Second Career Cup Pole for Preece, Eighth Overall for RFK at Richmond
RICHMOND, VA (August 15, 2025) – Ryan Preece will lead the field to green at Richmond Raceway after earning the pole in Friday night’s qualifying. Driving the No. 60 Kroger/Kleenex Ford for Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing, Preece posted the fastest time of the session, securing his second career NASCAR Cup Series pole—and his first since Martinsville in 2023, where he led a career-best 135 laps.
“When I drove it off into turn one, I know I got it all because the amount of time I drove it in there versus the grip she potentially had was definitely on the limit,” Preece said. “It felt really good and Derrick (Finley) made great adjustments, along with the entire No. 60 RFK team and I’m just proud to have Kroger and Kleenex on the car this weekend.”
The pole is the third ever for the No. 60 car, and its first since July 2006 when Boris Said topped qualifying at Daytona. It’s also RFK Racing’s first pole since September 2022 (Keselowski at Texas), and their 92nd in Cup Series history. At Richmond specifically, it marks the team’s eighth pole overall and the first since Carl Edwards did so in 2010.
“Having the opportunity to start from the pole is going to make our job quite a bit easier as far as keeping control of the race,” Preece said. “I trust Derrick, Brent and Matt to make the right decision and give us the best opportunity to be on the best strategy, have the best track position, have the best pit stops and execute a great race.”
Preece’s strong qualifying run was backed up by solid efforts from his teammates: Brad Keselowski will roll off sixth, and Chris Buescher will start 12th in Saturday night’s 400-lap event.
Preece enters Saturday’s race with two top-five finishes across his last three starts and will start first in the 300-mile, 400-lap race. Race coverage is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on USA and can also be heard on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, in its 38th season in 2025, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com, and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.
