Ryan Preece Wins at Daytona in Overtime to Clinch First Career Cup Victory and Final Playoff Spot
PUBLISHED Aug 30, 2026, 11:27 AM ET
Ryan Preece won the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway in overtime on Saturday night, securing his first career Cup Series victory and the 16th and final playoff spot. Driving the No. 60 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, Preece capitalized on a last-lap crash involving leader Zane Smith and Tyler Reddick to take the lead under caution [citation:1][citation:8]. The victory, confirmed after post-race inspection, edged out Shane van Gisbergen by 17 points for the final Chase berth [citation:10][citation:12]. The race featured a dramatic finish, with Smith spinning after a late block on Reddick, triggering a multi-car accident [citation:5]. Daniel Suárez finished second, followed by Tyler Reddick in third. Preece's win, his first in 249 Cup starts, places him and teammate Chris Buescher in the 16-driver postseason field, representing a significant achievement for RFK Racing [citation:12]. The event was extended into overtime after a caution on Lap 156 involving Carson Hocevar and Erik Jones [citation:8][citation:10].
By Emily Rhodes | JQJO News
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Official race results confirm Preece's victory and final Chase spot. https://www.nascar.com/
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Ryan Preece Wins at Daytona in Overtime to Clinch First Career Cup Victory and Final Playoff Spot
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