Kroger executive reveals reason for sponsorship switch from JTG Daugherty to RFK Racing

RFK Racing made the long-rumored addition of Ryan Preece official on Tuesday, revealing he will pilot the No. 60 Ford full-time in 2025.

The signing was made possible due to Kroger jumping ship from JTG-Daugherty Racing to RFK. They’ll serve as a primary sponsor for not only Preece, but for Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher as well throughout the season.

Kroger previously sponsored Preece and Buescher during their respective tenures with JTG-Daugherty Racing, and they’ve been partnered with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. over the past couple of seasons.

During a press conference where the move was announced, Kroger executive Brent Cox elaborated on why the sponsor decided to end their longstanding relationship with JTG-Daugherty and join RFK, and it’s evident the opportunity to win more races was at the forefront of their exit.

“Kroger has been involved in racing here for a while, and we really were looking to get to a bigger team to have more opportunities to frankly go out and win some races,” Cox said, via Adam Stern of the Sports-Business Journal.

While Kroger has been with JTG-Daugherty for some huge wins, like Stenhouse’s Daytona 500 victory, they’ve been inconsistent. RFK’s advent under Keselowski’s leadership will allow them to seemingly reach Victory Lane at a much more common clip than before.

All in all, Kroger and RFK Racing seem like a match made in heaven. In a time where many major sponsors are leaving NASCAR, Brad Keselowski’s team picked up one of the major ones, and the future is bright for the team moving forward.

More on Ryan Preece, RFK Racing

Moreover, Ryan Preece, 34, makes the jump to RFK after spending the last two seasons behind the wheel of the No. 41 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing. SHR officially closed its doors after the 2024 Cup Series finale at Phoenix earlier this month. 

Preece’s former teammates, Chase Briscoe, Josh Berry and Noah Gragson, signed deals with Joe Gibbs Racing, Wood Brothers Racing and Front Row Motorsports, respectively, for 2025. Preece finished 23rd in the points standings in 2023 and 26th this past season. 

Keselowski, the RFK co-owner, currently pilots the flagship No. 6 car, while Buescher is in the No. 17. Both have been key in revitalizing RFK, winning five races combined since the beginning of the 2023 season. In addition to Keselowski and Buescher, RFK had multiple drivers run the No. 60 car for select races in 2024. 

David Ragan ran the Daytona 500, while Cam Waters was behind the wheel at Sonoma. Joey Hand piloted the car to a P4 finish in the Chicago Street Race in July. RFK, formerly Roush Fenway Racing, had been a two-car operation full-time in the Cup Series since 2017.

On3’s Nick Geddes contributed to this article.