Ryan Preece Explodes After Invisible Cone Penalty Wrecks All-Star Bid
Preece, driving the No. 60 RFK Racing Ford, surged to second late in the All-Star Open at North Wilkesboro Speedway, poised to race his way into the main event.
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But NASCAR hit him with a penalty for crossing the 'Choose Cone' commitment line — a painted V on the track nearly obscured by rubber from earlier events. The result: he was sent to the back, ending his chances and setting off a dramatic meltdown.
'Ultimately, we had a fast… Ford Mustang,' Preece said in a raw post-race interview. 'Sorry, I'm just really, really [expletive] pissed. So, I mean that, at least we could, a rule's a rule, but… I don't know.'
Ryan Preece before the Wurth 400 race at Texas Motor Speedway. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The incident became the flashpoint of the night. Preece, visibly furious, marched to pit road, grabbed an orange traffic cone, and slammed it on the inside wall — a silent protest that quickly went viral.
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NASCAR responded by repainting the Choose Cone marking before the All-Star Race, but for Preece, the damage was already done.
'You can't see it,' he explained. 'So I just hooked a hard left going across the line, figuring it's in that area. If you have a situation like that, put a cone out there so we can see it.'
The penalty reignited criticism of NASCAR's officiating, especially regarding track visibility and rule enforcement. Preece's crew and fans argued the call was avoidable — and that NASCAR's reactive fix came too late.
Now 15th in points, Preece leaves Wilkesboro with more questions than answers. But his fire — and frustration — may have just forced NASCAR to take another look at how it draws the lines that define a driver's fate.
Related: Joey Logano Sends Blunt Message After NASCAR All-Star Caution Costs Him the Win
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