Over his first two seasons with RFK Racing, Ryan Preece has saved his NASCAR Cup Series career. Now, the driver, who reeled in his first career win earlier this season at Daytona International Speedway, is set to take over a legendary ride in 2027. On Wednesday, Preece was announced as the latest driver to take over the iconic No. 6 Ford, serving as the successor to the departing Brad Keselowski for the storied organization.
In addition to the responsibility of driving the iconic car number that started the Roush Racing story in 1988, Preece will also drive one of RFK Racing’s two chartered entries in 2027. RFK Racing felt Preece perfectly fit the mold for the No. 6 Ford.
“Ryan Preece is a true racer, making him the perfect fit for the number 6,” said Chip Bowers, President of RFK Racing. “The 6 car is symbolic in our organization and has contributed to some incredible memories in the Cup Series. Ryan is not just enthusiastic about the opportunity, but more importantly, he’s embracing the expectations that come with taking the wheel of an iconic car. More great history is sure to be made with Ryan at the helm.”
To Preece, the fact that he will be sliding behind the wheel of the No. 6 Ford is “humbling”.
“To be trusted with the 6 means more to me than I can put into words,” Preece said in a press release. “When you think about what this number means to RFK Racing, you think about Jack Roush, Mark Martin, and everything they built together. To know this team believes I’m the right person to carry that number into the future is incredibly humbling.”
Seeing Ryan Preece as the sixth full-time driver of RFK Racing’s No. 6 machine makes Mark Martin, the team’s original driver of the No. 6 Ford, happy.
“I like Ryan Preece because he’s a racer, plain and simple,” Martin said. “He came up the hard way, and he’s had to fight for everything he’s gotten. That’s something I respect. When he gets in a race car, he gives you everything he’s got, and he’s not going to be satisfied just riding around. That number means a lot to me, and I think Ryan is a great fit to carry it forward.”
While driving the No. 6 in the NASCAR Cup Series will be new to Preece, driving a No. 6 race car will not be a first-time experience.
“I drove that number for Ed Partridge, who was more than just a car owner to me. He was one of my best friends, and someone who believed in me and helped fund me an opportunity that changed my life. We didn’t know it at the time, but we won our final Whelen Modified Tour race together Richmond 2021,” Preece recalled. “So, when I say the number 6 feels like home, it’s because it represents the people who believed in me, the relationships I’ve built, and the memories that got me here. To have the opportunity to carry that number into the next chapter of my career means more than I can put into words.”
