Ryan Preece finished 14th at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night, a respectable result for the RFK Racing driver given his recent struggles at the 2.5-mile track, where he has failed to finish twice in four starts. Despite leading in the closing laps, Preece lost the opportunity to secure a crucial win needed to advance in the <a href="https://www.big14news.com/nascar/”>NASCAR playoffs. Preece later blamed Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott for interfering with his chance to win, sparking the latest Kyle Larson Daytona race controversy.
Preece’s Near Win and Playoff Ambitions Dashed at Daytona
RFK Racing arrived at Daytona hopeful but saw none of its drivers advance to the playoffs after the race. Preece was on the cusp of victory late in the event, leading during the final laps and appearing poised to earn the first win of his career, which was the only path for the No. 60 Ford to qualify for the postseason. Yet, his chances unraveled in dramatic fashion.
Throughout the race, Preece demonstrated strong pace especially on the outside line, continuing a pattern seen earlier in the season on superspeedways. However, the situation changed quickly near the end. His teammate Chris Buescher moved low on the track, inadvertently pushing another competitor, Justin Haley, but that was not the decisive factor.
The critical turn came when Larson and Elliott, teammates from Hendrick Motorsports, positioned themselves behind Preece. Concerned about preserving Alex Bowman’s place in the playoffs, the Hendrick duo worked together to split Preece’s car on the track, pushing him toward the middle lane with just two laps remaining and effectively ending his bid for the win.
If I had a Ford behind me, we would’ve f*****g won that race,
Preece exclaimed over team radio.
I mean, I know why they did it. They did it so the 48 couldn’t get knocked out. Motherf****r!
—Ryan Preece, NASCAR driver
Preece Expresses Frustration Over Hendrick Motorsports’ Strategy
Following the race, Preece made clear how disappointed he was with Larson and Elliott, feeling they intentionally abandoned support to protect their teammate Bowman’s playoff spot. His tone conveyed both anger and frustration over the lost opportunity to claim victory when everything seemed to be going in his favor.
Man, I felt like we were gonna win that race,
said the 34-year-old driver.
You want to talk about having the best scenario play out for how we wanted it to, I was just leaving (Haley) there. (Buescher) was doing a great job just letting him stay there, and there’s nothing you can do.
Preece then pinpointed the cause of his misfortune.
The problem is (Elliott) and (Larson) were worried about their teammate that would have been bumped out, so it was a tough situation. I thought we were going to win that one because we did everything right today, and it just didn’t work out.
—Ryan Preece, NASCAR driver
Kyle Larson Responds to Preece’s Accusations
Kyle Larson, who ultimately finished sixth, dismissed the allegations that he intentionally sabotaged Preece’s run and described his efforts as intense and focused on securing a win to help teammate Alex Bowman. Larson emphasized his determination to control his own playoff destiny rather than interfere with other drivers unfairly.
I was just stressful. I know I can control my destiny, and I’m trying to win to help Alex. Yeah, I was really, really trying hard to do all I could to win there.
—Kyle Larson, NASCAR driver
Larson also mentioned challenges related to the car’s aerodynamics, noting how their “noses” did not work as effectively with the rear bumper draft during critical moments of the race.
“Dude you’re just staring at a f*cking rear bumper in front of them…”
@KyleLarsonRacin says as he tries to recount the push that got @Erik_Jones out of shape.
Larson feels like it’s a product of their noses not doing as well as others with the rear bumper.
Says he was…
—Noah Lewis, NASCAR reporter
Past Struggles at Superspeedways Add to Preece’s Disappointment
The events at Daytona recalled a similar scenario from Talladega earlier this season, where Preece narrowly missed a win before being disqualified. Once again, he found himself side-by-side for the lead with just five laps remaining and within striking distance near the end, but the victory slipped away. This pattern of near misses has been a frustrating challenge for Preece on these high-speed tracks.
Implications of the Daytona Clash for Playoff Outcomes
Preece’s loss at Daytona means he will miss the NASCAR playoffs, intensifying scrutiny of how team alliances and race strategies influence race outcomes and postseason qualifications. The Kyle Larson Daytona race controversy highlights ongoing tensions among drivers and teams over competitive tactics, especially when playoff spots are on the line. As the season advances, how these dynamics play out may affect both driver relationships and race results moving forward.
