Ryan Preece drives the #20 MoHawk Northeast Inc. Toyota during the NASCAR XFINITY Series Overton’s 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 15, 2017, in Loudon, New Hampshire. Photo – Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images
Ryan Preece is our guest on Fan4Racing NASCAR & Race Talk, Monday, July 17, 2017, at 9 pm ET. Call 929-477-1790 or tweet @Fan4RacingSite or @Sal_Sigala with any questions or comments during our LIVE broadcast.
Hailing from Berlin, Connecticut, Ryan Preece, a 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified champion, invested last year racing the NASCAR XFINITY Series with JD Motorsports in the No. 01. As it turns out, that time behind the wheel paid off this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway when Preece debuted with Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20, finishing second to NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch.
Preece is now preparing to make the most of his next XFINITY Series race with Joe Gibbs Racing later this month at Iowa Speedway – without the Cup Series drivers.
“To win today, it was going to take beating Kyle Busch,” Preece said. “I watch him win a lot of races in the XFINITY Series sitting on my couch at home. To be able to finish second to him today was a great accomplishment and something to build on. But Iowa’s the next task, next goal. I gotta do as much as I can to prepare so we can have another solid finish.”
After winning the NASCAR Whelen Modified race at New Hampshire on Friday, Preece then set his sights on his next event on Saturday in the XFINITY Series. Preece started sixth, ran up front in the Overton’s 200 and led a couple of laps at the beginning of the second stage. He’ll use what he learned this weekend to work with his Joe Gibbs Racing team for the future.
Preece started sixth, ran up front in the Overton’s 200, and led a couple of laps at the beginning of the second stage. He’ll use what he learned this weekend to work with his Joe Gibbs Racing team for the future.
“I don’t know if I’m overdriving it and building the right front air pressure too quick,” said Preece. “The car seems to be really neutral and then it tends to get on the snugger side. I’m going to get some feedback from Chris (Gabehart), my crew chief, and hopefully from Toyota and Joe Gibbs to see something that I can make better in the future.”
The significance of finishing second to Kyle Busch is not lost on Preece in not only bringing attention to his talent but also what it means in putting a spotlight on the Whelen Modified Series where he’s racing full-time this season.
“This one is for all the short track guys out there that work week in and out in their race shops, getting ready to go on Friday nights and Saturday nights,” Preece said. “That’s what I do on my weekly grind. Monday morning I’m going to go back to work on my Modified to race on Friday. It means a lot to do it on this stage, to prove to people that I feel like I belong to be here. I would only get better with more seat time.
Race winner and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch spends a lot of time working with young drivers coming into the sport and he was impressed with 26-year-old Preece.
“He just ran a good smart race,” Busch said. “From what I could see he just ran a smooth race and did a good job and kept his car under him. … He was keeping pace. … I think what was more impressive was him bouncing back and forth between as much as track time as he had with the Modified to deal with and then getting in the Xfinity car back and forth.”
Next up for Preece at Joe Gibbs Racing is Iowa Speedway on Saturday, July 29th at 3:30 pm ET on NBC.