On Tuesday, February 3, Ryan Preece secured a commanding victory in the 60-lap Tour Type Modified feature at the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing held at New Smyrna Speedway. This win came just a day after his celebrated triumph in the Cup Series Cookout Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, putting the spotlight firmly on Preece’s skill and versatility across racing formats. His latest success highlights a return to his racing roots and showcases his determination to dominate the early-season events.
Race Overview and Key Performances from New Smyrna
Preece managed to pull away from Patrick Emerling during the final laps, capping off a hard-fought battle for the lead. Emerling, who was sidelined on Monday with motor issues, rebounded to finish second on Tuesday. Jimmy Blewett finished third, improving from a sixth-place showing the previous night, while early leader Tyler Rypkema initially controlled the race before Preece overtook him on lap 18.
The race featured multiple cautions, including one on lap four caused by Amy Catalano’s wreck that slowed the pace and allowed teams crucial time to make adjustments. On pit road, Paulie Hartwig III, who won opening night’s feature, faced a setback looking for a leak on his car. Another caution on lap 27 followed a solo crash by Stephen Kopcik, which further bunched the field before the restart.
In-Race Moves and Pivotal Moments
The contest was intense from the start with Rypkema taking the lead after the green flag. However, Preece executed a decisive move in turn three on lap 18, diving beneath Rypkema and emerging as the new leader. Ronnie Williams also passed Rypkema and briefly held second place before encountering trouble and heading to the pits on lap 29. From there, Preece maintained and extended his lead, finishing roughly three-quarters of a second ahead of Emerling by lap 45, with Blewett firmly in third.
Drivers Reflect on the Week’s Racing
Speaking about his performance and recent success, Preece said,
“Just having a lot of fun,”
and added,
“These past seven days have been a lot of fun, racing with my dad, racing with my friends. To go from Bowman Gray, drive down here, race the Late Model and then race this Modified and get back into victory lane, it was really cool. For years I’ve been chasing after that field and I see the 60 car of Matt Hirschman and I feel like I wish he was here racing because I have something that could race with him. Maybe next year we can get that rivalry going again.”
?Ryan Preece, Driver
Emerling praised his team despite falling short of victory, stating,
“Hats off to the USNEPower 1 team,”
and expressing,
“I’d like to thank them for the opportunity to come race here, Team owner David Miller and the whole USNEPower team. We had a good car. [Preece] was really flying. We have a little bit to go.”
?Patrick Emerling, Driver
Blewett, describing his efforts with a relatively new team, remarked,
“We just missed it a little bit on the tires tonight,”
further adding,
“We had the stagger open up on us where last night it closed when I was able to come from the back to the front. Top three finish for us, it’s basically a fresh team. … This car we have no notebook for. … We’re working hard at it. We’re just going to podium to death. If we can stay up front the rest of the week we’ve got a solid shot at taking him this points championship.”
?Jimmy Blewett, Driver
Significance of the Win and What Lies Ahead
Preece’s ability to transition quickly between different race formats and tracks underlines his adaptability and racing acumen. His victory at New Smyrna not only strengthens his early momentum in the Tour Type Modified series but also builds anticipation for future rivalries, especially if competitors like Matt Hirschman return. With five consecutive nights of racing at New Smyrna, the series is set for intense competition and close points battles. Preece’s performance positions him as a serious contender moving forward as drivers continue to adjust and push for supremacy.
