Ryan Preece Honors Late Mentor Ed Partridge After Taking RFK's No. 6 Ride

Long before taking over Brad Keselowski's seat at RFK Racing, Ryan Preece forged a deeply emotional history with the No. 6 car during his Whelen Modified Tour career under late team owner Ed Partridge.

Now, that iconic digit will follow him to the highest level of NASCAR competition.

Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing officially announced that Preece will drive the flagship No. 6 Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

The announcement confirmed that crew chief Derrick Finley will remain with Preece during the transition.

Preece moves over after spending two seasons establishing the No. 60 entry for the organization.

For the Connecticut native, slipping into the cockpit of the No. 6 is much more than a routine branding move.

The number represents the foundation of his entire racing career.

It ties him directly back to his formative short-track roots in the Northeast.

Most importantly, it honors the enduring memory of Ed Partridge.

A SPECIAL BOND ON THE MODIFIED TOUR

Preece was born and raised in Berlin, Connecticut, where modified stock cars reign supreme.

He climbed through the local ranks before making his mark in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

The Whelen Modified Tour stands as NASCAR's only sanctioned open-wheeled racing division.

Preece earned a reputation across the garage as a fearless and determined competitor.

In 2013, he achieved a career milestone by winning the Whelen Modified Tour championship.

Across his modified career, Preece amassed 26 victories in the primary northern tour.

He added another three wins in the southern division of the series.

A significant portion of that remarkable success came behind the wheel of the No. 6 machine owned by Partridge.

Preece drove Partridge's famed No. 6 to victory lane 14 times in Whelen Modified Tour competition.

Partridge became much more than a car owner to the young driver.

He served as an essential mentor, an ardent backer, and a close friend through every step of Preece's progression.

Their final triumph together occurred in September 2021 at Richmond Raceway.

Preece took the checkered flag in a dominant performance.

Just hours after celebrating that emotional victory, Partridge tragically passed away.

The sudden loss left an indelible mark on Preece and the entire modified community.

Every lap Preece drove afterward became a tribute to the man who believed in him when seats were difficult to secure.

When RFK Racing offered him the No. 6 Cup ride, the emotional resonance was immediate.

"When I say the No. 6 feels like home, it's because it represents more than racing," Preece explained in a statement.

"It represents the people who believed in me, the relationships I've built, and the memories that got me here," he continued.

"To have the opportunity to carry that number into the next chapter of my career means more than I can put into words," Preece added.

CARRYING A HISTORIC CUP LEGACY

While the No. 6 represents personal history for Preece, it carries enormous historical weight for RFK Racing.

Jack Roush founded his Cup Series operation in 1988 with the No. 6 Ford.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin climbed aboard as the original pilot.

Martin drove the No. 6 machine through the 2006 season, building the company from the ground up.

During that tenure, Martin captured 35 Cup Series victories behind the wheel of the No. 6.

He recorded 12 top-five finishes in the season points standings.

Martin also finished as the championship runner-up four times in the car, battling legends like Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, and Tony Stewart.

Beyond Roush, the No. 6 has deep roots across stock car history, including David Pearson winning the 1966 championship in an Owens Racing Dodge.

Preece will become only the sixth full-time driver to pilot the car for RFK Racing.

Following Martin's run, David Ragan, Trevor Bayne, Ryan Newman, and Brad Keselowski all held the full-time role.

Drivers such as Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Matt Kenseth, and Ross Chastain also made spot starts in the vehicle.

Throughout the decades, only Martin, Ragan, and Keselowski have managed to guide the RFK No. 6 to victory lane.

"To be trusted with the 6 means more to me than I can put into words," Preece stated regarding the RFK heritage.

"When you think about what this number means to RFK Racing, you think about Jack Roush, Mark Martin and everything they built together," he said.

"To know this team believes I'm the right person to carry that number into the future is incredibly humbling," Preece noted.

Martin himself offered full support for Preece stepping into the machine.

"I like Ryan Preece because he's a racer, plain and simple," Martin said in a statement.

"He came up the hard way, and he's had to fight for everything he's gotten," Martin emphasized.

"That's something I respect," the Hall of Fame driver added.

"When he gets in a race car, he gives you everything he's got, and he's not going to be satisfied just riding around," Martin noted.

"That number means a lot to me, and I think Ryan is a great fit to carry it forward," Martin concluded.

THE SHIFT FROM KESELOWSKI AND CHARTER DYNAMICS

The seat opened after Brad Keselowski decided to depart from RFK Racing.

Keselowski joined the organization in 2022 as both a driver and a co-owner holding a 20 percent stake.

His arrival sparked a revival, including three team victories during the 2023 campaign.

Keselowski is now in the process of selling his equity interest, with links strongly connecting him to Trackhouse Racing.

The split leaves RFK Racing searching for a new head of competition to guide its technical department.

Charter logistics also played a major role in moving Preece into the No. 6 car.

NASCAR charters guarantee a starting position in every race and secure crucial revenue streams.

Each charter carries an estimated valuation of approximately $100 million.

The No. 6 entry is a permanently owned RFK charter, alongside the No. 17 driven by Chris Buescher.