Ryan Preece left Indianapolis Motor Speedway with an 8th place finish and a problem that refuses to disappear: 25 missing points.
His No. 60 Ford ran inside the top 10 during Stage 2, collected 5 stage points and stayed clean through the decisive late restart. As the field thundered toward Turn 1, the hot Indianapolis asphalt forced every car to search for grip while Preece held his line in the traffic. He then protected his position across the final 34 lap run, completing the kind of afternoon RFK Racing needed from a driver fighting for his first Chase appearance.
The standings remain unforgiving. Preece sits 17th in points, 38 behind Austin Cindric for the final Chase position with only 4 regular season races left. Without the penalty NASCAR handed him after Texas, that margin would be just 13 points.
Instead of sitting within one strong race of the cutline, Preece must now produce several nearly flawless weekends while hoping Cindric leaves points on the table. The Brickyard offered hope, but it did not erase the damage.
Indianapolis Gave Preece a Fighting Chance
Preece entered Indianapolis 48 points below the cutline and needed more than a quiet top 20. He had to score during the stages, avoid mistakes and finish ahead of the drivers he is chasing.
The No. 60 Ford ran 6th at the end of Stage 2, earning 5 points before Preece finished 8th in the race. He gained 10 points on Cindric and moved past Erik Jones into 17th in the standings.
More importantly, Preece showed legitimate pace. This was not a fuel gamble or a lucky result created by late chaos. He stayed among the front runners through the closing portion of the race and completed the final green flag stretch without giving away positions.
Those details matter because the 2026 Chase format does not offer an easy escape route. NASCAR removed the automatic berth for race winners, meaning the top 16 drivers after the 26 race regular season advance strictly through points.
A victory now pays 55 points from the finishing position alone, rather than the previous 40. Stage points are added separately, with a maximum of 10 available in each of the first 2 stages. NASCAR increased the winner’s reward to keep drivers attacking for victories, but a win cannot erase an entire season of lost ground.
Preece therefore needs speed every week and points in every available segment. One strong finish can close part of the gap, but only repeated execution can put him back above the line.
The Texas Incident Changed His Entire Season
The hole began forming on Lap 101 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Ty Gibbs moved toward the preferred lane entering Turn 3 with Preece close behind his No. 54 Toyota. Gibbs then snapped loose and slammed the outside SAFER barrier, ending his race.
That moment did not happen in isolation. Earlier in the afternoon, Gibbs had made an aggressive move on Preece entering Turn 1. In car audio revealed that Preece was already furious, and he told his team he was finished giving Gibbs breaks when the 2 drivers met again.
Preece later explained that Gibbs was nearly clear entering Turn 3. He acknowledged that he could have lifted but chose not to. Preece maintained that he did not believe he struck Gibbs, saying he stayed close enough to take away the extra space another driver might have received.
NASCAR reviewed the video, radio traffic and vehicle data. Officials concluded that Preece’s words, followed by Gibbs crashing directly ahead of his Ford, supported an intentional wrecking penalty.
The punishment was severe. NASCAR fined Preece $50,000 and removed 25 championship points.
RFK Racing appealed, arguing that its data did not prove Preece deliberately turned Gibbs. The appeals panel heard competing interpretations from the team and NASCAR before leaving the full penalty in place. Panel members were not unanimous, but they decided Preece’s own comments carried enough weight to uphold the ruling.
“It doesn’t matter what I think,” Ryan Preece said after the appeal was denied.
That response captured his frustration without reopening the argument. Preece knew the points were not coming back, which left him with only one useful option. He had to race his way out of the damage.
Preece Cannot Blame Everything on Texas
The penalty remains the biggest number attached to Preece’s Chase fight, but it is not the only reason he sits below the line.
A 32nd place finish at Chicagoland produced only 5 points. One week later, Preece finished 25th at EchoPark Speedway while the battle around 16th tightened. Those 2 races cost him valuable ground before he recovered at Indianapolis.
That is the uncomfortable truth for the No. 60 team. NASCAR created the deficit at Texas, but Preece has also missed chances to reduce it. Poor finishes and missed stage points turned a difficult situation into an even steeper climb.
Indianapolis showed what the team can accomplish when the car has speed and the entire race stays under control. Preece scored stage points, avoided the major incidents and finished the afternoon inside the top 10.
Now he has to repeat that performance several times. With only 4 races left, the margin for another bad day has almost disappeared.
Four Races Will Decide Whether the Penalty Defines His Season
Iowa, Richmond, New Hampshire and Daytona are all that remain before the Chase field is set.
The first 3 races give Preece a realistic chance to attack. His background on shorter ovals should help at tracks where braking, tire management and mechanical grip matter. RFK must also shape its strategy around stage points rather than waiting for the final run to make progress.
Daytona is far less predictable. One poorly timed push can destroy a strong points day in a wreck Preece never caused, making it dangerous to depend on the regular season finale for a major recovery.
Preece needs to make serious gains before reaching Daytona. Top 10 finishes alone may not be enough if Cindric continues scoring steadily. Stage points, clean pit stops and strong restarts will determine whether the gap shrinks or remains out of reach.
Racing Insights placed Preece’s Chase probability at just 6.6% after Indianapolis and before the Iowa weekend. That estimate reflects both the size of the deficit and the limited number of races remaining, but it does not mean his season is finished.
RFK has already confirmed that Preece will return to the No. 60 Ford in 2027. His job is not on trial during this final stretch. What remains at stake is his ability to turn a competitive season into a Chase appearance.
If Preece misses the top 16 by 25 points or fewer, nobody will need help identifying the turning point. The Texas deduction will have decided his season.
A successful recovery would completely change that story. Those lost points would no longer represent the penalty that ended his Chase hopes. They would become the obstacle he managed to overcome.
READ MORE: How Joey Logano Exposed NASCAR’s Brutal New Chase Format
FAQs
Q1. Why did NASCAR penalize Ryan Preece 25 points?
NASCAR ruled that Preece intentionally caused Ty Gibbs’ Texas crash. Officials also fined him $50,000.
Q2. How far is Ryan Preece below the Chase cutline?
Preece sits 38 points behind Austin Cindric for the final Chase position after Indianapolis.
Q3. Where would Preece stand without the Texas penalty?
Without the 25 point deduction, Preece would sit only 13 points behind the Chase cutline.
Q4. Does a race win automatically put Preece in the Chase?
No. The 2026 format sends the top 16 drivers in points forward, although a race victory pays 55 points.
Q5. Which regular season races remain for Ryan Preece?
Preece has Iowa, Richmond, New Hampshire and Daytona left to close the gap and qualify for the Chase.
