Connecticut native Ryan Preece, known for his deep passion for cars and racing, faced uncertainty late in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season as he found himself without a ride. However, after joining Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing (RFK), Preece captured an emotional and pivotal win last Wednesday at The Clash, held under sleet and near-freezing temperatures in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This victory marked a significant step in Preece’s pursuit of greater success in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Highlights from The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium
The 200-lap exhibition race took place on the tight .25-mile oval at Bowman Gray Stadium, testing drivers under harsh conditions. Although the event did not count as Preece’s first official Cup Series victory, his performance sent a strong message. Preece emphasized the importance of teamwork and execution under pressure.
“It shows that you can do it,”
Preece told the Orlando Sentinel.
“As much as it was an exhibition race, you had to qualify in. You had to execute the entire race as a team to win. As a race car driver and as a team, we did all those things right. We showed that we can go and we can execute and we can compete as a team — in many adverse conditions.”
Preparing for the Ultimate Challenge at Daytona 500
Riding the momentum from The Clash, Preece heads into the prestigious Daytona 500 with renewed confidence. The race, held at Daytona International Speedway, is among NASCAR’s most demanding events, where cars approach speeds near 200 mph, often racing three-wide, requiring extreme focus and precision.
Familiar with Daytona’s dangers, Preece has survived two terrifying crashes there in recent years. In the 2025 Daytona 500, he was involved in a flipping accident triggered by contact from Christopher Bell, narrowly escaping serious injury.
“All I thought about was my daughter, so I’m lucky to walk away,”
Preece reflected about his crash.
The Impact of Family and Risks Behind the Wheel
Preece’s daughter, Rebecca Marie Preece, was born in August 2023, just weeks before a severe crash at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 that saw him barrel roll ten times and sustain broken blood vessels in his eyes. His experiences have intensified public concern over the safety of the Gen 7 car—a newer model introduced in 2022—whose rigidity he compared to
“a sheet of plywood on a windy day.”
He also shared a rare insight into the mental toughness drivers endure after crashes, noting that many drivers often experience multiple serious accidents each season yet have little opportunity to process the trauma.
“I had a couple people that called me, but one stood out to me,”
Preece recounted.
“They explained this big event that they had wrecked their car on the road. I could tell it felt good for them to talk about it. Most race fans, they might have one accident, maybe, in their lifetime — and maybe it’s a big one, and it had a big impact on them. Race car drivers, we have big wrecks multiple times a season, sometimes, and we just shake it off.”
Building Mental Resilience in Racing
Preece’s toughness recalls legendary stories like Ricky Rudd, who famously taped his eyes open after swelling post-concussion during the Daytona 500. For Preece, mental strength is essential.
“Part of being a race car driver is being tough and mentally tough, and that’s who I am and that’s what I want to be,”
he said.
“I want to be somebody that is going to do things that other people won’t.”
Career Progression Through NASCAR’s Ranks
Before his breakthrough in the Cup Series, Preece accumulated an impressive 26 wins in NASCAR’s Modified Tour, including the 2013 championship. He also recorded two victories each in both the Truck and Xfinity series, building a foundation of success and confidence along the way. However, this did not immediately translate to the Cup level after his debut in 2019, when he moved his base from Connecticut to North Carolina to pursue the sport’s highest tier.
When Stewart-Haas Racing announced their exit after 2024, Preece faced the unsettling possibility of his racing career stalling due to a lack of wins and inconsistent top-10 finishes.
“There were many, many times where I thought to myself, am I going to have an opportunity? Am I going to be able to do this? Or is my career done?”
he said.
Finding Stability and Success with Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing
Hall of Fame owner Jack Roush, along with 36-time Cup winner Brad Keselowski, offered Preece a crucial chance by signing him to RFK’s No. 60 Ford Mustang team for the 2025 season. That year, Preece achieved a career-best 14 top-10 finishes and finished 18th in the standings, signaling a turning point.
“Much like any professional sport, it takes a great team,”
Preece explained.
“It’s not like I just woke up in the past year or so and decided to start running well. I’ve always been able to go do it. It was just trying to find the right place to do it.”
New England Roots and Future Aspirations
Despite racing predominantly in the southeastern United States, Preece retains a strong connection to his New England origins. He often recalls competing on short tracks like Stafford and Thompson speedways in Connecticut and Riverhead Raceway on Long Island Sound in New York.
“I’m a die hard New Englander,”
Preece said.
While proud of his Yankee roots, he acknowledges he has more to achieve in NASCAR’s elite ranks before settling down near home.
“I have every intention of moving back north when I’m done racing,”
he declared.
“But I want to move home with a lot of trophies.”
Anticipation Builds Ahead of the Daytona 500
The upcoming Daytona 500, scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Daytona International Speedway and televised on FOX, represents one of the highest stakes in motorsports. For Ryan Preece, competing here is not only a test of skill and endurance but also an opportunity to cement his status among NASCAR’s top drivers as his career gains new momentum.
