Ryan Preece is in a battle for the final spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Chase. New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a familiar sight for Preece, who has made 27 career starts there in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series and will be racing in his family-owned modified.
After RFK Racing missed the playoffs last year, Chris Buescher is all but locked into the playoffs. Now, Preece is trying to get a second RFK Racing car in the postseason this year. Preece feels like the only person who is in the way of a playoff spot is Shane van Gisbergen.
For Preece, the goal is simple: “Going into New Hampshire, I think the goal for me is to execute our day. We’re gonna need a little bit of luck on our side for him to not have quite the great day, and then that puts us heads-up going into Daytona.”
After New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Daytona International Speedway will be Preece’s last chance to climb inside the top 16. In last year’s August race at Daytona, Preece was leading with three laps to go before being shuffled out of the lead. Preece settled for a 14th-place finish. Before returning to Daytona, NASCAR announced rule changes to the superspeedway package.
Preece said about the uncertainty of the Daytona package compared to previous years, “With the different superspeedway package, I don’t think any of us know what to expect, so I guess part of me is kind of wishing we didn’t change much because I felt like our superspeedway stuff has been strong. At the end of the day, I guess we’re all on a level playing field when we go into that one.”
Even though Preece is in a high-stakes battle for the final spot in the Chase, he will be busy coming home with four straight days of racing.
“I’m looking forward to being here in New England doing some racing at Thunder Road tomorrow night for the Governor’s Cup in Vermont as well as racing my modified, so I’m gonna be strapped in a race car for the next four days,” Preece said.
For Preece, the fun of racing starts with family as Ryan Preece Motorsports has been the foundation of his relationship with his father.
“Basically, my father and us. It used to be Preece Racing and now it’s Ryan Preece Motorsports and my father and I, that’s been our passion,” Preece said about his modified team. “We’ve raced since I was a kid and as I’ve gotten older, just kind of bought more and more equipment. It’s something that I love doing in racing with my father. It’s kind of that bonding thing.”
Preece rose through the modified ranks starting out in the family-owned modified. He has 26 career wins in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series, including one at New Hampshire in 2021.
While traversing the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, coming back to the Northeast gives Preece a sense of home.
“I did feel like going into the short tracks and New Hampshire it kind of gives me a little bit of optimism and I’m certainly excited about coming here to my home track — New England,” Preece said. “Every time I come back home, it feels good.”
Whether Preece makes the Chase or not, it’s all good as he is surrounded by family and having fun.
Preece said, “It’s a good day or a good week to be Ryan Preece.”
Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography via Ford Racing
