain some fantasy value at these tracks. Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher are two of the best drivers at the Superspeedways. I expect Preece to spend a lot of time in the draft working with his RFK Racing teammates. That is not a bad place to be. Preece is too inconsistent to use in your Fantasy Live lineups, but he could be an excellent pick for your DFS Contests if he qualifies outside the top-20, with a good chance to score place differential points.
(Ryan Preece ranked 28th in fantasy points scored on the Superspeedways last year with an average finishing position of 24.2)
SHORT TRACK VALUE (PHOENIX, RICHMOND, MARTINSVILLE, BRISTOL, GATEWAY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, IOWA)
Ryan Preece is at his best on the short tracks. He has been really good in his career on the concrete at Bristol. Preece has 8 starts on the concrete at Bristol and his average finishing position is 14.3. That includes a 7th-place finish last year in the Bristol Night Race. Brad Keselowski is also really good in Thunder Valley. I expect the No. 60 car to have some speed and run in the top-10 at Bristol. It would be a good idea to use Preece as your One & Done pick in one of the two races at Bristol. He will also have some value in DFS lineups at the track too.
Ryan Preece has been good but not great at the other short tracks. He finished 9th and 14th in the two races at Martinsville and 11th at New Hampshire. Preece may have some fantasy value at these tracks in 2025, but I would not write his name in pen just yet. Wait and see how fast the No. 60 car is in practice and qualifying before you decide to use him in your DFS lineups. There are better drivers to use in your Fantasy Live lineups at the short tracks in 2025.
(Ryan Preece ranked 21st in fantasy points scored on the short tracks last year with an average finishing position of 18.7)
INTERMEDIATE TRACK VALUE (LAS VEGAS, KANSAS, CHARLOTTE, TEXAS, NASHVILLE AND DOVER)
Ryan Preece has been a decent fantasy pick for DFS Contests at the intermediate tracks. He finished 12th at Texas, 4th at Nashville and 16th at Kansas. Preece averaged 10 place differential points at the intermediate tracks last year. As long as he can finish around the 21st position and score 10 place differential points, Preece will be one of the best sleeper picks at the bottom of your DFS lineups. I will stick to the drivers from Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsport and Team Penske for your Fantasy Lineups when the Cup Series travels to the intermediate tracks in 2025.
(Ryan Preece ranked 21st in fantasy points scored on the intermediate tracks last year with an average finishing position of 21st)
HIGH TIRE WEAR TRACK VALUE (DARLINGTON, MICHIGAN, HOMESTEAD)
Stewart-Haas Racing was at their best on the high tire-wear tracks last year, so it was not a surprise to see Ryan Preece have some success in these races. Preece finished 17th in the spring race at Darlington and then he finished 12th in the Southern 500. He also finished 11th at Michigan and 10th at Homestead. That is an average finishing position of 12.5 for a driver who was cheap and had low ownership in DFS Contests. The switch to RFK Racing my slow him down a bit, but Preece should still be one of the better drivers for the bottom of your DFS lineups at Darlington, Michigan and Homestead this year. I would use the drivers from the top organizations in your Fantasy Live lineups at these tracks.
(Ryan Preece ranked 11th in fantasy points scored on the high tire wear tracks last year with an average finishing position of 12.5)
ROAD COURSE TRACK VALUE (COTA, SONOMA, WATKINS GLEN, CHICAGO STREET, MEXICO AND CHARLOTTE ROVAL)
Ryan Preece has had some success on the road courses, but he is too inconsistent to be trusted in your Fantasy Live or DFS lineups. Preece had his best road course race last year at Watkins Glen. He qualified 21st and finished 9th. It was his only top-15 finish on a road course last year. Preece will need to lean on Chris Buescher if he wants to improve on the road courses in 2025. Buescher is one of the most consistent drivers in the Cup Series at these tracks. Team Owner, Brad Keselowski is not very good. I expect Preece to be better than Keselowski, but worse than Buescher on the road courses this year.
(Ryan Preece ranked 23rd in fantasy points scored on the road courses last year with an average finishing position of 22.2)
Best Tracks for Ryan Preece: 1) Bristol, 2) Nashville, 3) Martinsville, 4) Richmond, 5) Homestead
Be sure to check out all of the Driver Preview articles that will be released later this week. I will have the drivers ranked 21st – 35th for FREE. The top-20 will be behind the pay wall, so the members can get an advantage over their competitors.
* Team Information from Jaysky.com
** If you need any further advice with your team, look for me on X (Twitter) @MrFantasyNASCAR
*** If you like Fantasy NASCAR, LIKE my Fantasy NASCAR Tips Page on Facebook