Ryan Preece Penalized After Incident With Ty Gibbs at Texas Motor Speedway

NASCAR Issues Points Deduction and Fine Following Cup Series Collision

NASCAR has penalized driver Ryan Preece after a controversial on-track incident involving Ty Gibbs during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, escalating tensions between two drivers who already had a strained competitive history.

Preece, who drives the No. 60 Ford for RFK Racing, received a 25-point deduction and a $50,000 fine after NASCAR determined he intentionally wrecked Gibbs during the Würth 400 in Fort Worth, Texas.

The decision affects the Cup Series playoff standings as teams continue battling for position ahead of the postseason Chase format.

NASCAR Says Radio Comments Played Major Role in Penalty

The incident occurred on Lap 101 entering Turn 3 when Preece’s car appeared to make contact with the rear of Gibbs’ No. 54 Toyota. Gibbs lost control and slammed into the SAFER barrier, ending his race with a 36th-place finish.

Under Sections 4.3 and 4.4.A of the NASCAR Rule Book, intentionally wrecking or spinning another vehicle can lead to disciplinary action.

According to NASCAR officials, team radio communications became a critical part of the investigation.

During an earlier caution period, Preece expressed frustration over Gibbs’ aggressive driving style.

“All right, when I get to that 54, I’m done with him,” Preece said over team radio.

NASCAR Vice President of Race Communications Mike Forde later explained on the “Hauler Talk” podcast that officials reviewed race footage, in-car audio, and SMT telemetry data before deciding on the penalty.

“He said what he said, and then he did what he said,” Forde said. “In our view, it was intentionally wrecking another vehicle.”

Preece Defends His Actions After Texas Race

Before NASCAR announced the punishment, Preece discussed the incident during an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “Late Shift.”

The Connecticut-born driver argued that the contact was not intentional and pointed to a history of tense racing between himself and Gibbs.

“There are people you can race with respect around and cut breaks to,” Preece said. “I felt like he came down, and I wasn’t going to cut him a break.”

Preece added that he believed Gibbs simply lost control after the two cars got close entering the corner.

“I didn’t feel like I hit him,” he said. “I felt like I stayed right on him, and he got loose.”

The penalty drops Preece to 13th in the Cup Series standings, though he remains 38 points above the provisional playoff cut line.

Why Kyle Busch Avoided a Similar NASCAR Penalty

The same race also featured another controversial collision involving veteran driver Kyle Busch and John Hunter Nemechek, but NASCAR chose not to issue a penalty in that case.

Busch’s No. 8 Chevrolet made contact with Nemechek late in the race, prompting questions from fans and analysts about possible retaliation.

However, NASCAR officials said available data did not conclusively show intent.

Forde explained that Busch’s steering had been significantly damaged earlier in the race, making it difficult to determine whether the crash resulted from mechanical issues or deliberate action.

“The SMT data didn’t show anything that suggested that he did it intentionally,” Forde said.

Unlike Preece, Busch also did not make retaliatory comments over team radio before the incident.

“There was no audio that came out that said, ‘I’m going to wreck the 42,’” Forde noted.

NASCAR Continues Scrutiny of Driver Conduct

NASCAR officials said Busch and Richard Childress Racing leadership are expected to meet with the sanctioning body after Busch was involved in multiple on-track incidents over the past several weeks, including a run-in with Riley Herbst at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The league’s response highlights NASCAR’s growing emphasis on policing intentional contact, especially as the Cup Series playoff race intensifies and tempers rise during the middle portion of the season.

Texas Motor Speedway has historically produced aggressive racing and controversy, and Sunday’s events added another chapter to the track’s reputation for high-pressure competition.

Conclusion

The penalty against Ryan Preece underscores NASCAR’s willingness to use radio communication, telemetry data, and video evidence to determine intent during on-track incidents. While Preece maintains the collision with Ty Gibbs was not deliberate, officials concluded otherwise, issuing one of the season’s most significant behavioral penalties. As the playoff picture tightens, driver conduct is likely to remain under close scrutiny throughout the remainder of the NASCAR Cup Series season.

John Irving

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