RFK Racing adds a third car for Ryan Preece as the team expands its full-time driver lineup for the 2025 season.
Kroger will serve as the primary sponsor for all three RFK drivers — Preece, Chris Buescher, and Brad Keselowski — throughout the upcoming season. Both Preece and Buescher previously raced for JTG Daugherty Racing, which has enjoyed a long-standing partnership with Kroger in the Cup Series for 15 years.
For 2025, RFK Racing is set to lease a charter from Rick Ware Racing, specifically for Preece’s No. 60 car, according to sources familiar with the arrangement.
Ryan Preece, who clinched the NASCAR Modified Series championship in 2013, has two victories in the Xfinity Series and two in the Truck Series. However, his quest for a Cup Series win continues. Over the last six years, he has competed full-time in the Cup Series, achieving four top-5 finishes out of 187 starts, with his highest points finish being 23rd.
“From the very beginning, Ryan Preece was our top choice for this third entry. His talent, which has blossomed from grassroots racing to the Cup Series, truly excites us for the future,” stated RFK President Steve Newmark in a recent announcement.
“Having three drivers as part of the Kroger Racing Family will greatly benefit our brand sponsors,” noted Erin Sanchez, Kroger’s vice president for grocery. “The chance to leverage multiple drivers in marketing campaigns, both in-store and through merchandising, is something we eagerly anticipate as the 2025 season approaches.”
Tad and Jodi Geschickter, who have been involved with JTG Daugherty Racing, will continue to manage the Kroger marketing program, despite no longer being listed as company officials in state filings.
JTG Daugherty Racing is expected to continue under a rebranded structure, with Gordon Smith, a long-time investor in the team, now in operational control. Earlier this year, the team secured a contract extension with driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr.