Ryan Preece Powers Through Kansas with Stellar NASCAR Run

Ryan Preece delivered another strong performance in the NASCAR Cup Series, taking his fourth top-10 finish of the 2025 season at Kansas Speedway this past Sunday. Driving the No. 60 car for RFK Racing, Preece crossed the line in seventh place after 400 miles at Kansas City.

This result boosted him up two spots in the regular-season standings, moving him just outside of the playoff cutoff with 12 races completed so far in the year.

According to NASCAR Insights, Preece was the only driver at Kansas to finish inside the top 10 in all measured categories—including passing, pit crew ratings, restarts, overall defense, and car speed. His passing and pit crew ratings were both ranked second overall.

He was fourth on restarts, eighth defensively, and ran the ninth-fastest car during the race. In several of those categories, Preece outperformed the race winner, Kyle Larson, which shows just how consistent and competitive the No. 60 team has become.

This Kansas result is the third top-10 on a 1.5-mile track so far for Preece and his new team, including a season-best third-place showing earlier in Las Vegas. His recent form puts him close to his personal best for top-10 finishes in a single year, as he stands just one shy of his previous record of five.

If his current pace holds, Preece is well-positioned to finish inside the top 20 in the championship for the first time in his career.

Across the first 12 events, Preece’s season stats make him one of NASCAR’s most reliable performers. NASCAR Insights lists him fifth in passer rating and in the top 15 for four other main categories.

His seventh place in Kansas came at a good time, ending a stretch of four straight races where he finished no better than 20th, going back to the race at Martinsville.

As the schedule moves beyond the All-Star race, more intermediate tracks like Charlotte and Nashville are on the horizon. This gives Preece a chance to keep building momentum on the types of circuits where he’s already found success in 2025.

To climb into the playoff spots, he will need more solid results for the remainder of the regular season. For more details on the playoff structure, visit NASCAR’s official rules page.

Kansas also produced standout performances from other drivers. Kyle Larson, with his win, now leads the standings and holds top-five rankings in all major categories.

Chase Briscoe took fourth place despite not being in the top 10 for any single metric, while all three of the race’s fastest cars ended up finishing in the top three.

As the season continues, all eyes will be on drivers like Preece, who are making their strongest campaign yet in NASCAR’s top series. For historical context on driver performance trends, check out Racing-Reference.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.