LEBANON, Tenn. – Ryan Preece and RFK Racing were unsuccessful on Wednesday in appealing Preece’s behavior penalty – a 25-point loss and $50,000 fine – handed from an excursion with Ty Gibbs in early May at Texas Motor Speedway.
Preece remained steadfast on Saturday at Nashville Speedway when discussing the appeal process. He referred to RFK’s statement from Wednesday multiple times, noting, “It doesn’t matter what I think.”
“I have a lot of thoughts, but I’m looking forward to racing here this weekend,” Preece told a group of media members on Saturday at Nashville Superspeedway. “It is what it is.”
Brad Keselowski, co-owner of RFK Racing, wasn’t in the room for the Wednesday hearing. He feels for his driver but believes the No. 60 team can put the penalty in the rearview and focus forward.
“I didn’t sit in the room, so I can’t articulate everything that happened by any means,” Keselowski stated. “I did get some blow-by-blows. It’s a tough situation. I feel for Ryan. I know he’s frustrated by the outcome. Ultimately, it is what it is and we have to move forward.”
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Preece leaned on RFK president Chip Bowers through the process. He alluded to his crew chief, Derrick Finley, along with other members of the RFK family, gathering data and having a believable case.
“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.”
When a situation occurs in the future, Preece admitted he won’t be hitting his radio button to express his displeasure. He alluded to a singular conversation with Jack Roush where he stated, “I can promise you, I wouldn’t hit that button.”
“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.”
With the 25-point loss, Preece sits squarely on The Chase bubble at the halfway point of the regular season, 15 markers ahead of Austin Cindric. The No. 60 team has a best finish of eighth at Bristol Motor Speedway, with another top 10 at EchoPark Speedway. However, Preece holds a 15.3 average finish, on pace to be the best of his career.
Another 13 weeks need to pass before Preece can determine how costly those 25 points could be to his regular-season aspirations, even should he qualify for the championship battle. He equates it to a DNF, believing that an average of 26 points per race through the regular season will get a team into The Chase.
But Preece is also not sweating his position, believing the No. 60 team has a good foundation to be a part of the postseason, but knows it could be a battle until the regular-season cutoff race at Daytona International Speedway.
“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.”
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Keselowski remains optimistic that RFK can keep all three cars inside the cutline.
“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.”
With qualifying getting canceled at Nashville, Preece will take the green flag for Sunday’s Cracker Barrel 400 in 28th position. Keselowski will lead the RFK brigade in 12th spot.