Q&A with Ryan Preece

BY JARED TURNER

Not many drivers get a second chance at the NASCAR Cup Series level. Especially after their lone opportunity came with a midpack team.

But Ryan Preece isn’t an ordinary driver. He’s old school, and he certainly isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty to collect checkered flags. Granted, most of his success has come in the modified ranks where he was the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion in 2013.

But he’s had glimpses of success in NASCAR’s national series, such as winning in his Craftsman Truck Series debut at Nashville Superspeedway in 2021, or when he mortgaged his house to get a partial Xfinity Series schedule with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2017 that resulted in a victory at Iowa Speedway.

Preece’s grassroots story is relatable, and the new season brings great opportunity. Three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart handpicked the 32-year-old from Berlin, Connecticut, to replace Cole Custer in the No. 41 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing.

His first race out – albeit an exhibition event – in the Busch Light Clash at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, Preece paced the field for 43 laps. In 115 prior Cup Series starts, he led 25 total laps. And in Custer’s three years in the No. 41 car, he led 29 laps total.

Confidence is not a problem with Preece. And because he’s earned a second opportunity at life in the Cup Series, he plans on making the most of it.

LAST YEAR, WHEN YOU TOOK THE RESERVE DRIVER GIG AT SHR, WHAT DID YOU KNOW ABOUT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES?

It was something that I didn’t know what the future was or could be, but at the end of the day, sometimes all you need is a little bit of hope and a positive attitude. From that day forward, it was making sure to do your job, make sure you show up, be present and do whatever it takes to hopefully get an opportunity. That opportunity came. It was all worth it.

As a race car driver, you want to be in a race car. In my career, I’ve had to take steps back – or away – and make difficult decisions with the hopes of getting an opportunity in the future.

DESCRIBE THE EMOTIONS OF BEING EMBEDDED WITH A TEAM, YET NOT COMPETING ON A WEEKLY BASIS.

Me, as a race car driver, I had other outlets to go do those things. If we’re going to compare Alex (Bowman) and I together, I’m not sure if he raced during that period of time (2016 with Hendrick Motorsports). I started building my own modified around February, so I had an outlet to channel that frustration to build a race car and then go race outside of the national series. I won a couple of races, and we were really fast every time we showed up, so that was good.

On a national level, where some of the fans haven’t been able to see me race and do what I feel like I’m capable of doing at a national level, it was tough not being at the race track in the Cup Series.

YOU COMPETED IN 15 TOTAL RACES LAST YEAR AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL; 10 OF WHICH WERE IN THE TRUCK SERIES. HOW DID YOU APPROACH THE LIMITED SCHEDULE?

From a driver’s standpoint, there wasn’t any pressure for the drivers’ championship. Those guys that work on that team, I don’t know the structure that goes into it, but most teams and most of the people that work on those teams depend on making the playoffs because at the end of the season come Christmas time, usually there are bonuses. There is that pressure because they are rooting for you as much as anybody because it directly reflects on them.

HOW WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO CUP SERIES RACING IN 2023 PRESENTED TO YOU?

It was all up in the air. I was hoping and doing everything that I could to get the opportunity. One day, Tony (Stewart, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing) calls me and I’m sitting at lunch down the street from SHR. The phone call goes like this: “Ryan, I’ve got some bad news.” Immediately, he pauses and my heart sinks and I’m thinking to myself, “This kind of sucks because I turned away a couple opportunities and am not really sure what I’m going to do, but I have to figure something out.” Then, he finished that sentence by saying, “You’re going to be driving the No. 41 next year.”

He played me into the whole thing. When he said that, I went from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. Most people know my story from when I borrowed money to go do that Xfinity Series race (in 2017 with Joe Gibbs Racing) and having the support from many people up in the Northeast.

There were a lot of lows along the way, as I’m sure many people have had. There are some untold stories. When that moment happened, it was a feeling of satisfaction but it was also a feeling of, “OK, this is that time when I know what it takes to be successful, and I know what I need to go out and win Cup races.” From that moment forward, it was putting those pieces of the puzzle in place and making sure that we would be ready when it came time.

WHAT’S IT LIKE HAVING TONY STEWART IN YOUR CORNER?

As a racer, I’m somebody who respects him and have looked up to guys like him and Kevin Harvick all of my life because my entire life has been about racing. Driving for both him and Gene (Haas, SHR co-owner) and having this opportunity – to try and put it into words, as a little kid and you see these guys and you idolize them. I remember the first time I was within handshaking distance of Tony, and I kind of froze up. I want to say I was 10 or 11 years old and nervous.

It’s awesome to be one of his drivers and somebody that has the opportunity to go out there and chase trophies.

HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT TO REUNITE WITH CHAD JOHNSTON AND HAVE HIM AS YOUR CREW CHIEF IN THIS SEASON?

We clicked right away. He’s such an easy person, for me, to talk with and build a relationship with. I go to lunch with him a couple of times per week. He and I are cut from the same mold; we just love racing and have the same goals and that’s to go out and succeed. We do this to succeed.

I felt it was extremely important that I had him as a crew chief because of that relationship and how well it took off right away. But getting to know him and having somebody that I could communicate with and do all of the things that I felt needed to be done from a crew chief role was very important. I’m happy it all came together and worked out.

WHAT’S THE MEANING BEHIND THE NO B.S. PHRASE?

I’m not a mess-around person, and I don’t beat around the bush. I’m very straight forward, honest and open and usually don’t hold back on a lot. This was that opportunity, for me, to go out and do what I knew I could.

I’ve gotten all the things that I need from a team aspect. I feel like we’re ready to go. It’s just no bullshit. I’m there and we’re going to go out and race hard and hopefully win some races, because when you’re in the sport of racing, it’s about winning and that’s what we’ve got to do.

WHAT SHOULD GRASSROOT DRIVERS LEARN FROM YOUR STORY?

I listen to some podcasts all the time because it’s not easy chasing after something that might not come. Persistence and perseverance are certainly a thing. Any young driver that’s ever asked me if they should do this, this or this, I always tell them, “You need to go run at your local track and win a lot of races.”

I’m not sure that a lot of people understand the value of racing and winning, and all the lessons you’re going to learn. Maybe I’m just spoiled and lucky at this point that I’ve raced against really great race car drivers like Teddy Christopher and Mike Stefanik, those are two of the many that I could go on and list. They taught me lessons without me asking; it was taught on the race track.

I would say those are the things that have prepared me for the situation I’m in now. Just don’t quit. Go out, kick ass and chase that dream.