Over the years, NASCAR has seen a number of teams come and go, but none so large as Stewart-Haas Racing. The four car team announced earlier in the year that they would be closing down operations at the end of the 2024 season.
Over the course of the season, each of the drivers found a new home; but as the season came to an end, only Ryan Preece – driver of the number 41 car – had yet to find a new ride. All of that has now changed.
Beginning next season, Preece will be joining RFK Racing driving the number 60 car to expand the team to three cars. Preece will be joining co-owner Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher at RFK.
Kroger has announced that they will be joining RFK as one of the near 20 sponsors at RFK.
Speaking in a teleconference, co-owner Brad Keselowski said, “having a third team gives us another shot at the win on any given weekend. It’s a great opportunity for us at RFK. Our goal is to be an elite organization, I would say a world-class organization, and to do that in NASCAR, you’ve got to win races. The more teams you have, the better that opportunity is to elevate all the programs.”
He added, “my commitment is taking someone like Ryan and putting him in that spot where he can win in and with the right resources, with the right team around him and the right support structure, and that’s what I see out of Ryan. He’s got the talent, he’s got the work ethic, and that’s our commitment back to him is to put him in the right situation with the right equipment, the right people and the right infrastructure to be successful. And I think we can do just that.”
Since moving to the Cup Series in 2015, Ryan Preece has just four top five finishes and has led just 176 laps. He also has two Xfinity and two Craftsman Truck Series wins to his credit.
Speaking on joining RFK, Preece said, “it’s It’s [an opportunity] that I’m really eager and excited for. It’s somewhere that these guys had speed last year. I mean, you look at how many weeks in a row that Brad and Chris [Buescher] finished top two or top three and had some extremely good stats and found Victory Lane. So for me, it’s a great opportunity, one that’s filled with pressure. But I think if you’ve looked at my career in those pressure-type situations, I’ve succeeded. I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
Driver of the number 14 SHR car, Chase Briscoe will move over to Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the number 19 car after Martin Truex Jr’s retirement from full time racing.
Driver of the number four SHR car, Josh Berry will take over driving duties of the Wood Brothers number 21 car.
Driver of the SHR number 10 car Noah Gragson will be moving over the Front Row Motorsports where he will take over the driving duties of the number 34 car after the departure of Michael McDowell, who is joining Spire Motorsports.