Ryan Preece delivers mixed verdict on NASCAR test | Sports News

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season could also be achieved and dusted, however RFK Racing’s Ryan Preece is already back behind the wheel of his NextGen Ford, serving to collect helpful knowledge for subsequent season.

Along with 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace and Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman, 35-year-old Preece was chosen for the latest Goodyear tire test at Bristol Motor Speedway, which not solely allowed the tire producer to test compounds on all three OEMs, but additionally for groups to put the new 750-horsepower package deal to the test.

The newly raised horsepower restrict (up from 670) might be in impact for a complete of 17 occasions subsequent season, together with all street programs and tracks below 1.5 miles in size, as was introduced by NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s podcast.

This transfer was made in an attempt to improve racing within the often-criticized NextGen car, for which NASCAR has struggled to put collectively a aggressive short-track package deal.

Reflecting on his test in Tennessee, Preece instructed Earnhardt on the ‘Dale Jr. Download’ that it concerned “the new package. It was taking the diffuser off. It was a bump in horsepower, 750, and then various different tire options.”

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While the test produced some constructive outcomes, and Preece’s normal tone appeared largely upbeat, he admitted that on sticker tires, he doesn’t count on drivers to really feel a distinction within the enhance in horsepower.

“For us, initially, I’ll be honest with you, 750 horsepower, that little bump, you’re not going to feel it initially on stickers. So I think it’s really going to take the combination of going softer on tires with the bump in horsepower,” he stated.

“Everything we did is going to help for sure. And I think what we’re all asking for, as well as the fans, is to see…not get stuck when you get behind a guy where the aero side of things just outweighs the grip that you have in your race car.

“And at Bristol, that place is really tough. It’s really tough because it’s super fast, and it really just depends on what we end up bringing. So what I did learn is I probably didn’t go long enough into the run to feel the horsepower, kind of, to where I had to really manage it, so to speak.”

This largely follows what now two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Larson predicted back in October of the horsepower enhance, when he urged followers to keep expectations ‘tempered’ because it pertains to its influence, through On3.

“I did a test recently at Kershaw, and nobody told me I had higher horsepower, and I never really realized it,” he admitted. “So, yeah, I wouldn’t say it’s going to feel different or look crazy different. I think it will be better, but it’s not going to fix everything, you know?”

The information concerning the Goodyear test was more constructive from the previous Stewart–Haas Racing and JTG Daugherty Racing driver, who added that he realized a good quantity, together with that they have been capable of wire both left or proper facet tires, whereas they have been additionally capable of make them final, “Even with only three cars and with it being 55 degrees.”

Preece added, “So ultimately, I think it was just Goodyear gathered a lot of data. We gathered data for NASCAR on the package side, and whatever we go back with is going to be what’s going to be putting on the best show for the fan.”