Insider Explains Why Ryan Preece Docked 25 Points for Ty Gibbs Clash

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Insider Explains Why Ryan Preece Docked 25 Points for Ty Gibbs Clash

Originally posted on RFKRacingDigest
By Chionia Libania Colaco | Last updated May 6, 2026 9:40 AM ET

The Würth 400 had no shortage of controversy. And Ryan Preece seems to headline it all with a $50,000 penalty that came with 25 points docked. NASCAR insider Claire Lang discussed it on X.

“I posted the actual NASCAR penalty already in my earlier post. Fans are all over the board on this one! NASCAR fined @RyanPreece_ $50,000 and docked him 25 driver points for intentional contact with @TyGibbs in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. Preece told his team over the radio during the race that he was planning to wreck Gibbs for the way he raced him. Gibbs posted on social after, “at least he is honest.”

It all goes back to Lap 101 of the race. Just a few laps earlier, Gibbs had made an aggressive move on Preece. Later, Preece was heard talking to his team angrily on the radio, and he later slammed into Gibbs, causing a wreck.

I posted the actual NASCAR penalty already in my earlier post. Fans are all over the board on this one!

NASCAR fined @RyanPreece_ $50,000 and docked him 25 driver points for intentional contact with @TyGibbs in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Preece…
— Claire B Lang (@ClaireBLang) May 5, 2026

Preece violated Sections 4.3 and 4.4A of the regulations (Member Code of Conduct Guidelines – Behavioral). The decision isn’t surprising. We’ve seen NASCAR hand out similar penalties in the past.

Back in 2011, at the very same track, NASCAR handed Kyle Busch a $50,000 penalty and probation for the rest of the season when he deliberately wrecked Ron Hornaday Jr. and admitted it. Similarly, in 2023, when Denny Hamlin wrecked Ross Chastain and admitted it, he was fined $50,000 and docked 25 points.

Mike Forde Explains Ryan Preece’s Penalty at Texas

The NASCAR executive explained that the organization viewed the RFK driver’s wreck as intentional. He further explained how the radio message further solidified his intentions.

“We try to look at prior instances. The deliberation on how we wanted to handle this one was the Denny Hamlin penalty. When he wrecks Ross Chastain at Phoenix a few years ago and then, the next day, talked about it on his podcast, later got the exact same penalty. So, he [Preece] said what he said, and then he did what he said. And so, in our view, it was intentionally wrecking another vehicle. That’s where we landed.”

After the penalty, Preece has now dropped down to 13th place and sits 38 points above the Chase cutoff line.

This article first appeared on RFKRacingDigest and was syndicated with permission.

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